All These Three Sub-4m SUVs Are Based On A Monocoque Chassis And Feature Ground-Up Design.
Tata Motors seems all set to dive into the sub-4m SUV segment with the Nexon this year. The Fiesta-based Ford EcoSport, being the only monocoque based product with a flamboyant ground-up design, enjoyed monopoly in this segment for a long time. Currently, Maruti Suzuki dominates this space in terms of sales with the Vitara Brezza. The two Mahindra products, the TUV300 and the NuvoSport, are also present in this price range, but have never set the sales chart on fire, and were mainly left out of this comparison due to their relatively heavy body-on-frame construction.
Tata revealed yet another near-production version of the Nexon recently at the 2017 Geneva Motor Show. The automaker has revealed additional information about this upcoming sub-4m SUV apart from what we already knew from the 2016 Indian Auto Expo. Let us collate all the information about the Nexon, which will be priced similar to the EcoSport and the Vitara Brezza, and pitch it against the two. Time to roll!
Dimensions
If you look at the graphics above, all the three cars are on par when it comes to overall length as they strictly have to be under 4m. However, when it comes to width, the three can be clearly differentiated. The Nexon is the widest of the three, it is 21mm wider than the Brezza and a whopping 101mm than the Ford EcoSport. The coupe-ish Nexon is not only wide, but is low as well, just like the Evoque! Despite having near identical ground clearance of 200mm of all the three SUVs, the Nexon’s overall height is 33mm lower than the Brezza and nearly 22mm than the EcoSport. Speaking of wheelbase, the EcoSport offers the longest one, while the other two are nearly on par with each other.
With the latest Platinum edition, the EcoSport rides on 17-inch wheels, while the Vitara Brezza rides on 16-inch ones. The Nexon is also likely to feature 17-inch wheels (like the recently revealed Geneva Edition). We can be little ambitious considering its sibling, the Hexa’s whopping 19-inch wheels!
Mechanicals
Since Tata has only revealed the specs of the diesel Nexon as of now, we’ll skip the petrol versions of the EcoSport (the Vitara Brezza doesn’t offer a petrol version). The Nexon diesel is powered by a 1.5-litre motor, which is the second engine in Tata’s new Revotorq family of diesel engines. As you can see in the creatives above, on paper, the Nexon clearly outperforms both the Ford EcoSport and the Maruti Vitara Brezza; the torque is literally unparalleled. These specs certainly put the Nexon in the territory of the Duster 110PS and the Creta 1.6-litre diesel. Also, it is the only vehicle in this comparison to feature a six-speed manual.
All in all, the Tata Nexon looks promising and competitive enough to dent the sales of its established rivals. However, at the end, it all boils down to pricing and powertrain options (automatic and manual). Stay tuned to CarDekho to see how Tata positions its debutant sub-4m SUV in the coming months!
Source: CarDekho.com
