Tata Nano could be discontinued

There has been talks that Tata Motors could discontinue the Nano. The brand has been working on ways and means to restore the Nano brand and things have been falling apart everytime. The Nano GenX wasn’t able to get the success that the company was expecting from this product. Hence, there has been a talk that Tata Nano could be discontinued.  We have a detailed review of this hatchback.

The GenX comes in four variants, namely XE, XM, XT and XTA. While the former three are manual variants, the latter one is equipped with an AMT (Automated Manual Transmission) that is mated to a five- speed gearbox. AMTs are getting very popular and are doing their duty in cars like Maruti Celerio, Alto and also the Tata Zest. Now, Nano adds another feather in its cap with ‘Easy Shift’, which is the brand name coined by Tata for the automatic version. The one we drove was the XTA, to get first impressions about the car and let you know how good it is.

Also Read: Datsun Redigo Review

Tata Nano GenX Design

When we first laid our eyes on the car, the thing that grabbed attention was the new ‘Sangria Red’ colour, which is a very classy deep red shade and has a premium feel. One can also immediately notice the new strip between the headlamps, on the bonnet, in piano black finish, embedded with an imposing Tata logo in the centre. Headlamps now get a ‘smoked’ treatment with black bezels and add some sportiness. The front bumper is also new and houses a new smiling grille that has an ‘Infinity Motif’ design theme as termed by Tata Motors, with fog lamps on either side.

These subtle changes are a clear differentiator between the earlier Nano and the GenX. From the side the car remains the same. The rear has a new bumper again with a similar smiling Infiniti Motif theme grille. The interesting part here is the new openable boot, which adds to the utlility quotient of the Nano. The boot offers 94 litres of space, which is pretty usable to pack in an aircraft cabin baggage sized luggage and shopping bags, laptop bag, etc. The manual versions get 110 litres of boot space. This is because the AMT takes up more space in the engine bay and eats up a little portion of the boot. There is also a small integrated spoiler on the top of the boot lid, which looks smart.

Also Read: Renault Kwid AMT Review

Tata Nano GenX Interior

Like the exterior, the interior too receives many upgrades. While the layout remains the same, one is greeted with a new colour theme which Tata call the Latte and Cappucino. The Infinity Motif theme continues on the seat fabric too. A new steering wheel, which is now the signature steering wheel for all Tata cars, finds place in the Nano GenX. First seen on the Zest, this steering wheel looks smart and is pleasant to hold too. It also gets new stalks that house the wiper, lights and indicator controls and believe me it feels special in an entry level car.

The instrument cluster again is the first and only one of its kind in the segment. It displays a variety of information such as low fuel warning, distance to empty, trip metre, average fuel consumption, instantaneous fuel consumption and also a gear shift indicator (XTA only). A new AmphiStream music system offers four speakers with surround sound, a CD player, USB and Aux-in ports and also Bluetooth connectivity, again a first and the only one in the segment.

Also Read: Datsun Redigo Sport

Tata Nano GenX Engine and Performance

Nano GenX uses the same 624cc twin-cylinder multi point fuel injected engine that produces 37 bhp @ 5500 rpm and 51 Nm of torque. It now comes with Electric Power Assisted Steering as standard, across all variants. Driving the Nano GenX felt special and that is due to a number reasons. What felt the most special was the Easy Shift i.e. the AMT and it truly makes life very easy. While it is smooth overall, there is quite a pronounced lag between gearshifts. The AMT has a Manual mode to offer an option of changing gears as per the driver’s requirement and also has a Sports mode, for some spirited driving maneuvers.

This transmission also comes with a creep function that helps the car to crawl as soon as pressure from the brake pedal is released, without pressing the throttle. This is very useful during parking and functions both in forward and reverse.

What impressed me a lot was the ride quality, which is very good for an entry level car and goes on to show the serious work that Tata engineers have been doing for the Nano. The ride, especially at low speeds has improved remarkably. In fact, overall, the suspension behavior was inspiring. The car uses anti roll bar for high speed stability and has an impressive ground clearance of 180mm, which means that uneven roads and illegal speed breakers pose no problem for the Nano GenX. The seats are pretty comfortable too. The turning radius of 4 metres is something that will always put a smile on one’s face. It is just so easy to drive it around crowded streets, tight parking spots and taking u-turns.

Another impressive feature of this car is the airconditioning. Though we were driving the car in the afternoon heat with the temperature soaring beyond 38 degrees Celsius, the cooling was just fine. The blower though, seemed a bit noisier than normal even at the first position. Other features in the Nano GenX include front power windows and remote central locking with alarm.

Also Read: New 2018 Maruti Alto Coming. Price and Launch Date

Tata Nano GenX Colours

The Nano GenX is offered in seven colours – Sangria Red, Persian Rose (built on order), Pearl white, Meteor Silver, Royal Gold, Dazzle Blue and Damson Purple.

Also Read: Tata Nano Pelican. A new premium Nano coming

Tata Nano GenX Safety

Tata has also improved the structural rigidity of the Nano and added improved crumple zones alongwith side impact beams and other improved body reinforcements for added safety.

Also Read: Toyota working on a Nano competition car.

Tata Nano GenX Price