Tata Curvv EV review: Tata’s best EV yet

The all-new Tata Curvv marks the manufacturer’s first foray into the midsize SUV segment, which has been ruled by established players such as the Hyundai Creta and Kia Seltos. While the ICE version has been revealed and will go on sale soon, the Curvv EV is the first to be launched. It is available in two distinct versions – 45 and 55 – signifying the battery capacity. We got a chance to drive the range-topping Curvv EV 55 Empowered variant, and here's our take.

Tata Curvv EV review: design and dimensions

One of the biggest talking points about the Curvv is its styling. When we first saw the concept at the Auto Expo last year, we were wowed by its futuristic design but skeptical about how many elements would make it to the production model. That's where Tata has knocked it out of the park, as the Curvv EV looks like it has come straight off the show floor.

The front end features the familiar Tata look, similar to the Nexon EV and Punch EV, with a thin LED light bar spanning the width at the top, a closed-off grille that houses the charging port behind the Tata logo, and a stylish, chrome-trimmed lower airdam. All lights are LEDs, and there’s a faux skid plate. The main headlamp cluster is positioned at the outer edges of the chiseled bumper. Like the other two electric SUVs, the Curvv’s light bar also shows welcome/goodbye animations and doubles up as a charge status indicator. However, during our test drive, the DRLs stopped working briefly.

Along the sides, Tata has equipped the Curvv EV with aero-efficient door handles that sit flush with the body and feature a small light for locating them in the dark. Unlike other cars with similar handles, the Curvv’s do not reveal themselves when you unlock the car; instead, you have to press one end and then pull the flap from the other. The most noticeable design feature on the side is the characteristic sloping roofline, which is neatly integrated into the boot lid. Tata has also used body cladding around the wheel arches and on the lower portion of the doors to break up the visual mass. However, it is finished in gloss black, which will be difficult to keep scratch-free and clean. The wheels are 18-inches with an aero-optimised design, further enhancing the Curvv’s concept car looks.

Just like the front, there’s a full-width LED light bar at the rear too, and a faux silver skid plate below the gloss black number plate housing. There is a roof-mounted spoiler element, a shark-fin antenna, and, like all coupe-SUVs, it lacks a rear washer/wiper. Further, the raked rear end also means that rear visibility isn't great from the inside. The Curvv EV is being offered in 5 paint shades and the “Virtual Sunrise” shade you see here looks fantastic in the metal. Tata has also debuted a new key fob with the Curvv EV, finished in gloss black and brushed aluminum, which looks and feels significantly more upmarket than the previous version.

The Curvv EV measures 4,310mm in length, 1,810mm in height, and 1,637 mm in width, and has a 2,560mm wheelbase, making it larger than the Nexon EV in all aspects except height. Compared to the MG ZS EV, the Curvv EV’s length, height and wheelbase are 13mm, 12mm and 25mm less, respectively. Ground clearance is a sizeable 186mm with the 55kWh versions (190mm for 45kWh), while the 18-inch wheels are the largest in the segment. Tata also claims a 50:50 front-to-rear weight distribution and a water wading capacity of 450mm.

Like the Punch EV, the Curvv EV is based on Tata’s Acti.ev architecture, which means it benefits from an 11.6-litre frunk that can accommodate the charging cables (without its case, however). The rear boot offers a spacious 500 liters and can be further expanded with the 60:40 split-folding rear seat. Additionally, it comes with a proper spare tire and a puncture repair kit.

Tata Curvv EV review: interior and features

Step inside the cabin, and you’ll notice that much of the dashboard is shared with the Nexon EV. It gets the same basic design, including the two large screens on top and the gloss-black HVAC panel lower down. What’s different is the four-spoke steering wheel, which is also shared with the new Safari/Harrier, and the textured trim piece on the dash. Tata’s use of light grey and ivory upholstery in this top-spec Empowered variant is visually appealing and accentuates the sense of space inside, although it will be challenging to keep clean. The front seats are particularly comfortable, with soft padding and excellent support. Additionally, the driver’s seat is electrically adjustable, while the front passenger seat offers height adjustment and both seats feature ventilation.

What is a downer though is that, like the Nexon EV, the Curvv EV lacks proper cupholders up front. The USB and 12V slots, positioned ahead of the gear lever, are hard to reach, and the storage under the armrest is limited. The steering wheel, while attractive, isn’t as nice to hold. It’s angled slightly away from you, the rim is a bit too thick for my liking, and the horn pad in the centre isn’t well finished, with a sharp edge on top. Still, the overall fit/finish, and material quality are decent and acceptable for this price point.

The longer wheelbase compared to the Nexon means you have more legroom at the back of the Curvv, but, unsurprisingly, headroom is less due to the roofline. The scooped-out headliner and reclining backrest help, but headroom is still tight for taller passengers. And they will also find the under-thigh support lacking thanks to the battery that's placed under the floor. Creature comforts back here include AC vents, a USB Type C charging port and a centre armrest with cupholders.

Tata has also thrown everything at the Curvv in terms of features. It starts with the slick 12.3-inch infotainment touchscreen, shared with the Nexon EV. In addition to usual smartphone connectivity, it also includes Tata’s arcade.ev app suite, which packs in several streaming services and games to keep you entertained while charging. The 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster is crisp and colourful, though somewhat cluttered. A notable feature is the option to display the blind view monitor either on the touchscreen or in the cluster itself; the Nexon EV only shows it on the touchscreen. You can even have the navigation as a full screen in the cluster like Audi’s Virtual cockpit, but we did notice some issues with it. For example, the full-screen map disappears once you indicate, and the blind view monitor pops up in the cluster. So, you need to reselect the full-screen map after each indication. But this won’t be an issue should you choose to display the blind view monitor on the touchscreen.

New features include a panoramic sunroof, configurable ambient lighting, an electric tailgate with gesture control, a sound alert up to speeds of 20kph to warn pedestrians, and Level 2 ADAS tech. In our limited time with the car, ADAS features like the lane keep assist and the adaptive cruise control worked well. Also part of the equipment list is leatherette upholstery, a superb-sounding 9-speaker JBL audio system, a crisp 360-degree camera, a wireless phone charger with cooling, auto headlamps/wipers, and connected car tech via Tata’s iRA app.

Like the Nexon EV, the Curvv EV too comes with vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) and vehicle-to-load (V2L) technology, which means it can be used to charge other EVs or power electric appliances. Tata is even offering a wide range of accessories with the Curvv EV. As for safety, top-spec Curvv EVs get 6 airbags, ESP, an electronic parking brake with auto hold, front and rear parking sensors, hill-hold assist, hill-descent control, and disc brakes all around.   

Tata Curvv EV review: powertrain and performance

Powering the Curvv EV is a front-mounted, permanent magnet synchronous motor that sends power to the front wheels only. While both variants, the 45 and 55, have the same 215Nm torque output, the 55 makes a higher 167hp than the 45’s 150hp. Three drive modes are a part of the package – Eco, City and Sport – controlled via the rotary knob in the centre console.

As expected, the Curvv EV feels the most energetic in Sport mode. Throttle response is immediate and it’ll give you the full reserve of torque, unlike the other drive modes which restrict it to about 70 percent. The top speed is also a higher 160kph in Sport, compared to 120kph in Eco and City. Tata claims a 0-100kph time of 8.6sec, but we managed to get a time of 9.6sec in our preliminary tests which were not up to our usual standards.

In comparison, the power delivery feels more measured and linear in the Eco and City modes and they are the ones that feel best suited for everyday use. Even in the most docile Eco mode, progress is quick enough, as we timed it to do 0-100kph in 11.6sec. What’s nice is that the motor’s NVH is well-contained and you can’t hear a lot of that electric whine when you’re on the move.

Tata Curvv EV review: battery, range and charging

As mentioned earlier, there’s two battery packs to choose from – a 45kWh and a 55kWh. We got to experience the 55, which has claimed range of 585km on the MIDC cycle. On our drive, we covered 241km which brought the battery down from 100 percent to 33 percent, with an efficiency of 6.54km/kWh. This translates to a real world range of about 359km. Do note though, that most of our running was done in Eco mode and on the highway, but we did also drive it in Sport mode and through city streets for a bit. The real-world range is impressive and will even enable certain intra city travels.

Another improvement over the Nexon EV is fast charging. While the Nexon accepts up to 50kW, the Curvv EV can fast charge at up to 70kW. This means it can go from 10 to 80 percent in just 40 minutes with a DC fast charger for the 55 variants. As standard, all Curvv EV variants come with a 7.2kW AC charger, which can charge the battery from 10 to 100 percent in nearly 8 hours for the 55 and 6.5 hours for the 45. It can also be charged via a standard 15A wall socket.

The Curvv also comes with four levels of regen braking, which are controlled via the steering-mounted paddles. Level 1 works well on the highway and allows for some coasting, while Level 3 enables one-pedal driving, best suited to the city.

Tata Curvv EV review: ride and handling

Like all Tatas, ride and handling are a virtue of the Curvv EV. It’s set up on the firmer side, which can make it feel lumpy at low speeds. But as speeds increase, it feels tough and composed, even on the worst of roads. Bump absorption is excellent but you can hear the suspension working over sharp bumps.

While we didn’t encounter many corners on Rajasthan’s straight highways, the Curvv EV’s handling can be described as tidy. Body roll is kept well in check, the steering is direct if not a bit too hefty, and the grip from the EV-specific tyres is decent. Also, the cabin is well-insulated from road and tyre noise.

Tata Curvv EV review: price and verdict

Prices for the Curvv EV range from Rs 17.49 lakh to Rs 21.99 lakh (ex-showroom). In comparison, the Nexon EV range is priced between Rs 14.49 lakh and Rs 19.29 lakh (ex-showroom). For the extra cash, you get a larger SUV with more boot space, greater range, enhanced performance, and additional features. The Curvv EV also manages to undercut its direct rival, the MG ZS EV, which costs between Rs 18.98 lakh and Rs 25.44 lakh, by a large margin. On-road pricing of the Curvv EV is at par with petrol and diesel midsize SUVs (Creta N line and Seltos X line), making it a notable option. The Curvv EV also gets an 8-year/1,60,000km warranty on the battery and motor and a 3-year/1,25,000km warranty on the vehicle. 

At first glance, the Curvv EV might seem like a Nexon EV in fancy clothing. However, considering the additional benefits it gets over the Nexon EV — such as battery size, more features, increased passenger and luggage space, and the added outlay — the money spent feels justified. Sure, it's got compromises and it does need some software fine-tuning to iron out the bugs, but those pale in comparison to this SUV’s strengths. It has got the concept-car looks that stands out, spacious and practical design, impressive real-world range, composed road manners, and an extensive feature set. Tata Motors just knows how to get mass-market EVs right and it’s no coincidence that it is the market leader in that respect, and the Curvv EV just happens to be the best one they’ve put out yet. 

Also see:

Tata Curvv CNG under active consideration

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