Small diesel SUVs are slowly evaporating away but there are still some choices available and importantly, there is still demand for them. Newage diesels are also cleaner now while tightening emissions have made many abandon diesel altogether.

 

However, some carmakers still offer a diesel and the Nexon is one of the few sub-compact SUVs offering one. The 1.5l diesel in the new Nexon complies with the latest emission norms and Tata Motors has done that without resorting to further complications including the fact that it does not require an urea tank or an injection system.


Start the engine and this 1.5l diesel is a lot quieter now and for low-speed city use, refinement is quite good. The Nexon diesel comes with a 6-speed manual and an AMT. We had the manual and we found the clutch to be surprisingly light but the gearshift with its long throws is not smooth, hence requiring some effort to use.

 

There is a slight bit of lag too but the mid-range is strong while the diesel noise comes in when pushed. You do not need to constantly work the gearbox and 3rd gear is enough for city use with a good amount of torque. The best way to drive the Nexon diesel manual is in a relaxed manner and it is also a component cruiser. 

Efficiency and range are the big talking points of diesel and you will get around 700km with the Nexon diesel while real-world efficiency is around 16 kmpl in the city with careful driving while the highway figure is around 20 kmpl. This bodes well with the official claimed mileage figure of 23.23 kmpl.

 

The manual is more fun to drive for sure and this fully loaded diesel version is priced at near Rs 15 lakh. If your running is high, the diesel Nexon makes sense with its efficiency, strong torque, and the range that one gets. 

 


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