February 2022 - Tata Nexon Petrol Variants Explained - Which One To Buy?

Updated (Feb 17, 2022): This update of the Tata Nexon petrol variants explained article includes the latest prices of the Tata Nexon and engine, dimension comparison of its rivals.

Also Read: February 2022 - Hyundai Creta Petrol Variants Explained - Which One To Buy?

What Are The Pros And Cons Of Tata Nexon Petrol?

The pros or advantages of Tata Nexon petrol are:

• Great torque and power output from the turbo petrol engine.
• A fairly wide and tall body lends it a great road presence.
• Best-in-class ground clearance of 209mm.
• Best-in-class safety features and 5-star Global NCAP rating. Most notable is the inclusion of almost all critical safety features in the base variant.
• The XE variant doesn’t look like a base variant from the outside (gets the same headlamps and tail lamp cluster as higher variants).
• Gets option of manual and AMT automatic transmissions.
• Gets a good number of features for its class.
• One of the most affordable cars with a sunroof - and an SUV at that

The Tata Nexon petrol has the following shortcomings or problems:

• Expensive XM and XZ variants.
• It doesn’t get a non-standard music system slot. So, you will have to find the specific size music system for the Nexon because a standard aftermarket music system won’t fit.
• Poor feature distribution for middle variants. Even the XM (S) variant lacks a day/night mirror, which is a basic and inexpensive safety feature.
• The 6-month service interval is too short. A 10,000km per year interval is the industry standard.

You can also watch the Tata Nexon variants breakdown in hindi in the video below:

What Is The Price Of Tata Nexon Petrol Variants?

The Tata Nexon petrol is available in a total of 7 main variants with prices starting from Rs. 7.4 lakh and going up to Rs. 12.05 lakh (ex-showroom). The petrol-manual range costs between Rs. 7.4 lakh and Rs. 11.4 lakh. The Nexon petrol-automatic is available in 5 of the 7 variants with prices ranging from Rs. 9.05 lakh and going up to Rs. 12.05 lakh. It carries a flat premium of Rs. 65,000 over the comparable manual variant.

Note: Check your Car EMI with our - Car EMI Calculator

Tata Nexon Petrol XE - Base Model Features & Review

The base XE variant of the Tata Nexon petrol costs Rs. 7.4 lakh (ex-showroom). It has the following notable standard features:

• Halogen projector headlamps
• LED DRLs
• LED tail lamps
• 16-inch steel wheels
• 3 drive modes
• Front power windows
• Tilt steering
• Traction control
• Electronic stability control
• Hill start
• Umbrella holder in front doors
• 1.0L bottle holders in all doors
• Body-coloured bumpers
• Black door handles and outside mirrors
• Digital instrument cluster

The base variant skips all the functional features in favour of the safety kit. It even wins in the style department as the base variant also gets projector headlamps, LED DRLs, LED tail lamps, all of which take the style quotient to the next level for a base variant. No other base variant in the segment offers this many safety and style features.

Tata have clearly defined themselves as the Volvo of India as they’re loading up all new cars with as much safety kit as they can while still maintaining a reasonably competitive price. So, if you want the safest small SUV and don’t have a ton of cash, then the Nexon XE is a great value for money option. However, we’d not recommend it to most buyers as it doesn't have enough functional features to offer a decent ownership experience. Some of the features you might miss in the XE are:

• Remote central locking
• Rear camera
• Music system
• Steering-mounted controls
• Rear power windows

The XE variant is certainly worth buying but only for those who can’t stretch their budget further. Our recommendation is to upgrade to a higher variant.

Tata Nexon Petrol XE vs XM Variant

The XM variant of the Tata Nexon petrol costs Rs. 8.4 lakh with the manual transmission, which is Rs. 1.0 lakh more than the base XE variant. This variant is also available with an AMT automatic transmission or an additional Rs. 65,000 and costs Rs. 9.05 lakh (ex-showroom). For this additional sum, you get the following notable features:

• Music system
• 4 speakers
• Power mirrors with power folding
• Rear power windows
• Remote central locking
• Follow-me headlamps
• Wheel covers

It’s worth noting that the XM variant gets some must-have features, which aren’t available in the base model. It also gets some of the must-have features. However, the asking price is too high considering the additional features. So, we’d rather suggest you consider one of the higher variants or buy the XE variant and accessories as per your needs. The XM variant of the Nexon petrol is not a value for money option and not worth buying.

This is the most affordable option for Nexon petrol-automatic buyers. You should buy this only if you can’t stretch your budget any further. 

Tata Nexon Petrol XM vs XM (S) Variant

The XM (S) variant of the Nexon petrol is also available with a manual and automatic transmission. It costs Rs. 9.0 lakh with the manual and 9.65 lakh with the automatic transmission. These prices are exactly Rs. 60,000 more than the XM variant. The XM (S) variant of the Nexon petrol gets the following notable features:

• Steering-mounted controls
• Auto headlamps
• Auto wipers
• Sunroof

Except for the steering-mounted controls, everything else in this list is a good-to-have feature. What’s good here is that the XM (S) variant of the Nexon is a fairly affordable car with a sunroof. For style conscious buyers, the Nexon XM (S) is a great option as you can just add alloy wheels and your Nexon will look like a top variant from the outside. For budget buyers too, the XM (S) variant is worth considering because it’s a better value for money option than the XM variant. 

Although, it still doesn’t get several must-have features like a touchscreen, front and rear armrests, height-adjustable driver seat. But, it’s an undeniably better value for money option than the lower XM variant. So, for petrol-manual and automatic buyers, this is the lowest variant we’ll recommend at least from a value standpoint.

Tata Nexon Petrol XM (S) vs XZ Variant

The XZ variant of the Nexon costs Rs. 9.5 lakh for an incremental price of Rs. 50,000 over the XM (S) trim. It is only available with a manual transmission and adds the following important features to the car:

• Rear camera
• 4 tweeters
• 7-inch touchscreen
• Android Auto
• Apple Carplay
• Cooled glovebox
• Front fog lamps
• Rear AC vents
• Day/night inside mirror
• Piano black finish on outside mirrors

The XZ variant adds more usable features than the XM (S). The Nexon XZ doesn’t get a sunroof, auto wipers and auto headlamps. For buyers interested in a more functional cabin, the XZ is a better option than the XM (S) even though the XM (S) is a better value for money. Speaking of value, the XZ still has a poor VFM score and you should stretch your budget for a higher variant if you can. The XZ Plus offers much better value for money.

Tata Nexon Petrol XZ vs XZ Plus Variant

The XZ Plus variant of the Nexon petrol costs Rs. 10.10 lakh with the manual and Rs. 10.75 lakh with the automatic transmission. For a Nexon petrol-manual buyer, this variant carries a price jump of Rs. 60,000 over the lower XZ variant. For the Nexon petrol-automatic biyer, the price jump to XZ Plus from the XM (S) variant is Rs. 1.1 lakh. Following are the notable features of the Nexon petrol XZ Plus variant are:

• Rear defogger
• Rear washer wiper
• Auto AC
• 60-40 split rear seatback
• Rear armrest
• Keyless entry with push-button start/stop
• Height-adjustable driver seat
• 16-inch machined alloy wheels
• Adjustable rear headrests

Compared to the XZ, the XZ Plus better justifies its asking price, but it still doesn’t cover the unjustified price gap created by the XM and XZ variants. This variant has a good mix of functional and style features and is our top recommended variant for Nexon petrol buyers. This is despite a higher-than-Rs. 10.0 lakh ex-showroom price tag.

Tata Nexon Petrol XZ Plus vs XZ Plus (S) Variant

The XZ Plus (S) variant of the Nexon petrol costs Rs. 10.8 lakh with the manual and Rs. 11.45 lakh with the automatic transmission. It carries an incremental cost of Rs. 70,000 over the XZ Plus variant for manual as well as automatic buyer. It adds the following notable features over the lower XZ Plus variant:

• Tyre pressure monitoring
• Auto headlamps
• Auto wipers
• Cruise control
• Sunroof

The cruise control and sunroof are the high-ticket items on the list. If you don’t mind buying the Nexon without these features, then the XZ Plus will be better for you. TPMS is a feature, which is easy to install and you can add later. Otherwise, from a value perspective, this variant is worth upgrading to.

Tata Nexon Petrol XZ Plus (S) vs XZ Plus (O) Variant

We’re finally with the top-spec XZ Plus (O) variant of the Nexon petrol, which costs Rs. 11.10 lakh with the manual and Rs. 11.75 lakh with the automatic transmission. These prices are Rs. 30,000 more than the lower XZ Plus (S) variant. It adds the following additional features to the mix:

• Telematics (connected car technology)
• Live vehicle diagnosis
• Remove vehicle control through smartphone app
• Vehicle live location and geo fencing

We don’t find the variant lucratively priced. But if you prefer these features and find the Rs. 30,000 price acceptable, then you can consider this.

Tata Nexon Petrol XZ Plus Dark & XZ Plus (O) Dark Variants

The XZ Plus and XZ Plus (O) variants are also available in exterior black colours for an additional price of Rs. 30,000. This price is acceptable, considering that the Nexon Dark doesn’t just get black paint but also dark shade alloy wheels, black cabin and upholstery. For the unique styling, this price seems reasonable. But, these are strictly cosmetic upgrades. So, we’ll leave it up to you to decide if you want to upgrade to the Nexon Dark Edition.

Which Variant Of The Tata Nexon Petrol Should You Buy?

The Nexon’s base variant lacks several must-have features to offer a decent ownership experience. So, we can’t recommend this variant to most Nexon buyers. You should only buy it if you want the Nexon for its safety and body style.

The XM variant is also quite expensive for the features it adds. So, you should buy the XM (S) variant. It also doesn’t get many must-have features but the inclusion of sunroof helps this variant better justify the asking price. So, even for budget buyers, XM (S) is the minimum variant we’ll recommend.

The XZ variant offers a better balance of functional features but the XZ Plus also offers better value for money. So, the XZ Plus variant of the Tata Nexon is our top recommendation. The XZ Plus (S) variant is a value-for-money upgrade over the XZ Plus variant and worth considering if you have the budget for this variant. The top XZ Plus (O) variant only gets telematics related features. So, you can consider this variant too if you want these features in your car.

The upgrade Dark Edition, or black Nexon is a totally cosmetic upgrade for Rs. 30,000 and it’s up to you to decide if you want it. It does seem reasonably priced.

What Are The Engine Specifications Of The Tata Nexon Petrol ?

Compared to other turbo petrol B2-segment SUVs, the Nexon’s power and torque output are acceptable and towards the top of the class. However, it’s worth noting that the Nexon has the lowest torque-to-weight ratio compared to its turbo-petrol rivals. It also has acceptable but relatively lower mileage figures for its class.

*Estimated

Compared to the normal petrol engines, the Nexon turbo petrol has a better power and torque output. So, you can expect it to offer better drivability than non-turbo petrol engine SUVs.

You can use our Fuel Cost Calculator to see how any petrol, diesel or CNG car will cost to run based on the latest fuel price in your city.

Fuel Cost Calculator India

What Are The Dimensions Of The Tata Nexon?

In terms of dimensions, the Nexon is amongst the widest cars in its class and it also has the best-in-class ground clearance of 209mm. Its 350-litre boot space is also good-enough for a sub-4m SUV. it offers 16-inch wheels as standard on all variants but higher variants get alloys with a slightly wider contact patch.

Find out how you can get the best mileage or fuel efficiency from your car:

10 Tips To Get Better Mileage From Your Petrol, Diesel Or CNG Car

What Are The Colour Options Of The Tata Nexon Petrol?

The 2022 Nexon petrol is available in the following 5 colours:

• Red
• White
• Green
• Grey
• Black (Dark edition)

Please note that the black colour is only available in the XZ Plus and XZ Plus (O) variants of the Nexon for an additional Rs. 30,000. It also gets black alloys, black cabin and black upholstery.

Note: Here is a quick look at our length-based segmentation of cars to give you an idea of how we classify cars based on their size.