Tata Zest Overview

Tata Zest comes in both petrol and diesel fuel trims with a total of 9 variants. The variant nomenclature with this sedan is also fresh unlike the several ongoing Tata cars. The four petrol variants are – XE, XM, XMS, and XT, while the five diesel variants are – XE, XM, XMS, XMA, and XT. It comes loaded with as many as 29 best-in-class features and also dimension wise, it is the largest and the most spacious.Tata has installed an AMT gearbox with the diesel variant of this sedan which makes it the country’s cheapest diesel automatic sedan. It is also the first vehicle to be wheeled out of Tata factory in accordance with company’s latest ‘DesigNext, DriveNext, ConnectNext’ philosophy. The Zest is being assembled locally at the company’s Pimpri and Ranjangaon plant in Pune. For information on contact details of Tata car dealers in New delhi

Tata Zest Exteriors & Look

Now the Zest saloon looks totally different from any Tata motors existing vehicles as already mentioned earlier and even all the body panels used in the car are also new but somehow I cannot completely delete the thought that this new compact sedan will be the successor of the existing Tata manza compact sedan or the Vista hatch that is present in the Indian market because you will definitely find some similarities with the old Vista or the Manza when you look at the new Zest. The headlamp has been stretched towards the bonnet which will definitely remind you of the Tata Vista or the Manza however the Zest headlamp consists of Projector units which is something new for this segment and most of you will love this fact that it will provide better illumination at night. The front grille with the Tata Motors logo has been surrounded with chrome strips while the lower front bumper also gets LED daytime-running lights which (will only available with the top end trim) now can also be seen on other cars and helps in adding the premium touch to the vehicle.Take a walk towards its side profile and here also you will find some visual elements that match with the Vista hatch. The Zest gets a stylish new 15 inch alloy wheels which helps in enhancing the overall look of the compact saloon while adding a tall stance to the car. The side profile also gets body colored wing mirrors which also comes with LED indicators, body colored door handles and bumpers which is tandard across all the trims and variants.

However the most interesting part of the car got to be its rear styling which looks different and new. The wrap around tail lamp units looks completely different than what you will find in the Vista or the Manza and helps the car in giving its own unique identity, the LED tail lamp units are segment first and gives the rear profile a neat and upmarket look. Moreover you will also find chrome strip running in between the tail lamps. The rear of the Zest has been perfectly blended with the overall design of the car which is very important for a compact sedan because it has been curved to look different from the hatch.I must admit here the Zest looks different than the car which was showcased at the Auto expo but the new Zest looks practical and neat and we must say that Tata Motors has played it safe this time they have added some important new additions which are important and necessary while maintaining slight touches of the old car as well.

Tata Zest Interiors & Comfort

Now most of the Indian consumers wants maximum out of their cars interior because this is the place where most of them and their family would spend their time in. Tata has tried to make the interior look new and fresh and we must admit that the interior of the Tata Zest neat and and modern compared to other Tata Motors products.The first thing that catches everyone’s eye when they step inside a car is the dashboard, in the case of Zest compact sedan Tata has fitted a completely new dashboard which looks very modern and premium. Tata have used Java Black & Latte colors. The newly designed three spoke steering wheel looks new.In addition to that Tata also has highlighted some important bits with chrome which overall adds a very interesting and premium finish to the dashboard. The top end variants definitely gets lots of goodies like Harman touchscreen multimedia system with 8 audio speaker, Voice recognition and SMS readouts and even steering mounted controls. The top trim also gets automatic temperature controls which can be operated via the touchscreen interface.

Now coming to the comfort factor the seats definitely feels comfortable while the white colored leather seats make the interior feel plush and appealing. From the pictures it is quite clear that the rear seats has sufficient amount of leg room which will definitely be useful during long journeys but what you will lack are the storage spaces inside the cabin, there is neither any arm rest on the front or even in the rear seats which is bit disappointing though. However at the rear of the car you will get a 360 litre boot which can help you store lot of luggage’s but the Swift Dzire or the Honda Amaze provides even better boot space.The base XE trim gets lot of important goodies like tilt adjustable power steering, air-conditioner with a heater option, front power windows, manual central locking and foldable key but unfortunately you won’t be getting any audio system with this trim. While the top end trim gets Automatic climate control, Multifunction steering wheel with voice command, Rear parking sensors, Electrically adjustable wing mirrors, Driver seat height adjustment, Harman music system with 8 speakers which supports

Tata Zest Engine & Transmission

Now here comes the most important part of any car, the engine details. Luckily the Tata Zest is available with both Diesel and petrol engine options.The petrol unit powers the Zest compact sedan is the new Revotron 1.2 L Turbocharged MPFi engine unit which comes equipped with multi-drive mode for better throttle response, this engine is capable enough to produce 90 Ps of peak power at 5000 rpm and 140 NM of torque between 1750-3500 RPM. While the Diesel mill that will power the Zest compact saloon is the same Qudrajet 1.3-litre Multijet unit which is available in two staes of tune one producing 90 Ps of peak power at 4000 rpm and 200 Nm of peak torque in between 1750 and 3000 rpm while the other produces 73.94 bhp of peak power at 4,000 rpm and 190 Nm of torque between 1,750 3,000 rpm.

This Diesel engine unit is also used in other Tata products as well and features a variable-geometry turbo (VGT) which helps in producing more power. Tata has already launched the F-Tronic technology-enabled, 5-speed Automated Manual Transmission (AMT), with both Automatic and Sequential mode of gear-shifting with the diesel variants however it is only available with the top end 1.3L XMA trim beside the standard 5 speed manual gearbox.

Although the Tata Zest engines looks new and exciting but somehow both of them produces less power than its rivals the Swift Dzire and the Amaze which also stays ahead of the race with its fuel efficient petrol and powerful diesel mill. Talking about fuel efficiency figures the 1.2-liter four-cylinder turbocharged MPFI SOHC engine will return ARAI claimed 17.6 km to liter while the diesel engine will return ARAI claimed 23 km to a liter.

Tata Zest Ride & Handling

The steering is now an electrically assisted unit, and Tata has taken care that it returns to the straight-ahead when the driver isn’t turning it. It works well, this system, and the steering assist at low speeds is very well tuned. It is accurate at speed, but doesn’t weigh up very much as speeds increase, but we’ll put off a final opinion about this until we get a chance to slingshot the Zest along our favourite set of corners. However, Tata’s claim about it not having vibration stands true: it is as refined as the petrol engine now. The brakes also are very confidence inspiring. Bite and progression are good, and outright power is good enough to let you brake late with full confidence. ABS, EBD and Corner Stability Control (what I gather to be an advanced form of EBD) are present on the top-spec variants. The suspension is the traditional layout of McPherson struts in the front, and twist-beam rear. However, to keep the plush Tata ride intact with the larger wheels, Tata has included a second rubber mount for the front suspension that helps the secondary ride. The traditional mounts are also different to work around this, so if you’re thinking of swapping your Zest front suspension for something else, it won’t be possible. However, this is a very interesting solution for the problem at hand – secondary ride, in case you didn’t know, is the shock absorption done by things other than the actual spring and damper. Usually it is the tyres and the suspension mounts (made of hard rubber) that do this job, which is generally at low speed, and the primary ride is taken care of by the spring and damper at speed, because that is when the tyre starts moving vertically over bumps. Goa’s roads are smooth and flowing, so we didn’t get to verify this fully on our short drive, but I can safely say that both in high- and low-speed ride, the Zest is a traditional Tata. As far as handling is concerned, it is a whole new Tata – it takes the fast with the slow equally well, giving an unexpected level of feedback and therefore driver involvement. Of course, the Zest isn’t at the top of the class in the driver involvement section, but that was never the expectation. Is it much improved compared to before? Definitely.

Tata Zest Safety Features

The Tata Zest uses a baked hardened steel in its construction. It gets front and side crumple zones along with protection bars for rear passengers. Safety equipment includes dual front airbags, ABS, EBD and Corner Stability Control (CSC). The Zest feels strong, the doors close with a reassuring thud and the thickness of metal is good too. However, the vehicle isn’t tested by Global NCAP yet and we can only comment on the safety of the vehicle after a crash test rating has been given to it. The company has crash tested the Tata Zest at its own facility and it meets Indian regulations.

Tata Zest Price

Tata Zest Ex-Showroom Price in Bangalore ranges from 5,21,046/- (Zest Revotron 1.2T XE) to 8,57,472/- (Zest Quadrajet 1.3 XTA). Get best offers for Tata Zest from Tata Dealers in Bangalore. Check Zest price in Bangalore

Tata Zest Verdict

Even a short drive in the new Tata Zest will make you forget everything about the old Indica Vista, so effective are the improvements. The design is a definite step forward and when viewed from certain angles, the car looks genuinely good. The real changes are in the engineering. The ride and handling mix is just spot on, and it’s even fun to chuck around corners. The petrol engine doesn’t quite live up to all the hype Tata put behind it, but in isolation, is very smooth and driveable, and packs adequate punch too. The AMT diesel comes with the compromises typical of this type of gearbox, but for most people in everyday driving, the price, fuel economy and immense convenience factor should outweigh the small foibles. You’ll also have little reason to complain sitting inside, apart from the lack of cabin stowage, and the top-spec car is really well kitted out too.With the Zest, Tata Motors is taking on a hugely competitive segment dominated by three of the country’s biggest carmakers. It does have a trump card up its sleeve with the diesel auto, however, and this alone should have buyers flocking to showrooms. Tata was the company that started this segment in the first place, remember, and if it prices the Zest as competitively as it historically has its other cars, this could be the car that puts Tata back in the game.