The Next Question

We’ve established that the diesel version is the better of the two Tata Nexons. But is it good enough to take the fight to the hot-selling Maruti Vitara Brezza?

- Nikhil Bhatia

With its striking looks, powerful diesel engine and the likelihood of an inviting price tag, the Tata Nexon makes for an enticing proposition. But is it the best diesel compact SUV you can buy? The answer lies in how well it fares against the yellow model in the picture above – the Maruti Vitara Brezza. The Brezza has been a remarkable sales success since its launch last year and we found it to be a more complete package than the Ford EcoSport, the original compact SUV wonder, when we brought the two together (ACI, April 2016). Incidentally, we’d have liked to feature the EcoSport as well, but with a comprehensive facelift coming in the next few months, Ford opted to fight the battle some other day.

So as things stand, the Vitara Brezza is the model to beat. Does the level-headed Brezza hold on to its position or could the Nexon bring about a disruption in the compact SUV segment?

LIVING SPACE

There are no two ways about it – it’s the Nexon that’s the looker here. Its bold design gives it a genuine star appeal that few cars this side of Rs 10 lakh can hope to match. When you step inside too, you’ll like what you see. The dashboard looks modern and the general ambience inside is premium. Other things to like include the comfy front seats, the high position of the centre screen and the fact that the main touch points like the steering wheel and gear lever are nicely finished. What you’ll also appreciate is that each of the doors have a usable bottle holder and that the glovebox is really huge. But the Nexon has its share of quirks too. For instance, the centre storage bay is too deep and narrow to access comfortably on the go, the USB/aux inputs are hard to reach and the useful umbrella holders in the front doors can hold only slim umbrellas. The thick A-pillars also obstruct visibility at crossroads.