Is The Tata Nexon Priced Right?

By : Agencies | Updated at : 21 Sep 2017 06:30 PM (IST)

The Nexon’s entry-level prices are very aggressive, but is the top-end variant expensive? Let’s find out

The Tata Nexon is here, and we’re quite sure that it is one of the more upmarket Tata cars you have ever come across. At Rs 5.85 lakh, the starting price of the Nexon is aggressive. To put things into perspective, that’s Rs 4000 less than the entry-level Honda Jazz!

Have a look at the Tata Nexon’s price list:

Tata Nexon Variants	Nexon petrol prices	Nexon diesel prices
XE	Rs 5.85 lakh	Rs 6.85 lakh
XM	Rs 6.49 lakh	Rs 7.39 lakh
XT	Rs 7.29 lakh	Rs 8.14 lakh
XZ+	Rs 8.44 lakh	Rs 9.29 lakh
XZ+ dual tone	Rs 8.59 lakh	Rs 9.55 lakh

Let us now find out what sort of value each variant offers in the Nexon lineup.

Tata Nexon XE variant - Priced right

Tata Nexon Variant	Nexon petrol prices	Nexon diesel prices
XE	Rs 5.85 lakh	Rs 6.85 lakh

Tata might have packed a lot of equipment in the Nexon’s top variant, however, the base variant is quite bare-bones. Main features in the Nexon XE include dual airbags, ABS, drive modes, and tilt-steering. Compare it with the base variant of its closest diesel rival Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza, and you notice that the Nexon misses out on central locking, music system, and electrically-adjustable outside rearview mirrors (ORVMs). However, the Brezza gets only one airbag and lacks ABS and drive modes. It is also more expensive that the Nexon XE by over Rs 30,000.

Tata Nexon - drive modes are standard across the range

When you compare the Nexon’s prices to what we thought Tata to price the sub-4 metre SUV in our expected prices story, you’ll find that the asking price of the Nexon XE petrol undercuts our expectations by Rs 34,000. Tata has managed to set a price gap of around Rs 1 lakh between the same petrol and diesel variants. We thought the difference might be less given that the petrol engine is turbocharged.

The Nexon diesel’s entry-level price exceeds our expectations by Rs 35,000. But the difference is not so high that we call it a deal breaker, especially if you compare its prices with its sub-4m SUV rivals. So in our opinion, Tata has priced the base variants of the Nexon very competitively.

Tata Nexon XM variants - Priced Right

Tata Nexon Variants	Nexon petrol prices	Nexon diesel prices
XE	Rs 5.85 lakh	Rs 6.85 lakh
XM	Rs 6.49 lakh	Rs 7.39 lakh
Difference	Rs 64,000	Rs 54,000

Now, let’s compare the important features on offer on the Nexon XM variant and what you get over the base XE variant:

Tata Nexon XM (Over Tata Nexon XE)

ConnectNext Infotainment (powered by Harman) with 4 speakers

Steering-mounted controls

Rear parking sensors

Central locking

Rear power windows

Electrically-adjustable ORVM

USB charger

For the additional equipment that the XM variant offers over XE, a price difference of Rs 64,000 for petrol and Rs 54,000 for diesel might appear to be on the higher side. But that’s how carmakers position their vehicles in the Indian market. The Nexon XM appears to be a more complete car compared to the base variant, and a half-a-lakh rupee upgrade doesn’t really look like a deal breaker. The Nexon XM is still competitively positioned against its rivals. So we feel Tata has done a decent job with the this variant’s prices, and like the base XE variant, this variant too is priced right as well.

Tata Nexon XT variant - Overpriced

Tata Nexon Variants	Nexon petrol prices	Nexon diesel prices
XM	Rs 6.49 lakh	Rs 7.39 lakh
XT	Rs 7.29 lakh	Rs 8.14 lakh
Difference	Rs 80,000	Rs 75,000

For an additional sum of Rs 80,000 for the petrol version and Rs 75,000 for diesel SUV, the major feature additions are:

Tata Nexon XT (Over Tata Nexon XM)

Roof rails

Body-coloured door handles

Climate control

Rear AC vents

Electrically-folding ORVMs

Rear power outlet

Cooled glovebox

With almost all the basic features being covered in the XM variant, the XT variant focuses on enhancing the premium quotient. So there are cosmetic updates on the outside, which still don’t include alloy wheels(!), and more luxury thrown in on the inside in the form of climate control and electrically-folding ORVMs. Are all the additional features worth the Rs 80,000 price difference? Not really. In our opinion, Tata could have reduced the price difference by about Rs 25,000 to justify the additional equipment.

Tata Nexon XZ+ - The price difference from XT is right

Tata Nexon Variants	Nexon petrol prices	Nexon diesel prices
XT	Rs 7.29 lakh	Rs 8.14 lakh
XZ+	Rs 8.44 lakh	Rs 9.29 lakh
Difference	Rs 1.15 lakh	Rs 1.15 lakh

The XZ+ is the top variant of the Nexon and the premium you have to pay to upgrade to this variant is Rs 1.15 lakh. So what additional equipment does this variant pack? Check out the table below.

Tata Nexon XZ+

Tata Nexon XZ+ (over Tata Nexon XT)

Projector headlamps

DRLs

GPS

Alloy wheels

Centre console, armrest with tambour-style doors for storage compartment

Rear armrest

Rear split seat

6.5-inch floating touchscreen infotainment system with Android Auto support and built-in AC controls, message readout, and 4 additional speakers among others

Rear parking camera

Day/night IRVM

Front + Rear fog lamps

Rear defogger

Height-adjustable driver seat & seatbelts

Push button start/stop

The top-end XZ+ variant gets a lot of equipment, some of which, in our opinion, could have been added in the lower variants as well including the day/night IRVM, height-adjustable driver’s seat, alloy wheels, DRLs, fog lamps, etc. The top-end Nexon would be more of an emotional buy as you can’t really place any value for things like the dashboard-mounted floating infotainment system and the front centre running board with armrest that houses the tambour door for the storage compartment. For those willing to splurge for these features, the over one lakh rupee difference seems justified. When you take into account the additional money you have to pay to upgrade from XT to XZ+, the prices seem right. However, the cascading effect of the XT variant being overpriced makes the XZ+ appear pricey too. But we’ll save that for a detailed comparo with rivals.