TATA ZEST 2014

Tata Zest compact sedan, based on the Tata Manza has been unveiled. The car is based on a new platform and developed under Tata’s ‘Falcon’ program. The Tata Zest is better in every single way over the Manza, while adding the allure of being a compact sedan measuring under 4-metres in terms of length. It will be a premium offering, Tata has confirmed and has the equipment and features to match.

The car will be launched in the Indian market in the later half of 2014, though pricing and variant details have not been revealed. The changes to the car in brief are as follows:

    New exterior design
    Much improved interior design
    New 1.2-litre Revotron petrol engine
    Better driving dynamics thanks to drive-by-wire, electronic power assist steering,
    ABS.
    Extended equipment list including 5-inch touchscreen based Harman infotainment

    system.   

    First-in-class Automated Manual F-Tronic transmission available with the 1.3-litre
    Quadrajet diesel engine.

Exterior Design:
    Headlights (with projector headlamps on top-end variants)
    Front bumper and rear bumper
    Grille (which gets an extra chrome strip to differentiate it from the hatch)
    ORVM covers
    Fog-light and DRLs integrated into the fog-light housing
    Alloy wheel design, 15-inch in size
    LED Tail-lamps
    Rear bumper integrated fog lamp

Interior Design:
    Black and beige combination interiors
    Silver trim inserts
    3-spoke multi-function steering wheel
    Redesigned instrument cluster with integrated multi-information display
    5-inch touch screen infotainment system from Haman, with integrated navigation
    from MapMyIndia.
 
Features:
    Harman infotainment system
    Navigation services by MapMyIndia
    Drive-by-wire technology
    F-Tronic Automated Manual Transmission paired to the Diesel motor, it could be
    one of the cheapest diesel automatics in the country.
    Twin drive modes: Economy and Performance
    Smartphone pairing
    Voice recognition for controlling the infotainment system.

Performance and Handling:

The Tata Zest has to face competition from the likes of the Maruti Suzuki Swift Dzire, Honda Amaze etc, and so it has been given an arsenal by the company to keep it in the fray. Additions to the car to make it a better car to drive and be in are as follows:

    Drive-by-wire technology, better response from the engine
    EPAS / electronic power-assisted steering
    Adjusted suspension system, for better handling
    Better insulation, for a quieter drive
    ABS with cornering assist for better handling
    1.2-litre, turbocharged ‘Revotron’ petrol motor with 83 BHP / 140 Nm
    1.3-litre, Quadrajet diesel motor with 73 BHP / 200 Nm
    5-speed F-tronic automated manual transmission paired to the diesel motor for
    comfortable driving in the city and higher fuel-economy.