Tata Curvv 1000 km Review: A Closer Look at Price and Performance

Tata Curvv 1000 km Review: Tata Motors, a leading passenger vehicle manufacturer, recently introduced the Curvv in the coupe-SUV segment. A coupe-SUV has a sloping roofline, and Tata Motors launched Curvv in multiple colours and engine options for the buyers to choose from. The design of the Tata Curvv is similar to other Tata SUVs in the lineup and has a lot of similarities with the Nexon.

Recently, we drove the Tata Curvv Accomplished Plus variant with a diesel engine in the city and majorly on highways for 1000km and tested out its fuel efficiency, comfort, features, and other parameters of the Curvv.

Here are our thoughts on whether buyers should consider the Tata Curvv or not. So let’s get started!!

Tata Curvv Exterior:

So starting from the exterior design, the Curvv is beautifully designed and has a lot of similarities with its other counterparts. 

At the front, it is almost identical to the Nexon. However, Curvv has a connected LED DRL, LED headlamps and fog lamps. At night, the throw of these headlamps was great and we didn’t feel any issues with the illumination or lighting during our night drive experience.

The bonnet line is high and has several chrome inserts on the grille. One highlight of the front profile was that the front camera was neatly integrated between the grille and the bumper, and there were functional air curtains on the bumper, which enhanced the airflow and aerodynamics of the SUV.

Now, coming to the side, first, you’ll notice there is a black body cladding running across the vehicle, thus enhancing the overall appeal of the Curvv. 

Our test unit was equipped with 18-inch alloy wheels, which offered great comfort, and the design of the alloy wheels was well-thought-out. 

Since Tata Motors offered flush door handles for the first time, the company cleverly offered a small lamp for them to locate the door handle easily in the dark. Since it is a coupe SUV, it has a sloping roofline, hence giving a different characteristic altogether.  

Coming to the rear, since it has a sloping roofline, the rear glass is somehow kind of useless, as there’s hardly any visibility from inside. The rear has LED-connected DRL and tail lamps, and Curvv branding in bold. The bumper has a blacked-out treatment to reduce the visual bulk and has a silver diffuser plate to enhance the sporty aesthetic. 

Talking about the boot space, the Tata Curvv offers a massive space of 500L in the boot, which can easily accommodate a lot of luggage for your long trips and weekend getaways.

Tata Curvv Interiors:

On stepping inside, let’s discuss about the rear seat experience. Since Curvv has a sloping roofline, the headroom is compromised for tall passengers. Secondly, the cabin is wide enough for three passengers, but there is decent knee room, leg room, and shoulder room for all of them. The seat cushioning is on point and offers a comfortable experience.

The front seats and the design of the dashboard are completely identical to its other siblings. 

It has a similar dashboard layout, having a 10.25-inch infotainment screen, which we have seen on the  Nexon iCNG and the Nexon EV 45, a sportier element on the dashboard, and red-colour upholstery. 

The climate controls are still finished in gloss black, which is a fingerprint magnet. One common problem with Tata cars, which we have faced, is that they continue to miss the cup holders in the dashboard or on the centre console. There is no place to store your coffee, except for bottle holders.

Talking about the steering wheel, it is a four-spoke unit with having illuminated Tata logo. This steering wheel is the same unit that is offered in the Harrier and Safari. Further, some panel gaps were evident on our test unit.

Tata Curvv Features:

So, talking about the features, it has a slightly better feature list as compared to other Tata SUVs. For starters, some additional features on Curvv are ambient lighting, Level-2 ADAS, and others. 

However, the ambient lighting changed its colour according to driving modes, and the convenience feature list consists of automatic climate control, electronic parking brake, a 360-degree parking camera, a wireless charger, and more.

The Tata Curvv's safety features include six airbags, traction control, ABS, ESC, a Highline direct tyre-pressure monitoring system, and a five-star safety rating in Bharat NCAP.

Tata Curvv Driving Experience:

Tata Motors offers three engine options for the Curvv. We drove the 1.5L inline four-cylinder diesel engine, making 115 bhp and 260 Nm torque, paired with a seven-speed DCT gearbox. This is the same engine that is also powering the Nexon. The power output from the engine is linear, and there is some lag present below 2000 RPM. 

Once the turbo lag is passed, the engine pulls nicely in the mid-range and becomes quite vocal as well.

Since there are three driving modes on offer, the driving dynamics and the engine's response in the Curvv change drastically, which is quite evident.

• Eco Mode: In the Eco Mode, the performance of the engine is quite sluggish. But on the contrary, the fuel efficiency is decent in this mode.
• City Mode: The City mode is the default mode in which the vehicle starts. The response of the engine is decent and there’s hardly any change as compared to the Eco mode. 
• Sports Mode: In the Sports mode, the engine becomes very responsive. There is a sudden boost of power that can be felt, and it redlines to 4,000 RPM. The torque rush and the power are evident in this mode.

Tata Curvv Ride Quality and Handling:

Talking about the ride quality and handling, the suspensions are tuned on the stiffer side. Since it runs on 18-inch wheels, the ride quality is very comfortable on bad roads, and the SUV stays planted even on triple-digit speeds. The ride quality with five passengers and luggage was on point, but the body roll was quite evident in the Curvv.

The feel and feedback from the steering wheel are sharp and precise. On high speeds, there was confidence while taking overtakes, and in city conditions, it was decently weighted.

Tata Curvv NVH:

The Noise Vibrations and the Harshness levels in the Tata Curvv are quite evident. On the inside, the engine noise is quite evident, and may feel like sitting inside a truck on hard acceleration. 

The outside noise does filter inside the cabin, and Tata Motors needs to work on the panel fitment since there was some rattling noise coming from the rear.

Tata Curvv Price:

Starting from the price, the buyers of the Tata Curvv have to pay ₹9.99 lakh (ex-showroom) for the Smart 1.2 Petrol 6 MT variant. We tested out the diesel engine option, paired with a seven-speed DCT option, which is the Accomplished Plus A variant, costing ₹19.19 lakh (ex-showroom).

Conclusion:

So now a million-dollar question: Should you consider the Tata Curvv? Our Answer is Yes! The Tata Curvv is a great blend of design aesthetics, safety, and performance from the engine. After driving it for more than 1000 km, there were some key factors that we felt were important to address. Firstly, it has decent features on offer, has a comfortable and spacious cabin, and the fuel efficiency of the diesel engine is normal. However, it requires a lot of improvements in the quality and fitment, and refinement of the engine that we expect to be resolved with time.

Also Read: MG Windsor EV Review: Spacious, Feature-Loaded Electric SUV with Flaws