Tata Nano GenX: Test Drive Review

Reema Sharma

Test drives are always exciting, more so if you are checking out a 'small wonder' which comes in the shape of a car. I recently got behind the wheel of Tata Motors' much-awaited GenX Nano Easy Shift (AMT). Does it live up to the hype? Does the car actually deliver on all the technological marvels promised? Does it feel good on the road?

I had many questions in my mind even before I switched on the ignition. However, as I started the sheer manoeuvrability of the vehicle is what caught my attention first.

Like previous Nano models, the GenX too delivers the smallest turning radius possible. Driving behind a three-wheeler I deliberately tried taking a u-turn, and the agility with which the car accomplished the manoeuvre was akin to the autorickshaw. The car's turning radius is fantastic for crowded traffic, roundabouts and tight parking spots.

Positioning it as an aspirational vehicle, the GenX Nano is the third avatar since the first edition was launched five years ago followed by the Nano Twist that came around two years back. 

On the interior space front, the car comes with 4 percent better shoulder room and 6 percent better legroom. In fact, the car does have very good legroom both in the front and back. Even if you slide the driver seat back to its maximum, the passenger in the rear seat does not face any difficulties with knee space.

The seats, accelerator and brake paddles are all very well mounted, giving you a commanding feel on the road. Well-mounted seats provide a good view of the road, helpful in case there is a sudden movement from the sides. The seat is positioned to give the driver a clear view of potholes and sudden speed breakers where there are no markers.

The GenX Nano is powered by a 624cc, multi-point fuel injected, water cooled, naturally aspirated, 2 cylinder gasoline engine with 2 valves per cylinder. The engine produces 38PS power @ 5500 RPM and 51 Nm torque @ 4000 RPM. Though the ignition sound is a bit harsh and annoying, the peppy pickup of the GenX more than makes up for it. At all the traffic signals the GenX sped up like an arrow, the moment the light turned green. Though it lost pace to other cars in a few seconds, the initial pick up was encouraging. It felt good to be ahead of many 1200cc cars for at least 10 to 15 seconds.

There is 94 litre boot space in the AMT and 110 litre boot space in the MT version which can be enhanced by collapsing the rear seats. The car has good ground clearance of 180 mm which takes care of the rough patches on Indian roads. However, a colleague of mine who was sitting at the back said that he felt constant jerks on bumpy roads.

Continuing with its Designext approach, the GenX Nano's front and rear bumpers come with an Infinity motif grille. Other features include smoked headlamps, Tata signature steering wheel and sporty integrated tailgate spoiler. However, the same oval look could be a turn-off for many. They could have done a little more with the exteriors to make it distinctly different from its predecessors. Notwithstanding several cosmetic changes, the first impression of the car's exterior is the same as that of the older Nano models. The bonnet and bumper all the time remind you that it is the same old 'one lakh Rupee car'.

The GenX Nano is loaded with connectivity features -- four speakers with surround sound effect mated to AmphiStream music system, Bluetooth, CD, Radio, USB and AUX-in options. It also has digital information display with features like average and instantaneous fuel consumption, distance to empty and gear shift indicator. The car's air-conditioner is really impressive. With the aircon on, it only took a few minutes to cool the cockpit down while the temperature outside was a searing 44 °C. I didn't need to turn the blower a notch over the 2nd level.

The most fascinating part of the car, however, is the Creep Feature. I would say it is perhaps the winner. This feature assures smooth manoeuvrability in heavy traffic and also while parking. The Easy Shift AMT comes with an in-built creep feature. This allows the car to crawl as soon as the pressure is taken off the brake pedal, without pressing the accelerator. I almost felt like a child as I kept using this feature while driving through bumper to bumper traffic. When the road is full of traffic and you have to travel at a snail's pace, it is just so easy to take the pressure off the brake and keep moving.

The Nano GenX has maintained its USP –the affordability factor. There is no denying that the GenX AMT is still the most affordable hatchback around. The GenX Nano comes with a starting price tag of Rs 1.99 lakh for the XE variant and goes up to Rs 2.49 lakh for the XT variant, in Manual Transmission. The Company has introduced two variants – XMA and XTA with ‘Easy Shift’ Automated Manual Transmission. The XMA variant will be made-to-order and will be available for sale from August 2015. The XMA variant is priced at Rs 2.69 lakh and the top-end XTA variant is priced at Rs 2.89 lakh. All prices are ex-showroom Delhi. However, the top level model will face stiff competition from other entry level cars as far as the price is concerned.

Tata Nano Genx comes at a time when the Indian auto market is flooded with hundreds of car models. While the company targets first-time car buyers, college goers and two-wheeler customers who want to upgrade to a four-wheeler, it must bear in mind that its immediate competitors too are well prepared!