June 2024 - Tata Nexon Petrol Variants Explained - Which One To Buy?

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Update (June 21, 2024): This Nexon Petrol Variants Explained article includes the updated buying recommendations for the Nexon SUV based on the March 2024 and May 2024 variant updates and price revisions. In this article, we’ve also included the engine and dimension comparison of the Nexon with the new Mahindra XUV 3XO, Citroen C3, Maruti Fronx and Toyota Taisor.

What Are The Pros And Cons Of Tata Nexon Petrol?

The pros or advantages of Tata Nexon petrol are:

• Value for money starting price for the Smart variant
• A fairly wide and tall body gives it a great road presence
• Best-in-class ground clearance of 208mm
• 6 airbags are now standard along with other safety features like ESC, HSA, traction control and LED headlamps
• Even the base model variant doesn’t instantly come across as the basic because of the LED headlamps, LED DRLs, connected tail lamps and new, 2-spoke steering with backlit Tata logo
• Gets option of manual, AMT automatic and DCT automatic transmissions; if you also factor in the 5-speed manual, then the Nexon has 4 transmission options to choose from
• Gets a good number of features for its class in the top variant

The Tata Nexon petrol has the following shortcomings or problems:

• Several basic features are missing in the lower and mid-spec variants; for example, front and rear armrests only available in Fearless and its derivatives, height-adjustable driver seat in Creative and higher trims
• No true value for money variant; no variant justifies the incremental cost over the base variant with the additional features
• Lower trims get a 5-speed manual transmission for no apparent reason besides encouraging buyers to go for a higher variant with fatter profit margins
• Missing features like 360-degree camera, side thorax and curtain airbags — addressed by Tata with 2023 model update
• Missing features like power driver seat, panoramic sunroof and ADAS suite — XUV3XO has set a new benchmark in this segment by offering all of these features along with value pricing and superior feature distribution
• Overall, the variant-powertrain lineup is quite confusing and we are yet to see the introduction of some CNG variants
• Horrible communication strategy is leaving buyers confused as there are several mismatches in features based on when and where you source your information

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What Is The Price Of 2024 Tata Nexon Petrol Variants?

The new Nexon petrol is available with the following 4 transmission options:

• 5-speed manual transmission (Smart and its derivatives)
• 6-speed manual transmission (Pure and higher variants)
• 6-speed AMT automatic transmission (Smart Plus and higher variants up to Creative Plus S dual tone)
• 7-speed DCT automatic transmission (Creative and higher variants)

After the May 2024 price revision, the petrol-manual range of the new Nexon starts from Rs. 8.0 lakh with the new Smart (O) variant. The ex-showroom prices for the petrol-manual variants stretch up to Rs. 13.60 lakh, which will get you the Fearless Plus S dual-tone variant.

The variants with the AMT automatic now cost between Rs. 9.70 lakh and Rs. 13.10 lakh. These prices are Rs. 70,000 more than the comparable manual variants. The only exception is the Smart Plus AMT, which is Rs. 80,000 more expensive than the manual. The higher price gap is to accommodate the 6-speed transmission, which you get with the AMT automatic. The Smart Plus petrol-manual gets a 5-speed transmission. The AMT-type automatic is only available up to the Creative Plus dual-tone variant.

With the Creative and higher variants, you can also buy the Nexon petrol with the 7-speed DCT automatic for an additional Rs. 1.20 lakh over the comparable manual variants. The Nexon DCT prices start from Rs. 12.30 lakh and go up to Rs. 14.80 lakh (ex-showroom).

Tata Nexon Petrol Smart (O) - Base Model Price, Standard Features

Smart (O) is the new base model of the Tata Nexon petrol. It gets a 5-speed manual transmission and costs Rs. 8.0 lakh (ex-showroom). The Nexon base model gets the following features as standard:

Some of the features you might miss in the Nexon base model are:

• Remote central locking
• Music system
• Steering-mounted controls
• Rear power windows
• Power mirrors
• Wheel covers
• Height-adjustable driver seat
• 6-speed manual transmission
• Body-coloured door handles
• Day/night inside mirror

Even though the base variant of the Nexon doesn't get a bunch of must-have features, it is the most value for money variant in the entire lineup. If you are on a strict budget and don't mind adding a few aftermarket accessories, then the Nexon Smart (O) is a fantastic choice. More so, because the higher Smart Plus and Pure variants offer incredibly poor value for money and not enough useful features.

Tata Nexon Petrol Smart (O) vs Smart Plus/Smart Plus (S) Variant - Price, Feature Comparison

The Smart Plus variant also gets the same petrol engine with the 5-speed manual transmission and costs Rs. 8.90 lakh, which is Rs. 90,000 more than the base model. The Smart Plus (S) costs another Rs. 50,000 and carries an ex-showroom price of Rs. 9.40 lakh. The Smart Plus variant also gets the option of an AMT automatic for an additional Rs. 80,000 and costs Rs. 9.70 lakh.

This price gap for the AMT automatic over the manual transmission is Rs. 10,000 higher than other AMT variants, which cost Rs. 70,000 more than comparable manual transmission. This is because the Smart Plus manual gets a 5-speed transmission while the AMT automatic gets a 6-speed transmission. In higher variants, the AMT as well as the manual transmission is 6-speed.

With the Smart Plus variant, you get the following notable features:

In the Smart Plus variant, you may miss features like:

• Height-adjustable driver seat
• Front and rear armrests
• Rear parcel tray
• Rear camera
• TPMS
• Body-coloured door handles
• Rear parcel tray

The Smart Plus and Smart Plus (S) variants offer pathetic value for money while also greatly compromising on the value front. So, we strongly advise against buying either of these.

Tata Nexon Petrol Smart Plus vs Pure/Pure (S) Variant - Price, Feature Comparison

Pure variant onwards, the Nexon gets a 6-speed manual transmission instead of the 5-speed manual. The Pure petrol-manual variant costs Rs. 80,000 more than the Smart Plus and carries an ex-showroom price of Rs. 9.80 lakh. The Pure (S) costs Rs. 10.30 lakh, which is another Rs. 50,000 more expensive than the Pure.

The Pure and Pure (S) with the AMT automatic transmission cost Rs. 10.50 lakh and Rs. 11.0 lakh, respectively. These prices are Rs. 70,000 more than the comparable Pure and Pure (S) manual variants.

The Pure variant of the Nexon petrol gets the following notable features:

In the Pure variant, you may miss the following important features:

• Auto AC
• TPMS
• Body-coloured door handles
• Height-adjustable driver seat
• Rear camera
• Rear washer wiper
• Rear defogger
• Rear parcel tray

Even the Pure and Pure (S) variants maintain the status quo like the lower Smart Plus and Smart Plus (S). Instead of compromising greatly on the value as well as on the features front, we’ll suggest you either go for the base trim or stretch some for a higher variant.

Tata Nexon Petrol Pure vs Creative Variant - Price, Feature Comparison

Besides the manual and AMT automatic, the Creative variant also gets a 7-speed DCT automatic transmission option. The Creative manual costs Rs. 11.10 lakh, which is Rs. 1.30 lakh more than the Pure manual. The AMT automatic costs Rs. 70,000 more than the manual while the DCT automatic costs Rs. 1.20 lakh more than the manual. Thus, the ex-showroom prices of the Creative petrol-automatic are Rs. 11.80 lakh for the AMT and Rs. 12.30 lakh for DCT.

The Creative variant of the Nexon adds the following features:

Considering the expected ex-showroom price of the Creative variant, you may miss the following features in this trim:

• Cruise control
• Front armrest
• Rear armrest
• Split-folding rear seatbacks
• Rear defogger
• Rear parcel tray

Even the Creative variant doesn’t get a few features we consider must-have at this price point from a car of this class. Still, if you can manage without them, then the Creative variant is decent in terms of value. Because of a mix of decent value and some must-have features, this variant is at least worth considering.

Tata Nexon Petrol Creative vs Creative Plus/Creative Plus (S) Variant - Price, Feature Comparison

The Nexon Creative Plus petrol also retains the 3 transmission options and it is Rs. 70,000 more expensive than the lower Creative variant. The Creative Plus (S) with the sunroof is another Rs. 50,000 more expensive and it too gets all 3 transmission options.

*DCT automatic only available with dual-tone for extra Rs. 10,000

Following are the additional features of the Creative Plus variant:

Even in the otherwise-well-loaded Creative Plus variant, you won’t get:

• Front armrest
• Rear armrest
• Rear defogger
• Split rear seatbacks

Even Creative Plus and Creative Plus (S) trims don’t get a rear defogger and armrests (front, rear). Still, if you want the cruise control, then you can go with this variant.

Tata Nexon Petrol Creative Plus vs Fearless/Fearless (S) Variant - Price, Feature Comparison

Fearless variant onwards, you don’t get the AMT automatic transmission. The more expensive DCT type automatic is your only option. The Fearless costs Rs. 12.60 lakh with the manual and Rs. 13.80 lakh (ex-showroom) with the automatic transmission. These prices are Rs. 80,000 more than the lower Creative Plus variant with comparable transmission options.

The Fearless (S) with the sunroof is Rs. 50,000 more expensive than the Fearless non-S. It costs Rs. 13.10 lakh with the manual and Rs. 14.30 lakh with the manual.

The Fearless variant of the Nexon gets the following additional features over the Creative Plus:

The Fearless variant seems to offer the most well-rounded experience without any compromises in terms of missing features. But it’s again a terrible value for money option. Therefore, we can at best say that this is worth considering.

Tata Nexon Petrol Fearless (S) vs Fearless Plus (S) Variant - Price, Feature Comparison

The Fearless Plus (S) variant costs Rs. 13.60 lakh with the manual and Rs. 14.80 lakh with the DCT automatic. It’s Rs. 50,000 more expensive than the lower Fearless (S) variant.

The Fearless Plus top model of the Nexon gets the following notable features:

While the top model of the Nexon is pretty well loaded; if XUV3XO can offer ADAS features in upper mid and higher variants, we should expect the Nexon to also match the segment standards.

As far as buying recommendation goes, the Fearless Plus (S) is where we once again see the value equation slightly tilting away from terrible to just poor. It’s also worth considering if you're interested in the Nexon. Otherwise, none of the variants of the Nexon earn our outright buying recommendation. They either compromise in terms of features distribution or in terms of value or both.

Which Variant Of The Tata Nexon Petrol Should You Buy?

Among the petrol-manual variants of the Nexon, the choices are fairly straightforward. If you are okay with adding some aftermarket features, then the base Smart (O) variant is a good choice. From there, the mid-spec Creative, Creative Plus, Fearless and its derivatives are worth considering. None of the Nexon’s variants come close to earning our buying recommendation.

For the petrol-automatic buyers also, the Creative and higher variants are worth considering. If you have a bigger budget, then we suggest you go all out and buy the Fearless Plus (S). Nexon is one of the rare cars where we don’t have an outright buying recommendation for any variant-engine-transmission combination.

What Are The Engine Specifications Of The Tata Nexon Petrol?

Compared to other turbo petrol B2-segment SUVs, the Nexon’s power and torque output are acceptable and towards the top of the class. However, the inclusion of 2 manual and 2 automatic transmission types with the same petrol engine could make it difficult for buyers to choose the most suitable powertrain combination. In this segment, the XUV 3XO is another car with 2 turbo petrol engines, each with a manual and automatic transmission. But no single variant gets 2 manual or 2 automatic transmission options. Therefore, the decision making is fairly straightforward.

The XUV 3XO shines with its class leading torque output. Even the less powerful engine of the 3XO makes more torque than any other turbo petrol engine of a B2 SUV. Despite this, the mileage figures are respectable. In fact, the 3XO’s most powerful engine with 230Nm of torque promises a 20.10kmpl mileage figure.

*Estimated

Compared to the non-turbo petrol engines of the B2-segment SUVs, the Nexon turbo petrol has a better power and torque output. So, you can expect it to offer better drivability than non-turbo petrol engine SUVs. but its mileage is significantly lower than the Fronx/Taisor twins, which offer class-leading efficiency figures of almost 23kmpl with the automatic transmission.

You can use our Fuel Cost Calculator to see how much any petrol, diesel or CNG car will cost to run based on the latest fuel price in your city.

Fuel Cost Calculator India

What Are The Dimensions Of The Tata Nexon?

In terms of dimensions, the Nexon is amongst the wider cars in its class and it also has the best-in-class ground clearance of 208mm. Its 382-litre boot space is also good-enough for a sub-4m SUV. It offers 16-inch wheels as standard on all variants but higher variants get alloys with slightly wider tyres.

Here too, the 3XO shines with its widest body and largest alloy wheels measuring 17 inches. The 3XO also addresses the concerns we had earlier raised about the XUV300 by offering larger boot space and considerably higher ground clearance.

*With roof rails

Find out how you can get the best mileage or fuel efficiency from your car:

10 Tips To Get Better Mileage From Your Petrol, Diesel Or CNG Car

What Are The Colour Options Of The Tata Nexon Petrol?

The Tata Nexon will come in the following 6 monotone exterior colour options:

• White
• Light grey
• Dark grey
• Red
• Light blue/turquoise
• Black

The new Nexon will also get the following 6 dual-tone exterior colour options:

• Dark grey with white roof
• Red with white roof
• White with black roof
• Dark grey with black roof
• Red with black roof
• Purple with black roof

All colour options are not available with all variants. To know the variant-wise colour options of the Nexon, visit the following link: Tata Nexon Facelift Variant-wise Colour Options

Note: Here is a quick look at our length-based segmentation of cars to give you an idea of how we are classifying cars based on their size.

You can read more about vehicle segmentation at the following link:

Car Segments Explained - With Body Styles And Examples