Tata Nexon is one of the beloved cars in the compact SUV segment. Starting from an affordable price of Rs 8.95lakh (on-road, Mumbai), it offers good safety, SUV perks and powerful turbo petrol/diesel options. Now in today’s era where the focus has jumped towards turbo-petrol due to its substantial benefits, diesel is quite on the verge of ceasing. One possible car could be the Tata Nexon diesel which can soon be abandoned. Why do we think so? Read below.

Tata Nexon Diesel – Proper Automatic Option

Tata Nexon Diesel

In the case of SUVs, torque converter AT is the no-brainer choice for diesel engines. Most of the SUV buyers go for diesel engines only if it has an AT gearbox. Now, if we talk about Nexon’s 1.5-litre diesel, it does have an automatic gearbox but it’s an AMT. This type of automatic is not at par when we compare to a proper torque converter gearbox. The shifts are laggy and can be sore point for some buyers. 

New Emission Norms

Tata Nexon Diesel

The stricter BS6 Stage 2 norms would be applicable from April 2023. Under these new rules, cars should emit regulated exhaust gas percentages not only in the testing facility but also in real-world driving conditions. As automakers would have to make the engines Stage 2 compliant, it would result in more engine advancements. This RDE (Real Driving Emissions) coming into effect would ultimately impact the buyers as costs would go up. All in all, this means that if Tata has to sell its Nexon diesel in future, the price would be higher.

Tata Nexon Diesel – Less Sales

Tata Nexon Diesel

Now that we talked about Tata needing to upgrade its diesel engine, let’s move towards the sales part. Firstly, if we talk about the 1.5-litre diesel, it is offered in the Altroz and Nexon in a different state of tune. If we talk about their sales figures, majority of the buyers prefer petrol engines. Nexon and Altroz diesel variants make up less than 20% of their total monthly sales.

Tata Nexon Diesel

What could this mean for the future?  As diesel sales are considerably lower, there are fewer chances that Tata could upgrade its 1.5-litre engine considering the added costs. Looking at the fact that it is minting fewer profits from its diesel cars, the added investment to upgrade this engine could not give positive returns in the near future. Also, we cannot forget the electric and hybrid waves in the market which are acting as a catalyst to eradicate the need for the diesel engine in smaller cars.

Tata’s Upcoming Curvv SUV

Tata Nexon Diesel

Tata showcased its CURVV concept earlier this year which throws light on what can be expected from the upcoming SUVs of the brand. The launch is slated for 2024 which is still atleast a year away, creating the question of if it getting a diesel option. If Tata has to bring this diesel engine to the Curvv, the brand then might have to update its 1.5-litre diesel unit. But, for the time being, Tata will have to plant the updated motor in its existing Nexon and Altroz. So, if the brand wishes to continue this diesel engine, they will have to settle with Nexon (& Altroz) diesel returning the same lower profit percentage which could be a bummer to the brand.

Tata Nexon Diesel

Another interesting thing would be the trends in the future. As the petrol hybrid and EV range increasing at a great pace, it is uncertain that Tata might give Curvv a diesel engine in the first place. This SUV is already confirmed to get a fully electric setup as well as ICE options. What do you think could be the next move from Tata? Would they discontinue this engine or retain it for the Nexon, Altroz and the upcoming Curvv? Comment your thoughts below. 

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