Tata Zest long term review first report

Tata’s new Zest created quite a sensation when it was revealed at the Auto Expo in January last year. Here was a Tata that was like no other. Its sharply styled nose caught the fancy of the car-buying public, the ‘chopped’ boot was neatly integrated, and then there were the interiors — they looked so good, people refused to believe they belonged on a Tata. Even more mindbending was the fact that Tata was focussing more on a turbocharged petrol motor rather than a diesel. And it came with three preset driver modes, something only the BMWs of this world offer!

Clearly, this was the perfect candidate for a longterm test. Not only would we be able to judge the Zest over four full seasons, we’d also be able to experience one of Tata’s   new-generation cars. Our Zest is the top-of-the-line XT that costs Rs 7.71 lakh (on-road, Mumbai). It has the much-talked-about Harman Kardon sound system and touchscreen interface, it rides on 15-inch alloys, 185/60 section tyres and the car is equipped with anti-lock brakes and driver and passenger airbags.

It’s still early days, but I already think this car is bags of fun, especially during my regular commute to and from work. It isn’t sporty or fun to drive in a traditional way, but there’s a nice slug of torque and power when the boost comes in, and that’s a treat when you want to slingshot past someone in traffic. Have to say, my first impressions of the engine weren’t too good. The motor didn’t rev cleanly, it sometimes hesitated, and it wasn’t at all happy to rev past 5,000rpm; strange. Still, things improved for the Revotron once Tata launched the Bolt hatchback, with many of the improvements carried over to the Zest. In addition, I also learnt to not try and extract maximum power from it by wringing it out.
 

So nowadays, when I’m driving in free-flowing traffic, I stick it in Sport, wait for an opportunity and push the throttle open; no real need for a shift to a lower gear. It’s a bit more relaxed initially, but once the boost comes in, around 2,000rpm, boy oh boy, does it accelerate well! And what’s nice is that the push in the back only gets stronger as the revs climb. What makes the city commute even nicer is the light but direct steering and the easy-to-shift gearbox. You don’t need to fight the car to get it through traffic, and that’s just great. It’s not exactly the point-and-squirt type of car, but once you get the boost flowing, it really is fun: can’t remember the last time we’ve said that about a Tata. Can you?