Tata’s new Zest comes with different driving modes and is packed with loads of equipment and features
The Tata Zest (Photo: DC)
Mumbai: The road test of well, the Tata Zest was in Goa and when I got there, Tata had rolled out their new top brass who, while presenting the car, used the terms “Best in class” and, “First in class” only about 50,000 times. One look at the car, and you can straightaway assume that it’s based on another, similarly-sized Tata. Although the bosses categorically pointed out that the Zest was all brand new.
Fair enough. One thing was certain though; the Zest is Part 1 of Tata Motors’ new direction. And that direction is to change the image of the brand from a fleet car manufacturer to something that you might want reviewed in these pages.
To do this, they’ve got a new management — who are all petrolheads. Full-on maverick Pratap Bose has been put in charge of design — he’s designed for Mercedes before and they’ve got Dr Tim Leverton from Rolls-Royce to head Product Engineering. They’re also working closely with JLR to develop new processes.
So the big question now is this — has it all worked? In short, yes. The Zest seems to have the beginnings of things we’ve never seen in a Tata before —personality and soul. It looks perfectly acceptable from the outside and inside, you could be fooled into thinking that you were in a Skoda or a Volkswagen.
Your drivetrain options include a 1.2l turbo petrol which makes 90bhp and 140Nm of torques. This comes with a 5-speed manual and, for the first time at this end of the market, driving modes. Eco-warriors can have Eco mode which gives you barely any power but a billion kpl, probably.
For city scooting about there’s City mode which focuses on low-end torque and finally, it has Sport, for when you fancy burning some rubber. I was expecting this to be a gimmick but it actually works and works well.
The second option is Fiat’s tried-and-brilliant 1.3l Multijet turbo diesel. This does 90bhp as well, but crucially, it has 200Nm of torque. The only gearbox you can have with this one is a 5-speed automated manual.
This is supposed to work like an auto box but it actually isn’t one. It is really slow to shift when you’re in a hurry. But when you drive it normally, peacefully, it works quite well. There’s a button right next to the gearstick marked ‘S’ which stands for Sport.
Push it and the engine revs all the way to its 4500rpm redline before it upshifts. It has a tiptronic option as well, if you think you’re better at shifting gears than the hydraulics.
The petrol-engined Zest had LEDs and a brilliant touch-screen package from Harman. It also has 8 speakers and can sync with your phone.
So as a package, the Zest is compelling. For someone who just wants a solidly-built everyday car that’s loaded to the gills with equipment, has wonderful ride quality in the front or the rear, drives better than any Tata that’s gone before it, the Zest is the only logical choice, provided it’s priced in the Rs 6 lakh to Rs 8 lakh range.
( Source : dc )
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