Checked out the Tata Curvv & Citroen Basalt together: My verdict

If you can imagine stepping out of a Kiger and sitting in a Nexon, that is the closest I can explain the difference between quality levels of Basalt and Curvv.

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Went for a short test drive today. It was that short that I really can't say anything about the engine's performance. What I could note, I am mentioning below.

The ride is comfortable, for sure. My Kushaq with 16 inch wheels is close. But Basalt is bit more comfortable. Just a bit.

Rear seat leg room is tremendous. And this after the driver's seat was set to my driving position (my height 183 cm / 6ft). The recline angle was good too.

How small things matter. The brake pedal is now a proper automatic pedal, unlike the C3 Aircross, where it was the same narrow one, like in the manual cars. It was a big minus point for me. Now fixed

The car, thanks to its shape, looks smaller than it actually is. The C3 Aircross looks huge in comparision. And I kid you not, it can easily be mistaken as a sibling of the first gen Dzires. Meaning, it looks like a chubby sedan. And a go anywhere kind of a sedan.

Fit and finish is nowhere close to my Kushaq (Ambition). It's closer to my 2019 Tigor XZA. Especially the plastics. I will not call them cheap. But, you will make out that they have been built to keep costs in check.

That cheap feeling, due to feature omissions, is not there anymore. The feeling of compromise is not there. But, you will have to make peace with what you are getting. If you are expecting a 'premium' or an 'upgrade' over your sub 4 metre car, this is not it.

If you can imagine stepping out of a Kiger and sitting in a Nexon, that is the closest I can explain the difference between quality levels of Basalt and Curvv.

The Curvv EV that I saw in the showroom is easily 6-8 lakhs more expensive than the top end Basalt. Perhaps, once the base and mid variants of a Curvv petrol are out, a better comparison is in order.

The 4.3 metre segment is so big now, that it's being fragmented into sub segments. Coupe SUV has now become one. And in that too, the Basalt belongs to the lower, more affordable category. And the Curvv, maybe the mid and top of that sub segment. And like I said in the Curvv thread, customers of the Curvv and Basalt are not the same.

I liked the Basalt enough, that I will take missus for a test drive. If she likes it, I wouldn't mind having it in our garage and saving a couple of lakhs, in the process. But, won't make the booking till the time an NCAP rating is out.

I did give a feedback to the Citroen dealer that they should offer the 1.2 Naturally Aspirated variant in the top end trim too. And that the naturally aspirated variants should have the torque converter automatic transmission as well. Not everyone requires a turbo petrol. My missus would have been perfectly fine with the top variant of the 1.2 NA TC.

A Sunday in a Citroen showroom and a Tata showroom are two different things. Citroen had around 10 prospective customers. Most were interested in the Basalt. No cars were being delivered. On the other hand, eight cars were lined up for delivery (I counted) at the Tata showroom and innumerable people had filled the hall inside. Several people in and around the Curvv.

But, I have seen Tata's bad days too. We have been Tata customers since the early 2000s and what Citroen showroom is today was once the past of a Tata showroom. Citroen is on a right path (now) and as an enthusiast, I wish them to succeed.

If the missus okays and the NCAP (B or G) okays, then an upgrade of our Tigor is in order.

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