The Drive Report: 2023 Tata Nexon (facelift)

The bog-standard ICE versions of the Tata Nexon may have been eclipsed by their electric counterpart in recent years, but they remain a significant milestone for the Indian automaker. Launched in 2017, the Nexon catapulted Tata into a new league, heralding a new beginning for Tata Motors as it transitioned from being a maker of low-cost cars and large SUVs with slightly agricultural powertrains to a maker of comfortable, reliable and safe forms of urban transport. It was, after all, the first car by Tata Motors to receive a five-star Global NCAP safety rating.

Having sold over half a million units in the last six years, the Nexon has seen one major upgrade. But its drab interior meant that there was still ground to cover for brand Nexon. And that’s exactly what Tata has done on war footing and so the latest iteration is bursting at the seams with top-of-the-shelf, premium car tech.

The looks

The Nexon was always cheerful and unconventional in its design. It introduced the “coupé" style curved roofline to the subcompact SUV space, sprucing up what was otherwise a very conventionally styled segment. But the new iteration is truly a vision to behold, causing much rubbernecking as I drove it through the streets of Jaipur. Inspired by Tata’s Curvv EV concept, the entire front fascia has been redesigned to include tapering, bi-directional LED headlamps and a more defined, muscular bonnet line. There are proper sheet metal changes here, the most extensive you’d find in a facelift. The front is almost completely redesigned, with larger air dams and split headlamps that blend into what is a much sleeker grille. The rear gets a full-width light bar, capturing the Nexon’s signature “Y” motif, albeit in a subtle, minimalistic manner. The rear reflectors are also much more prominent now, giving the car a more butch, squarish stance. The rear spoiler lip neatly conceals the windscreen wiper, tucking away the incongruous elements of the exterior design.

Its silhouette, though, is nearly identical to that of the previous version, obtaining the same greenhouse and overall profile as its predecessor. The dual-tone 16-inch alloys have been redesigned to be more aerodynamic, arguably for the sake of the upcoming EV, which will share the same styling cues and multimedia options. Speaking of which…
The tech

The Nexon takes a generational leap when it comes to interior upgrades. Everything about the cockpit has been redesigned, starting with the floating touchscreen unit which has been upgraded to a 10.25-inch unit featuring a far sharper resolution and a more intuitive user interface. The top-end version, tested here, gets Android Auto and Apple CarPlay and allows the user to view a crisp, hi-res SatNav display on the customisable digital instrument cluster. It’s a neat trick, found primarily in luxury cars, but it doesn’t allow iOS users to view Google Maps on the instrument cluster. Tata Motors says this is due to some restrictions from Apple and this means that Google Maps can only be viewed on the 10.25-inch system and not on the instrument cluster. Apple Maps, however, works just fine on both screens.

Both driver and the front passenger get ventilated leatherette seats which is a nice touch, but the centrepiece is the new two-spoke steering wheel design that’s reminiscent of 1990s Tata vehicles. The brand’s chief designer Martin Uhlarik claims that the design has actually been inspired by handheld gaming consoles, but for die-hard Tata loyalists, it’s an unmistakable throwback to the Sierra.

The new Nexon also gets an in-built SIM that allows you to make SOS emergency calls in case of an accident or a breakdown. It also gets a new, soft-touch gear shifter for the dual clutch automatic, along with a temperature control panel with backlit logos for buttons placed on a piano black surface. If there’s one major gripe it’s the absence of a cup holder. Storage space isn’t as high as it should be, with door pockets on either side offering little to comfortably hold a Styrofoam cup, and this means you can’t have any coffee on the go.

Another major highlight is the 360-degree camera, offering a high-definition, 360-degree view of the surroundings with a 3D view of the car. The system is very similar to the one used by contemporary Land Rovers with three individual cameras on either side allowing for a closer look and eliminating any possible blind spots. Speaking of blind spots, a click of the indicator activates the corresponding side's camera, allowing you to turn more effectively. It’s far from the only additional safety measure incorporated by Tata. The Nexon gets 6 airbags as standard, and features seat belt reminders for all passengers.

Powertrain

The only change to the powertrain is the availability of a 7-speed DCT with the three-cylinder 1.2-litre turbo petrol. The engine is identical to the old one producing the same 118bhp of power and 170 Nm of torque. While the DCT is a considerable improvement over the 6-speed AMT, it lacks the alacrity you’d expect from a dual clutch unit. Press the throttle and the unit seems unsure of itself, preferring gentler throttle inputs much like a standard torque converter or AMT would. Still, it’s relatively quicker on upshifts. The three-cylinder motor itself isn’t the most refined one, emitting a pained groan upon hard acceleration that continues to find its way into an otherwise well-insulated cabin. If it’s a more engaging drive you prefer, opt for the diesel manual option, whose slick upshifts ensure you make the most of its 280 Nm of torque.

But with the diesel only comprising 20 percent of overall Nexon sales, it looks like the petrol will continue to take the lion’s share of the ICE Nexon’s sales.

Verdict

The Nexon remains a significant milestone for Tata Motors and its cyclical upgrades are an accurate indicator of things to come. The Nexon may feel similar to drive, but the sheer breadth of changes qualify this as a next-generation model. Although looks remain a subjective matter, the new Nexon is a wholesome, attractive and fabulously equipped car that now sits at the very top of its segment.