Tata Motors launches Nexon Compact SUV at Rs 5.85 lakh to Rs 9.45 lakh

MUMBAI: Tata Motors, India's largest automobile company by revenues on Thursday launched its much-awaited compact Sports Utility Vehicle Nexon, aggressively pricing it at Rs 5.85 lakh to Rs 9.45 lakh ex-showroom New Delhi, in a clear bid to challenge the market leader Maruti Suzuki's Vitara Brezza and Ford Motor's EcoSport.

Nexon is priced Rs 40,000 to Rs 50,000 lower than the segment leader Vitara Brezza in terms of price on diesel and yet it boasts of features like floating touch screen, rear air vents and the SUV is priced almost Rs 1 lakh lower than Ford EcoSport on a like to like variant.

Targeted at the personal car buyers, Nexon is the 4th product based on the ‘Impact Design’ philosophy which the company claims of it bringing together global and contemporary design with advance technology and features for the ones who would like to express themselves with a unique style of their own.

Unveiling the Tata Nexon , Guenter Butschek, CEO & MD, Tata Motors, says Indian passenger vehicle market is dynamic. The fast-moving generation has clear preferences in terms of design and style. Catering to this discerning need of the customers, Tata Motors seeks to create new categories of vehicles.

“The Tata Nexon is the result of our intent to break away from the conventional approach of segmentation in its discreet forms and fulfilling a larger set of milieus," added Butschek.

As against the boxy SUV, Butschek is referring to coupe like sporty design of Nexon, which differentiates the vehicles from the rest in the market.
The company has consistently played the card - right from Tiago, Tigor, Hexa and now Nexon - of packing the vehicles with features seen in segments above and pricing the vehicle below the competing brands to pull the customers towards Tata brand
Unlike both these competing SUVs, Nexon has dual airbags, Antilock Braking System and Electronic Brake distribution as standard feature.

Powered by all new 1.5 litre Revetorq Diesel engine, Nexon delivers a fuel efficiency of 21.5 kmpl and on 1.2 litre turbo petrol, Nexon delivers a mileage of 17 kmpl.

Nexon has a higher ground clearance of 209 mm and boasts of best in class boot space with 350 litres.

Unlike the Tiago and Tigor, which were launched in a matured and crowded space, the Nexon is entering a segment that is at a very early stage of evolution. This, Tata Motors expects, would help the company grow with the market. Post the Nexon launch, the company's addressable market will expand to 71% from 59%, he added.

To be sure, the compact SUV segment has grown fivefold in the past four year, from 45,000 units in FY13 to almost 2.2 lakh in FY17.
Mayank Pareek, President- Passenger Vehicle Business Unit, Tata Motors, said, company’s focus is to introduce products that not only enhance the brand, but simultaneously align well with the rising aspirations of customer segments.

“As part of the aggressive turnaround strategy, we have renewed focus on filling in product gaps and tapping the white spaces that will emerge. Conceptualised as a lifestyle SUV for young progressive individuals, The Nexon is the culmination of this radical shift in thinking and will further expand Tata Motors’ addressable market,” added Pareek.

The vehicle will be on sale, across 650 Tata Motors authorized sales outlets in India from today.

Available in four variants – XE, XM, XT, XZ+, the Tata NEXON will come in five colour options – Vermont Red, Moroccan Blue, Seattle Silver, Glasgow Grey and Calgary White and will come with a standard warranty of 75000 kms or 2 years, whichever is earlier.