[Omkar]

Tata Curvv EV Review

Tata Curvv EV Pros

• Coupe SUV styling is unique & a great differentiator. Grabs attention on the road
• A good overall package that’s priced competitively against rivals like the ZS EV, XUV400 & Nexon EV Long Range
• 165 BHP motor is very enjoyable. 400 km real-world range is sufficient for city + highway driving
• Sorted road manners & high speed stability
• Zero emissions, cheap “fuel” costs, no gears, light controls make it an ideal city car
• 500-litre boot is accommodating enough for family holiday luggage
• Long list of features includes flush door handles, powered tailgate with gesture activation, 9-speaker JBL audio system (sounds really nice!), panoramic sunroof, V2L & V2V charging, Arcade.ev app suite, recline adjustment for rear seats and more
• Loaded with safety tech like level 2 ADAS, 6 airbags, all-wheel disc brakes, acoustic vehicle alert system for pedestrians, ESP, front parking sensors, 360-degree view camera, TPMS, hill hold assist & hill descent control

Tata Curvv EV Cons

• Rear seat is uncomfortable for tall passengers - high floor, difficult ingress & egress and limited headroom (due to the coupe styling)
• Suspension has a firm edge to it due to 18-inch wheels (top variant). Ride is liveable, but you do feel the bad roads. 17” wheel lower variants could ride better
• Build quality and fit & finish – while being satisfactory - have room for improvement
• Rearward visibility is poor, as is the case with most Coupe-SUVs
• A few missing features like telescopic adjustment for the steering wheel, cupholders for front passengers, a rear sunshade…
• The usual EV challenges (charging infrastructure, range anxiety etc.)
• Tata's after-sales service quality is a hit or miss. Remains a gamble
• It's a brand-new Tata launch, so the probability of niggles is high, especially in the initial batches

This review has been jointly compiled with Chetan_Rao. Thanks to him for the expert observations!

Introduction

Some years back, there were talks about car design being dead and that everyone was just focused on making aerodynamic and conventional-looking cars. Thankfully, in recent times, manufacturers have been experimenting with bold designs and different body styles. Just this month we’ve reviewed not one but two coupe SUVs – the Mercedes GLC 43 AMG and the Citroen Basalt. The next in line is the car you see here, the Tata Curvv EV - a coupe SUV based on Tata’s Acti.ev Architecture (introduced with the Punch EV). Future EVs from Tata like the Harrier, Sierra and Altroz will also be based on this 400V architecture.

Coming to the Curvv.ev (Tata nomenclature), there are 2 battery options – 45 kWh and 55 kWh. The smaller battery pack (45 kWh) uses cylindrical cells while the 55 kWh battery pack gets the new prismatic cells which gives it 8% higher energy density. Powering the Curvv EV is a permanent magnet liquid-cooled motor that produces 148 BHP with the smaller battery pack and 165 BHP with the 55 kWh battery pack. Tata claims that 75% of the customers will be able to get a 400-425 km range with the 55 kWh battery pack and a 330-350 km range with the 45 kWh battery pack (more on this later). We got to drive the top 55 kWh variant in Udaipur for a day. So let’s get into all the details.

Tata Curvv EV Price & Brochure

Tata has launched the Curvv EV at an introductory price of Rs. 17.49 lakh for the Creative variant (45 kWh). The smaller battery variant is available in 2 more trim levels – Accomplished (Rs. 18.49 lakh) and Accomplished +S (Rs. 19.29 lakh). The bigger battery variant is available in Accomplished (Rs. 19.25 lakh), Accomplished +S (Rs. 19.99 lakh) and the top Empowered + trim level (Rs. 21.25 lakh).

When you look at the competition, the Curvv EV's primary rival would be the MG ZS EV and the Mahindra XUV 400. When you compare the prices against these cars, Tata’s pricing seems fair given that the powertrain is more capable than the XUV400's and the ZS EV has started to feel outdated. Compared to the smaller Nexon EV, the Curvv EV commands a premium of roughly Rs. 2-3 lakhs depending upon the variant. There will be some cannibalization between the two SUVs, but Tata isn’t too worried about this as both are being aimed towards different types of customers.

You can download the Tata Curvv.ev brochure here - 2024 Tata Curvv.ev Brochure.pdf

Running Costs

As mentioned earlier, the Curvv EV has 2 battery pack options - 45 kWh and 55 kWh. This means that it requires approximately 45 units and 55 units, respectively for a 100% charge. The per unit cost of electricity depends on the slab that you are in & your location, but on average, it’s about Rs. 8 per unit. Hence, for a full charge, you will be paying Rs. 360 and Rs. 440, respectively. The claimed range for both options is 502 km and 585 km. For real-world conditions, Tata has also shared the C75 range which is what they think 75% of the customers will get. For the 45 kWh battery pack, the C75 range is 330-350 km and for the 55 kWh battery is 400-425 km. Those are respectable numbers, and if you calculate the running cost, you will end up paying roughly Rs. 1 per km.

[Omkar]

Exterior

Design & Styling

The coupe SUV styling is still considerably new to the Indian market, but Tata Motors doesn’t intend the Curvv to be a niche vehicle. This is also why the Curvv follows the same design language as some other Tata EVs. The front looks very similar to the Nexon EV, but the most important change is on the side and rear. With the stretched-out wheelbase, the coupe SUV design takes some time to get used to. Whether this integration is good or not, we’ll let BHPians decide. In person, the design looks alright, but I would’ve liked the rear to have a more squatted stance. That would make it look sportier and the coupe styling wouldn’t look like an afterthought.

The Curvv EV measures 4,310 mm in length, 1,810 mm in width and 1,637 mm in height. The wheelbase is 2,560 mm which is 62 mm more than the Nexon EV. There are a total of 5 colour options available across 3 variants (Creative, Accomplished and Empowered) – Pristine White, Empowered Oxide, Flame Red, Pure Grey and Virtual Sunshine (our test car).

Build Quality, Fit & Finish

The car feels solid and there’s a fair amount of heft to the doors and the bonnet. However, in terms of fit and finish, we did notice that the panel gaps weren’t consistent. The tailgate, especially, wasn’t aligned perfectly on multiple cars that we saw and this was also pointed out by BHPian 250Nm when he saw the car at a showroom (reference image). The paint quality is good, but upon closer inspection, we noticed a difference in the colour of the plastic panels and the metal panels of this virtual sunrise paint shade.

Wheels & Tyres

There are only 2 wheel options available on the Curvv EV. On the Creative and Accomplished variants, you get 17-inch wheels with 215/60 section tyres. The Empowered+ variant comes with 18-inch wheels and 215/55 section tyres. Since this is an EV, the car comes with low rolling resistance tyres. The spare wheel is a 16-inch steel rim with a 215/65 section tyre.

Ground Clearance

The unladen ground clearance of the Curvv EV with the 45 kWH battery is 190 mm and 186 mm for the 55 kWh battery. The ground clearance is good enough for Indian road conditions. The water wading capacity is 450 mm.

Standard & Extended Warranty

The Curvv EV has a standard warranty of 3 years or 1,25,000 km (whichever is earlier). You can extend the warranty up to 6 years and 1,60,000 km for Rs. 48,999. We strongly recommend you opt for the maximum coverage. The motor and battery pack have an 8-year or 1,60,000 km warranty.

Maintenance

We don’t have the exact service interval information for the Curvv EV. However, for reference, the Nexon EV has a service interval of 6 months or 7,500 km which is too short especially since EV service is not as complicated as ICE cars. Most likely, the Curvv EV will also have a service interval of 6 months or 7,500 km.

Safety

Tata claims that the Cuvv EV is Bharat NCAP 5-star capable. Given that all their cars have done very well in the NCAP tests, we are tempted to take their word for it. We recently visited Tata’s inhouse crash test facility where they test all their cars for safety (detailed report). The Curvv’s structure has 13% advanced high-strength steel and 39% high-strength steel. Tata claims that the structure has higher torsional stiffness compared to some of the other ICE cars in the segment. Safety features include level 2 ADAS, 6 airbags, all-wheel disc brakes, acoustic vehicle alert system, ESP, front parking sensors, 360-degree view camera, TPMS, hill hold assist and hill descent control.

Interior

Cabin Design & Quality

On the inside, the Curvv EV is very similar to the Nexon EV. I’m sure the salespeople are going to have a hard time convincing the customers otherwise when these two cars are parked next to each other. Other than a few changes, the interiors are almost identical in terms of design as well as the materials used. You get a dual-tone black and white interior in the Empowered variant. The design is very sleek and has a lot of horizontal elements which add to the sense of width in the cabin. There are no soft-touch plastics used on the dashboard, but instead, you have leatherette inserts that add a premium touch. Overall quality of the materials is good, but the fit and finish could’ve been better. Plastic edges are sharp in some areas such as A/C vents and indicator stalks. This is something we have seen in some of the Tata cars, but not something you’d want to see in a car that would cost Rs. 24 lakh on-road.

Space & Comfort

Getting in and out of the front seats is easy. The cabin width is the same as the Nexon EV and there’s enough distance between the driver and the passenger. The front seats are draped in leatherette and provide good support. There’s good under-thigh support and a healthy amount of side bolstering as well. Someone with a heavy build will find the seat to be too snug. The driver’s seat gets electric power adjustment and the passenger seat gets manual controls with height adjustment.

Driving Position & Ergonomics

Given the coupe shape of the rear, the rearward visibility is bad thanks to the small rear windshield. If the rear headrests are raised, the visibility is further reduced. It’s best to stick to the 360-degree camera while parking. What I also found a bit off was that the big ORVM and the A-pillar form a blind spot in the front right corner. The driver’s seat has a 6-way power adjustment, but no lumbar adjustment. The steering only gets tilt adjustment. I’m sure a lot of people would miss having steering telescopic adjustment for finding the perfect driving position. While all the controls are easy to reach, some controls are touch-sensitive instead of physical buttons and aren’t very intuitive.

Cabin Storage

Surprisingly, the centre console doesn’t have cupholders. This is a big miss as most people use cupholders to keep random stuff. The Empowered and Accomplished variants get a wireless charging pad which takes up the space of cupholders. The base Creative variant gets cupholders. The door pockets can hold a 1-litre bottle with ease along with some other stuff. The glove box is well-sized and has a compartment for laptop / tablet and some other partitions as well. While there are some storage spaces in the cabin, some additional storage areas in the centre console would’ve added to the practicality.

Air-Conditioning

We drove the Curvv EV in Udaipur when the weather was pleasant given the monsoon season. The air-conditioning unit worked very well during our time with the car and managed to keep the cabin temperature comfortable. The A/C unit has a max cool function and also an Economy cooling mode. The Curvv EV is also equipped with an air purifier with an AQI display. The front seats are ventilated which provides added comfort during the summer.

Features

Unique & Noteworthy Features

Tata cars are known to be packed with features and the Curvv EV is no different. The list of features runs long. Some noteworthy features include flush door handles, level 2 ADAS, powered tailgate with gesture activation, 9-speaker JBL audio system, ambient lighting, powered driver seat, panoramic sunroof, ventilated seats, wireless charger, wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay connectivity, auto headlamps, rain-sensing wipers, auto-dimming IRVM, air purifier, recline adjustment for rear seats, electronically controlled charging flap and more. You also get Tata’s latest Arcade.ev app suite with 20 apps like Prime Video, Netflix, Spotify and games as well.

The Acti.ev architecture also supports Vehicle-to-vehicle charging and vehicle-to-load charging as well. The iRA.ev connected car tech is standard across all variants and has EV-specific features like a charging station locator, route planning with charging stops, real-time charging status, etc. Some of the missing features include a telescopic adjustment for the steering wheel, dual-zone climate control, cupholders for front passengers, a rear sunshade and a full-size spare wheel.

Audio System & Sound Quality

Tata has provided a 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment head-unit by Harman that is mated to a 9-speaker JBL sound system with a subwoofer. The system also has various presets for surround sound and works very well in all the modes. For a beginner audiophile, the sound system is perfect and you can even tune the settings to your liking.

Rear Passengers

Rear Seat Comfort & Space

The rear doors open wide enough, but the ingress and egress aren’t as smooth as you would expect in a car of this size. The distance between the seat base and the B-pillar is less which makes it difficult to slide your legs in and out. The floor is high thanks to the battery placed beneath which means that tall people will have a knees-up seating position. At 5’10” tall, the under-thigh support at the rear seat is not good. With the front seat adjusted to my laid-back driving position, I had just enough legroom. Two 6-footers behind one another would be a tight squeeze. Thanks to the coupe roofline, the headroom isn’t plenty. While I had a headroom of a couple of inches, someone who’s taller than 6 feet would be uncomfortable here. The rear passengers get A/C vents and a type-C fast charging socket.

Boot Space

The Curvv EV gets a powered tailgate with gesture control and has a boot space of 500 litres. Due to the coupe shape of the rear, the tailgate has a wide opening area. The rear seats fold in a 60:40 split for additional storage space. With the 40% folded, you get 689 litres of space and with the 60% folded you get 784 litres. With the row fully folded, you get 973 litres of luggage space. The top Empowered variant gets an 11.6-litre frunk as standard. It is available as an accessory for the other variants.

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Driving the Tata Curvv EV

Powering the Curvv EV (55 kWh battery pack) is a permanent magnet liquid-cooled electric motor that produces 165 BHP and 215 Nm. The claimed range as per MIDC Part 1 Cycle is 585 km:


Something that a lot of people complain about EVs is that they all drive the same. While that is not completely wrong, there are some nuances to the power delivery that each manufacturer adds to make their product somewhat unique. The Curvv EV is currently the most powerful electric car in Tata’s portfolio. As per Tata engineers, the focus with the Curvv EV has been on the linearity of power delivery to make the driving experience smooth. You get 3 driving modes – Eco, City and Sport along with 4 levels of regeneration for different driving conditions. Engage D and take your foot off the brake pedal and the car crawls forward smoothly. Driving around with just the brake pedal while crawling in bumper-to-bumper traffic is a smooth affair.

Driving around in the city in ‘City’ mode seems appropriate and the Curvv EV responds well to accelerator inputs. There’s always enough power on tap to keep up with traffic and make quick overtakes. Driven with a gentle foot, the car feels very smooth and comfortable puttering around in the city. Switch to Eco mode if you want a smoother experience. The throttle response is dulled, but there is enough power available on demand at all times.

Cruising on the highway is quite comfortable in the Curvv EV. You reach the triple-digit speeds in no time. Tata claims a 0-100 km/h acceleration time of 8.6 seconds which is believable. Traction control makes sure that you get a clean launch without too much wheel spin. The car gets to 100 km/h fairly quickly and its top speed has been limited to 160 km/h. In terms of power delivery, the progress till 100 km/h is strong and above that the power delivery starts to flatten out slowly. This has been done to conserve the battery as the motor consumes more juice at high revvs. But when it comes to cruising on the highways and making overtakes, the Curvv EV is more than capable. For long-distance cruising, you can even use the Eco mode as the motor isn’t completely dull. Overtakes can be done comfortably even in Eco mode. If you want to make a quick overtake, you can always switch to Sport mode.

There are 3 driving modes to choose from. They're mapped specifically for different driving styles. What’s appreciable is that the motor's characteristics are distinct in each mode. A big relief here is that the typical Tata call when you change the drive mode is now gone! No more “Sport Drive Mode Activated”.

• City Mode: The default mode. The car always restarts in this mode, no matter what mode you last drove in. It's great for driving in the city as well as on the highway. Strikes a good balance between power and economy.

• Eco Mode: The mode to engage when you want the maximum range. The throttle response is dulled down, which results in a smoother drive in the city (less of that "torque-pull" effect). Power comes in more gradually when you ask for it. While there's enough grunt for day-to-day driving or cruising on the expressway, when you need to pull off a quick overtaking manoeuvre, you will want to engage one of the other modes.

• Sport Mode: The mode to engage when you want to have fun. Floor the A-pedal in Sport mode and watch the traction control warning light flash in the instrument cluster. In this mode, the throttle response is sharper, and the car just feels more eager to get a move on. However, it can feel too peaky for city driving and also eats up the battery faster. Use "Sport" when you're looking for fun on expressway runs.

Regenerative Braking

There are 4 levels of regenerative braking which can be adjusted using the paddles placed behind the steering wheel. We love adjustable regen settings as we can tune them to suit our mood. On level 0, there is no regeneration. Level 1 is what I found myself using the most as the regen is subtle and doesn’t feel very forced and unnatural. Level 2 has a bit more resistance and level 3 has maximum regeneration. I found levels 2 and 3 to be a bit too aggressive for smooth driving. But this is a personal opinion. Some people enjoy driving in maximum regeneration mode. You can also do one-pedal driving in many situations. However, do keep in mind that the car will never come to a complete halt. It will keep crawling forward without any throttle input.

Noise, Vibration & Harshness (NVH)

As is the case with electric cars, the NVH levels are good since there is no engine noise. The cabin insulation is also good, so you don’t hear a lot of ambient noise. On the outside, Tata has introduced an acoustic vehicle alert system or AVAS which is essentially a pedestrian alert system. Electronic music plays from the front end of the car till 20 km/h. The music is pretty loud on the outside and does the intended job. What some people might find irritating is that the music doesn’t go off when you are in ‘P’ mode. The car has to be turned off completely to stop the music. The system should’ve been directly linked with the ‘D’ mode so that you only get the music when on the move.

The bonnet gets insulation underneath:


Here’s the acoustic vehicle alert system or AVAS:

Range

Range is always one of the first questions that comes to mind when it comes to EVs. Tata claims a range of 585 km as per MIDC Part 1 Cycle for the 55 kWh variant and 502 km for the 45 kWh variant. These are indicative numbers as 1 cycle as per MIDC has an average speed of 18.6 km/h, without A/C, over a distance of 1.01 km where the maximum speed reached is 50 km/h.

Now Tata has also shared a number called the C75 range which is what they claim that 75% of the customers will get. The C75 range test that Tata has done factors in ambient temperature, load and A/C. A single cycle of the C75 test is done with an average speed of 40 km/h over a distance of 30 km where the maximum speed reached is 120 km/h. The C75 range for the 55 kWh variant is 400-425 km and that for the 45 kWh variant is 330-350 km.

Charging

The Tata Curvv EV gets the industry-standard CCS 2 charging port and you have 3 charging options – a 15A home socket, a 7.2 kW AC wall box charger and the DC fast charger. With your home charger, the 55 kWh variant of the Curvv EV takes 21 hours to charge from 10-100%. With the 7.2 kW AC wall box charger that you can get installed at your home, the charging time for 10-100% is 7.9 hours. The Curvv EV has a 1.2C charging rate which allows it to charge on higher capacity DC chargers as well (70 kW and above). The charge time for 10-80% charge on a 70 kW+ charger is 40 minutes. The Curvv EV also gets vehicle-to-vehicle charging (V2V) and vehicle-to-load charging as well (V2L). The V2V charging limit is 5 kVA and the V2L charging limit is 3.3 kVA.

Suspension

Ride Comfort

The Curvv EV uses a McPherson strut suspension at the front and twist-beam suspension with dual path strut at the rear. With time, EV suspension setups have started to mature and we don’t see bone-jarring setups very often. In the Curvv EV, the setup is on the stiffer side, but it’s very much livable. On bad roads, there is a fair bit of movement inside the cabin. The Curvv EV handles potholes and obstacles quite well. It’s not very silent in operation, but does its job well. However, big potholes are registered inside the cabin with a noticeable thud.

One of the contributors to the stiff ride is the 18-inch wheels with 215/55 section tyres. The recommended tyre pressure is 33 PSI. The lower variants (Creative & Accomplished) are equipped with 17-inch wheels with 215/60 section tyres. We expect the ride in the lower variants to be more compliant.

Handling & Dynamics

In a straight line, the Curvv EV is quite stable and you or your passengers won’t even notice that you are doing triple-digit speeds. At highway speeds, the Curvv EV is stable and there’s no unnecessary vertical movement. The stiffer suspension, 50:50 weight distribution and lower centre of gravity of the Curvv EV give it good handling characteristics. On twisty roads, the car feels composed through the corners. At times, the traction control kicks in when you’re getting out of corners. It also tries to regulate the wheel spin of the low rolling resistance tyres. They do squeal in protest when you’re pushing hard in corners. There is a hint of body roll, but it is well in check.

Steering

The Curvv EV gets an electric power steering unit which is nice and light in the city. You can easily maneuver the car around in the city and the turning radius at 5.35 meters is good too. The steering weighs up sufficiently as the speed increases and doesn’t feel disconnected. You get a good feel of what the tyres are doing. That being said, enthusiasts would expect more feedback and directness from the steering. At highway speeds, the steering weighs up noticeably and the resistance increases when the angle increases. Some people may find the steering weight to be inconsistent as well at various speeds. Overall, this is a decent steering setup and thankfully not a completely disconnected EPS like we see in some cars.

Braking

The Curvv EV gets disc brakes on all four wheels and they provide excellent stopping power. Panic braking situations are handled well and the car sheds speed effectively. However, the pedal feel isn’t very consistent and feels a bit spongy too. Hence, modulating the brakes while getting used to the feel of the pedal takes some time. The car is equipped with ABS + EBD, disc brake wiping, and panic brake alert.

[Omkar]

Tata Curvv EV Exterior Images

As mentioned earlier, the front end resembles that of the Nexon EV and Punch EV. You get lighting element connecting the DRLs at the front that grabs attention with stacked headlamp units below:


The rear is where there’s a major design change. Similar to the front, you get a connecting lightening element. Multiple design elements make the rear look busy:


With SUVs, we’ve seen the body lines and the window lines rising towards the rear. While that trend works well on SUVs, I don’t think it does on coupe SUVs. IMO, a flatter line that gives the rear a squatter stance would look better. Black cladding around the wheel arches further makes the car look raised:


The Curvv EV measures 4,310 mm in length, 1,810 mm in width and 1,637 mm in height with a wheelbase of 2,560 mm. The Curvv EV 55 kWh has a ground clearance of 186 mm (45 kWh variant – 190 mm):


Overall build quality is good, but the panel gaps are inconsistent in various areas. This is the virtual sunrise colour which is a blue shade with hints of purple in it. If you look closely, the paint shade looks different on metal panels and plastic panels:


Stacked LED projector headlamp setup is similar to the one on the Nexon EV. Notice the air curtain below:


Seek design of the DRL looks good:


Lighting element connecting the two DRLs acts as a pilot lamp. Like some of the recent Tata cars, there’s a welcome and goodbye sequence. LED strip also shows the amount of charge when plugged in for charging. Here’s the goodbye sequence when locking the car:


Multiple design elements on the bumper make it look busy. There’s no chrome used here, but you get brushed silver and gloss black elements. You also get a faux skid plate at the front:


Healthy amount of underbody protection for the motor and the battery:


Prominent side creases on the bonnet give it a muscular look:


Charging port has been placed at the front behind the Tata logo. The Curvv EV has a 1.2C charging rate which allows it to charge the car from 10-80% in 40 minutes on a 70 kW or higher capacity DC fast charger:


Interestingly, you get an electronically controlled flap. It closes automatically if you forget to close it and crank the car. It will also auto close if the car isn’t plugged in for charging and hasn’t been cranked for 3 minutes. Must say, this is quite convenient:


Under the bonnet, you get a frunk with 11.6 litres of storage. You can keep the charging cable here. Note that the frunk is standard on the Empowered variant, but is available as an accessory for the other variants:


Roof-coloured ORVMs have integrated turn indicators and also house the camera for the 360-degree view:


18-inch alloy wheels with plastic elements for better aerodynamics. The design is nice as far as aero insert wheels go. The Curvv EV gets 215/55 section low rolling resistance tyres:


Disc brakes at the rear are standard across all variants. Check out the gloss black cladding above the wheel well:


The Curvv EV gets flush door handles with an LED light to help you find it easily in the dark. Only the driver-side door gets the request sensor:


While the door handles look good, they’re mechanical and not electronic. This means that when you unlock the car, they don’t pop out. You have to mechanically press on one side so that the other side pops out and then pull on that part to open the door. If the flush door handles were electronically operated, they would’ve been that much easier to use. The mechanical system just seems unnecessary:


A look at the black roof and the panoramic sunroof. There are no roof rails here:


Towards the rear, you get a shark fin antenna and a roof-mounted split spoiler-like attachment:


The tailgate is electrically operated and also has gesture operation. All you have to do is a kick gesture underneath the bumper and the tailgate opens up. Notice the paint difference between the bumper (plastic) and the quarter panel (metal):


A look at the tailgate and the bumper. Just like the front, there are a lot of design elements that make the design look busy. The silver faux skid plate at the bottom looks out of place. Glad to see no chrome used here:


Twist beam suspension at the rear:


Here’s a look at the car in the Pure Grey paint shade. Other colour options include Empowered Oxide, Flame Red and Pristine White:

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Tata Curvv EV Interior Images

Dual-tone black and white interior theme is for the Empowered variant. The other two variants (Accomplished and Creative) have different themes. When you look at the interiors, the overall design is very similar to the Nexon EV:


4-spoke leather-wrapped steering wheel from the Harrier & Safari facelift makes its way to the Curvv EV. It gets an illuminated Tata logo in the middle and a brushed silver insert at the bottom. The steering is nice to hold and is perfectly sized. You also get paddles to adjust the regenerative braking levels:


A-pillar is quite thick and combined with the big ORVM, it creates a blind spot on the right side of the driver:


10.25-inch fully digital instrument cluster is shared with other recent Tata cars. This is a customizable display with some EV-specific readouts like the battery charge and selected regeneration level:


Instrument cluster is loaded with information like energy flow, throttle level and histogram. Tata has also added a blind spot display which shows the view from the ORVM camera on the instrument cluster directly. One of the coolest and most useful features of this instrument cluster has to be the Google Maps projection. You can also choose to have a single-dial view. All in all, this is a very nicely done instrument cluster:


A look at the side A/C vents. There are multiple elements here like the brushed silver strip on the top and the textured plastic surrounding the vent. Below, you have a white leatherette insert with contrast blue stitching:


Doorpad follows the same black-and-white theme as the dashboard:


Driver window gets one-touch up & down function:


Seats are draped in white & grey leatherette and get contrast blue stitching. They provide good under-thigh and shoulder support and have a healthy amount of side bolstering to keep you in place on twisty roads. People with a heavier build might find these seats a bit snug. Cushioning is firm and should be comfortable over long distances:


You get 6-way power adjustment for the driver’s seat. Front seats are ventilated:


There are different kinds of materials used on the seat as well. At the top, you have the diamond-shaped perforations along with a brushed silver strip in the middle. Below, you have simple perforations and on the side bolstering you have fabric material on the inside and grey leather on the outside with contrast blue stitching:


Seatbelts are height adjustable. Notice the coat hanger on the side:


Pedals are well-spaced. Dead pedal is wide and usable:


You get an auto-dimming IRVM in the Curvv EV. The view through the mirror however is very much restricted due to the small rear windscreen:


Rearward visibility is poor thanks to the coupe shape. The C-pillars are thick and the windscreen is small. It’s best if you rely on the 360-degree camera while parking:


ORVMs are big and provide a good view of the action at the rear:


Blind-spot monitoring system works well and can even detect bikers precisely:


Centre fascia gets a 12.30-inch floating touchscreen at the top. There are a lot of elements used on the dashboard including piano black, soft touch leather and brushed silver bits, but what some people would really appreciate is the lack of chrome elements:


12.30-inch cinematic HD touchscreen head-unit by Harman comes with wireless Android Auto & Apple CarPlay connectivity and Tata Voice Assistant (Hey Tata), Amazon Alexa, Siri (Hey Siri) and Google Assistant (OK Google):


Touchscreen has excellent resolution and touch response and is mated to a 9-speaker JBL audio system. You can adjust the ADAS settings through the touchscreen and also access the "Arcade.ev" suite through which users access can 20+ apps for music, news & podcasts, sports & games, video & entertainment and weather. 360-degree camera display is crisp and smooth and one of the best in the segment:


Tata’s iRA.ev connected car tech gets an upgrade with some added features. You have the remote lock & unlock along with some other functions. You can also schedule service, call for roadside assistance through the app and check the vehicle status. What’s new on the update is the EV-specific feature where you can locate the nearby charging stations and even check how many chargers are unoccupied in real-time. That’s a useful feature. The app also has integrated navigation to help you plan your journey by showing all the charging stations along the route:


You get a touch-sensitive panel finished in piano black for A/C controls. At the top are the buttons for locking / unlocking the charger, fog lamp, engage hill descent control, hazard lights, tailgate open and close, central locking and 360-degree camera view:


12V power socket and USB port are located at the base of the centre fascia. They are joined by a 45W USB Type-C fast charging port:

Gear selector from the Nexon and Nexon EV makes its way here as well. It looks nice and is very convenient to use. The only gripe here is that the selector feels very light and has a plasticky feel to it which doesn’t feel very premium:


Drive modes can be selected via a rotary switch. Electronic parking brake and auto hold switch are placed next to it:


Wireless charging pad has been placed on the centre console. Notice that there are no cupholders on the centre console. On the lower variant without wireless charging, you get cupholders. Tata should’ve found a way to integrate cupholders:


Centre armrest gets contrast blue stitching. You cannot slide it forward, and there is a small storage space below it:


A look at the passenger side of the dashboard. The panel between the A/C vents has nice detailing. You get an ambient lighting strip above it which changes colour depending on the drive mode selected. You can also choose a colour through the infotainment screen:


Well-sized glovebox with multiple compartments and cupholders on the lid. You cannot use these while on the move:


A look at the sunroof control panel. The switches for an emergency call and a breakdown call are placed next to the sunroof control button:


Panoramic sunroof brings a lot of light into the cabin. Ambient lighting has been added to the roof lining as well:


Middle passenger also gets a 3-point seatbelt, but no individual headrest. Cushioning is on the firmer side which should make the rear seat comfortable over long journeys:


With the front seat adjusted to my laid-back driving position, I had just about knee room to sit (I’m 5’10”). Also note that since the floor is high due to the battery placed underneath, it results in a knees-up sitting position. The under-thigh support isn’t great either. I had a couple of inches of headroom to spare but people taller than 6 feet will find their heads brushing the roofline:


An annoying bit that I found about the rear seat was the ingress and egress. You have to lift your feet quite a lot while getting in and out. This may be easy for younger folk, but will be an inconvenience for the elderly:


Rear seats have a feature to adjust the recline angle. As you can see, the difference in recline angle isn’t much. You can barely feel the difference in the two positions:


Centre armrest houses two cupholders:


Rear A/C vents don’t have an air volume controller. This is a simple feature but should not have been overlooked. Below, you have a 45W USB-C fast-charging port:


White LED reading lamp for rear passengers:


The Curvv EV has a boot space of 500 litres (measured to the roof). Opening is wide and the loading lip is set at a comfortable height:


Rear seats fold in a 60:40 split for additional storage space. With the 40% folded, you get 689 litres of space and with the 60% folded you get 784 litres. With the rear seats fully folded, you get 973 litres of luggage space:


The rear seats don’t fold completely flat:


Single halogen boot lamp with luggage hooks on the side. The button below is to switch on or off the V2L or V2V charging:


These storage compartments have been provided on each side of the boot:


The spare wheel is a 16-inch steel rim with a 215/65 R16 tyre. The tools and tyre puncture repair kit has been placed in the rim:


A portable charging cable has been provided. It takes roughly 21 hours to charge from 10% to 100% using this:


The Curvv EV gets a powered tailgate feature. The execution however could’ve been better IMO. The tailgate gets a tiny request sensor button at the base between the two number plate lights. This is used to open the tailgate. There’s another button on the right to close the tailgate. These two should’ve been combined instead of having two different buttons with two different functions. We were told that it has a memory function to remember the last opening position, but that needs to be accessed through the touchscreen. We couldn’t test it during our short test drive. But that too could have been integrated into the button with a long press instead of the touchscreen:


You get a new key fob with the Curvv EV. It has small dots on the side so you can operate the buttons without looking at the key:


Disclaimer: Tata invited Team-BHP for the Curvv.ev test drive. They covered all the travel expenses for this driving event.

[Omkar]

Thread moved out from the Assembly Line.

[condor]

Nice review, and the car looks nice too. Liked the side and rear looks, while the front looks busy - mainly because of the brushed silver lines on the lower half. And the other grouse is the similarity with the Nexon/Punch from the front.

Looks like a nice car for the ones who want an EV, and want to travel longer than just the city. 21 hours of charge time with that charger will be a dampener, especially if trying to charge with standard charger that is more likely to be used when staying at a resort and the like.

[PrasannaDhana]

Nice review!

I liked the coupe styling of the Curvv.

But I had a few dealbreakers after I checked it out in the showroom

1. Interior layout : Felt exactly as if I was sitting in Nexon



2. Rear bench : Felt worse than Nexon. Almost negligible underthigh support (Nexon was better) and coupe styling doesn't allow any headroom for me (6'2)



I am not intersted in EVs and hence improved range advantage doesn't apply to me. So if ICE (specially diesel) is being considered, I think one could rather go for the Nexon 1.5 turbodiesel instead of Curvv and avoid paying more tax to the government.

Honestly, the additional bootspace and Coupe styling doesn't justify the additional pricing over Nexon to me. Let's wait and see how Curvv ICE is being priced.

Having used the Creta, I definitely don't think Curvv will sway any prospective creta customer away from Hyundai showroom. The creta is more spacious, has better seats and feels much better finished in my opinion.

[Comrade]

Space-wise, It feels like they just added boot to a Nexon. Little disappointed with space available at the second row! When we imagine 4200-4300 mm cars (eg: Creta & Seltos), we expect better space than this.

Rest of package, like power & torque, features vs pricing, looks on par with the segment. Exterior Styling, while felt quirky initially, also seems to be growing slowly on me.

[harry10]

Good range test video.
390 kms with 55kwh battery pack.
His wh/km was a bit higher so if someone drives sedately then crossing 400kms is a given. Good range for outstation trips. Will do a TD soon though I am not in the prospective buyers list as of now.

https://youtu.be/K_byUR3bnyk?si=L6UdnJd39pxc5z6c

[prakash_ajp]

Originally Posted by PrasannaDhana

Nice review!
2. Rear bench : Felt worse than Nexon. Almost negligible underthigh support (Nexon was better) and coupe styling doesn't allow any headroom for me (6'2)

Attachment 2641087

Whoh, that's too bad. Looks like you are not even sitting straight. So, just for clarity, is it the same with Nexon, which would mean, absolutely no extra vertical room in the Curvv EV? How are things with Altroz, is it better/same or worse?

[meisteramg]

While design and taste is a personal preference, Curvv seems as a mismash of curves and straight lines. There's no cohesiveness in the design. Whatever happened to good designs like BMW E46,E39,Mercedes Hammer etc. Guess those days are long gone.

[shyampsunder]

Originally Posted by condor

Looks like a nice car for the ones who want an EV, and want to travel longer than just the city. 21 hours of charge time with that charger will be a dampener, especially if trying to charge with standard charger that is more likely to be used when staying at a resort and the like.

It's actually far more nuanced than that.

Any OEM can create a portable charger that pulls more power and reduce the charge time but that comes with the risk of burning out the socket and wiring.

Risk is exaggerated at places like a resort or hotel where the wiring may not be of the highest quality.

In fact, this has already happened with many Tata EVs and it doesn't look like Tata is changing this aspect. Based on the figures given, this portable charger seems to be drawing 2.4 kW. For comparison, the MG portable charger usually draws 2 kW.

Lot of resorts/hotels are adding L2 AC charging. Most OEMs are installing them for free making it a no brainer for them. Most EV owners nowadays prefer staying at such a hotel.

[Newtown]

The side profile of such cars, not just the Curv, does not sit well with me.

This form factor should take over the moniker of "Bangle Butt" from the E65 7 series that Chris Bangle had created.

Thank you for the review and I will certainly go and drive the vehicle. Photos are a testament of very scratchy plastic in many places as well as basic quality of everything. I would think that one would want a longer lasting battery charging cable cover. This one looks just so ragged already & is something that an owner would use every other day if not daily.

[FIAT3031]

having seen the Curvv EV, it just reminded me of a more premium interior NEXON.
The boot is fancy looking with Touch, however with Tata & Mahindra - hiccups are bound to happen.

I don't get the logic of a glossy skirting - either you or your cleaner are going to make it all scratchy - That gloss will loose out [can't imagine the stone chipping or any other rear ending from scooterists]