The Tata Nexon will be powered by an all-new 1.5-litre diesel engine and was spotted testing with a roof rack mounted on the tailgate.
Tata Motors will be making its maiden entry to the compact SUV space with the Nexon that was originally showcased as a concept at the 2014 Auto Expo. The fifth product to come out of the HorizonNEXT strategy, the Nexon brings the automaker back to the SUV genre and will be powered by the all-new self-developed 1.5-litre diesel motor. Tata has made several amends with its new products and hopes are high with the new UV offering as well which was recently caught testing by our reader Enosh in Wakad (Pune) wrapped in heavy camouflage.
Shedding new details, the Tata Nexon will get the automaker’s new family of engines and transmissions. The test mule revealed little in terms of aesthetics, but the silhouette resembles the concept while the front fascia is reminiscent of the Safari (with a wide Zica-like grille) hinting towards a masculine look. The model was also fitted with a roof cargo box that is likely to be offered as an optional accessory. Interestingly, the box was mounted on top of the tailgate instead of the roof.
Further, the instrument cluster is visible in the spy shots revealing the blue illumination and an MID unit in the centre of the twin pod unit, similar to the one on the Zica. Coming to the more interesting proposition, Tata Motors is developing a new 1.5-litre diesel turbocharged motor that will be a four-cylinder unit part of the new Revotorq family and will be offered with multiple driving modes. Power output is expected to be in excess of 100 PS while a torque rating above 200 Nm is likely. Petrol power will be coming from the 1.2-litre Revotron petrol engine tuned for 90 PS and 140 Nm of torque. The compact SUV will come paired to a 5-speed manual gearbox while an AMT unit cannot be ruled out.
The competition is getting fierce in the sub 4-metre compact SUV space as the Mahindra TUV300 is already raking in good numbers while the Ford EcoSport albeit expensive, is a popular seller. When the Nexon arrives in late 2016, the segment would’ve intensified further with the Maruti YBA also to join the lineup. More details are expected to arrive in the following days as the test mules start losing camouflage.
