CURVV-BALL!

Tata's new mass-market SUV coupe may have more than a few tricks up its sleeve

- Keshav Teiva Poumai

The SUV he SUV coupe segment seems to have seen a sudden peak in interest among a few manufacturers of late. Could it just be the fact that there is a desire to capitalise on something fairly fresh, or is there actually public interest invested in the segment? The answer, in all probability, is the former, because nobody really asked for a massmarket SUV coupe, but clearly Tata (and Citroen) think they should exist. That being said, the Tata Curvy does make a good first impression in person, visually at least, and better than what photographs suggested.

Looking at the design of the Curvy, it feels a bit busy in some sections mainly the nose and tail - but overall, it comes together well enough and makes it stand out. All the curves and edges seem to sit just right, giving it a pretty muscular stance.

And since we're already familiar with the basic outline, courtesy of the Curvv.ev, other than the new grille and wheels, there's nothing that we haven't already seen. In terms of how the car looks, the wheel arches needed to have been filled out better, because right now it still looks like the Curvy has been skipping leg day.

The sloping toofline means that there is less headroom for tall people in the back, especially considering that the panoramic sunroof eats into that, too. The back row will feel cramped for three people but will seat two comfortably for the most part.