[axehacks]

Just wanted to use this thread to add my ownership experience as well. Don't have enough to start a new thread. Plus OP has done a stellar job with his review.

I have a Feb 2021 XZ+. I got the tires changed to Yokohama Earth 1s right at get go. And at 7 months and 5000 km these are my pros and cons:

Pros:
1. Built solidly and feels safe
2. Great Speakers (IMO best in class - better than Sonet)
3. Drives predictably, keeping it at 3k rpm, it nips around in traffic in City mode.
4. Decent Suspensions, having come from Sedans only, it manages the regular irregularities and shallow potholes quite well. Not too soft, so it does not bounce around at decent speeds.
5. The steering has decent feedback, and is not too soft.
6. Good build quality, took it into flooded streets into above bottom door level waters, and everything was water tight.
7. Umbrella Holder! Plenty of storage in general.

Cons:
1. Oh how I have hated the Infotainment System. Its possibly the worst piece of garbage I have laid my hands on since the early android smart phone days. Inconsistent call quality, terrible voice recognition (use google assistant for better VR), GPS position didn't keep up if you go above 40 kmph, terrible touch response. Sometimes, the volume would get stuck at reduced volume levels of when you reverse the car. You would then have to try permutation combinations of restarting the car, connecting disconnecting the phone, locking unlocking the car to get it working again.

I kept checking in with the SC to see if there was a software update available, since the one installed was from 2019, but till last month the answer was no. I finally couldn't take it anymore and started the process of changing the HU all together. Miraculously, yesterday, the SC updated the firmware. Since the update most of the issues seem to have abated. The call quality is still inconsistent and gets garbled both through Bluetooth or android auto. However, the GPS seems to be keeping up, and the touch response has improved. Will be monitoring it closely going forward.

2. ECO mode makes no significant difference to FE.
3. The central console layout has always bothered me. The gear lever is too far forward, and the armrest too far back. No good place to keep your phone, and an awkward cubby hole for the USB point.

Overall it has been a positive experience, and I can safely say I made the right choice given my requirements. (over the pretty gizmo laden Sonet, and the peppy has heck XUV300). If the infotainment system had been half decent, i would only have been giving gushing reviews about the car.

[Tgo]

7,500 km Service and Updates

The concept of free service turns out to be a concept of the customer asking for a free favour. The guys initially did the check-up but the sound from the front left strut tower was deemed to be normal. A repeat check-up in Jaipur went well as they at least made my brother see how they went about trying to trace the problem before leaving it to him to decide whether he still wanted to pursue eliminating or ignoring it.

This Nexon clocked a lot of miles in the last couple of months. The current ODO reading is well beyond 9,000 clicks. In the mean while I got to drive it too, for the first time. Here are my thoughts after primarily driving the Dusters for the last 8 years.

• It has the typical sideward sway like Body on Frame SUVs when going slow over rough terrain. How could Tata retain this characteristic in a monocoque chassis is beyond my comprehension since the Harrier doesn't have it. Could be the dual path rear suspension?
  
• The engine has good tractability and anti-stall mechanism. We drove it over very rough and downtrodden terrain and the car could pull itself up steep inclines. 23 km of unmetalled hilly terrain an excerpt of which can be seen in this video:
  
  

  https://youtu.be/Aq0_M697oXQ

  
  
  The occupants of the Nexon were equally comfortable as the ones of the Duster.
  
  

  The central console layout has always bothered me. The gear lever is too far forward, and the armrest too far back. No good place to keep your phone, and an awkward cubby hole for the USB point.

• I too noticed the above mentioned oddities.
  
• The car has a cramped foot well. Hatchbacks like the i20 feel spacious in this respect.
  
• Clutch pedal has mild vibrations but NVH levels are much better than previous generation 4 cylinder diesels. Commendable for a 3-pot engine.
  
• Ignoring the touch screen gives some peace of mind

Originally Posted by axehacks

Just wanted to use this thread to add my ownership experience as well. Don't have enough to start a new thread. Plus OP has done a stellar job with his review.

Thanks for sharing your side of the story too.

[Tgo]

1st Year Up! - Ownership Update

The Nexon is at 12,162 km in its first year of ownership which is what was expected of it while finalizing the car. The service costs have been very reasonable. I was expecting at least 7-8K of annual expense on the services. goes to show how well it pays-off when you own a locally sourced Indian made automobile. The INR 4,450/- of the 1 year service invoice is inclusive of interior dry cleaning which cost INR 1,700/-

1st Free Service - 2,000 km - nil
6 Month Service - 4,332 km - nil
1 Year Service - 12,000 km - INR 4,450/-

On the contrary, compare the cost of annual renewal for IRA (connected car features). While buying the car, were told it would be INR 350-800/- per year. To summarize, cost of physical parts and labour for maintaining the vehicle for 1 year = cost of running a software subscription for connected car features. No wonders servicing cars is not a very profitable business these days. Needless to say, did not go for renewal as running next year is going to be very less to almost none in the second half of the year.

The car is running much smoother after the oil change. The fuel economy has also increased a little after the service to 13 km/l (city) and about 16 km/l (highway). Could be a combination of a new filter and cold weather along with the owner getting in full synch with the vehicle. Some stats that fuelio throws up...

Got the insurance renewed from the dealer itself for the Oriental insurance policy. Even after 1 insurance claim for the year, the renewal amount came to INR 11,185/- but that was just the own damage coverage with add-ons since the third party coverage is already paid for the next 2 years.


There was a long pending issue with the dealer of wrong invoicing. As a result my brother could not claim the LTC Cash Voucher benefit when filing his taxes this year. He had to lodge a complaint through PG portal. Got it sorted out with a revised invoice issued last month. He has to now run about and find out a way to get the tax refund.

It has seen been on some road trips to places like Kasauli, Khajjar, Chandigarh and Dalhousie. Has served reliably all this while. No breakdowns or hiccups so far. It has ferried lots of luggage around too. Every trip comes with the request from his colleagues to bring back some goodies from out of town.

a NEX(t)-ON reference... in the picture?

[Tony2298]

Originally Posted by Tgo

1st Year Up! - Ownership Update

A heartfelt congratulations on completing one joyous year with your beloved machine and also very happy to know that its has been trouble free and the service too was fuss free. The Nexon is no doubt a very sorted and competent CSUV and with the facelift looks terrific too with that Evoqueish vibe, also the recently launched dark edition too is a looker and definitely grabs eyeballs but your silver car too is very nice and will be easier to maintain as well for the years to come.

I just hope Tata develops some better engines like what Mahindra did (there were reports about Mahindra being ready with 2.8MStallion Petrol with 300BHP!! and a 3.2MHawk diesel as well) and if Tata doesn't find it feasible due to the onslaught of EVs in the time to come they can at least borrow some good engines as an improvised solution (what about Volkswagen groups TSi??, also the platforms are pretty capable both structurally and dynamic ability wise as well), I know its a wishful thinking but I truly hope it does see the light of the day in some sort of way when it does come. Good looking, well built and dynamically competent cars do deserve a good heart!

Sorry for going off-topic, I hope you enjoy your machine to the fullest. Stay safe and happy motoring!

[Tgo]

Originally Posted by Tony2298

A heartfelt congratulations on completing one joyous year with your beloved machine and also very happy to know that its has been trouble free and the service too was fuss free.

You can say that the service experience was fuss free, but only because there weren't any unexpected issues with the car. My brother who owns and uses it has a lot to say about the sales and service experience after reading this update I did on his behalf.

Starting with the botched up invoice, not having the accessories in stock, always having to send the car for multiple times for the same issue, paint over spray after bodywork, not having the tools/technician for updating the software along with the regular check-ups and their rather lackadaisical approach to understand and correct issues was difficult to deal with.

These are things which are teething issues and go away once you build a rapport with the ASC. However there are other brands which do not give you a change to even bring this up.

[Tgo]

A good friend, who was contemplating buying a CSUV for almost a year, got his Petrol XZ+ home last month. He had already made up his mind on the Nexon to begin with, was waiting for the 1st year ownership report on this thread. He told me about it only on the day he got it home.