September 2023 - Tata Nexon Petrol Variants Explained - Which One To Buy?

Also Read: 2023 Kia Seltos Petrol Variants Explained - Which One To Buy?

2023 Tata Punch Petrol, CNG Variants Explained - Which One To Buy?

2023 Hyundai Exter Petrol, CNG 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:

• Value for money starting price for the Smart variant
• A fairly wide and tall body gives it a great road presence
• Best-in-class ground clearance of 208mm
• 6 airbags are now standard along with other safety features like ESC, HSA, traction control and LED headlamps
• Even the base model variant doesn’t instantly come across as the basic because of the LED headlamps, LED DRLs, connected tail lamps and new, 2-spoke steering with backlit Tata logo
• Gets option of manual, AMT automatic and DCT automatic transmissions; if you also factor in the 5-speed manual, then the Nexon has 4 transmission options to choose from
• Gets a good number of features for its class in the top variant

The Tata Nexon petrol has the following shortcomings or problems:

• Several basic features are missing in the lower and mid-spec variants; for example, front and rear armrests only available in Fearless and its derivatives, height-adjustable driver seat in Creative and higher trims
• No true value for money variant; no variant justifies the incremental cost over the base variant with the additional features
• Lower trims get a 5-speed manual transmission for no apparent reason besides encouraging buyers to go for a higher variant with fatter profit margins
• Missing features like 360-degree camera, side thorax and curtain airbags — addressed by Tata with 2023 model update
• Overall, the variant-powertrain lineup is quite confusing and we don’t have have the ‘special’ editions on sale yet
• Horrible communication strategy is leaving buyers confused as there are several mismatches in features based on when and where you source your information

You can learn more about our view on the Tata Nexon in the following Nexon Price Reaction video:

You can also watch the 2023 Tata Nexon variants breakdown and our buying recommendation in Hindi in the video below:

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

What Is The Price Of 2023 Tata Nexon Petrol Variants?

The new Nexon petrol is available with the following 4 transmission options:

• 5-speed manual transmission (lower 3 variants)
• 6-speed manual transmission (Pure and higher variants)
• 6-speed AMT automatic transmission (Creative and its derived variants)
• 7-speed DCT automatic transmission (Creative and higher variants)

The petrol-manual range of the new Nexon starts from Rs. 8.10 lakh with the Smart variant and stretches up to Rs. 13.50 lakh with the Fearless Plus S variant. The variants with the AMT automatic cost between Rs. 11.70 lakh and Rs. 12.90 lakh. These prices are Rs. 70,000 more than the comparable manual variants. Creative variant onwards, you can also buy the Nexon petrol with the DCT automatic for an additional Rs. 1.20 lakh over the comparable manual variants. The Nexon DCT prices start from Rs. 12.20 lakh and go up to Rs. 14.70 lakh (ex-showroom).

Tata Nexon Petrol Smart - Base Model Features

The base Smart variant of the Tata Nexon petrol gets a 5-speed manual transmission and costs Rs. 8.10 lakh (ex-showroom). It gets the following features as standard:

Some of the features you might miss in the Nexon base model are:

• Remote central locking
• Music system
• Steering-mounted controls
• Rear power windows
• Power mirrors
• Wheel covers
• 6-speed manual transmission
• Body-coloured door handles
• Day/night inside mirror

Even though the base variant of the Nexon doesn't get a bunch of must-have features, it is the most value for money variant in the entire lineup. If you are on a strict budget and don't mind adding a few aftermarket accessories, then the Nexon Smart is a fantastic choice. More so, because the higher Smart Plus and Smart Plus (S) variants offer incredibly poor value for money.

Tata Nexon Petrol Smart vs Smart Plus/Smart Plus (S) Variant - Features Comparison

The Smart Plus variant also gets the same petrol engine with the 5-speed manual transmission and costs Rs. 9.10 lakh, which is Rs. 1.0 lakh more than the base model. The Smart Plus (S) costs another Rs. 60,000 and carries an ex-showroom price of Rs. 9.70 lakh.

With the Smart Plus variant, you get the following notable features:

In the Smart Plus variant, you may miss features like:

• Front and rear armrests
• Rear parcel tray
• Rear camera
• TPMS
• Body-coloured door handles
• Day/night inside mirror
• Rear parcel tray

The Smart Plus and Smart Plus (S) variants offer pathetic value for money while also greatly compromising on the value front. So, we strongly advise against buying either of these.

Tata Nexon Petrol Smart Plus vs Pure/Pure (S) Variant - Features Comparison

Pure variant onwards, the Nexon gets a 6-speed manual transmission instead of the 5-speed manual. The Pure variant costs Rs. 60,000 more than the Smart Plus and carries an ex-showroom price of Rs. 9.70 lakh. The Pure (S) costs Rs. 10.20 lakh, which is another Rs. 50,000 more expensive than the Pure.

The Pure variant of the Nexon petrol gets the following notable features:

In the Pure variant, you may miss the following important features:

• Auto AC
• TPMS
• Body-coloured door handles
• Height-adjustable driver seat
• Rear camera
• Rear washer wiper
• Rear defogger
• Rear parcel tray

Even the Pure and Pure (S) variants maintain the status quo like the lower Smart Plus and Smart Plus (S). Instead of compromising greatly on the value as well as on the features front, we’ll suggest you either go for the base trim or stretch some for a higher variant.

Tata Nexon Petrol Pure vs Creative Variant - Features Comparison

Besides the manual, the Creative variant also gets a 6-speed AMT automatic and a 7-speed DCT automatic transmission options. The Creative manual costs Rs. 11.0 lakh, which is Rs. 1.30 lakh more than the Pure manual. The AMT automatic costs Rs. 70,000 more than the manual while the DCT automatic costs Rs. 1.20 lakh more than the manual.

The Creative variant of the Nexon adds the following features:

Considering the expected ex-showroom price of the Creative variant, you may miss the following features in this trim:

• Cruise control
• Front armrest
• Rear armrest
• Split-folding rear seatbacks
• Rear defogger
• Rear parcel tray

Even the Creative variant doesn’t get a few features we consider must-have at this price point from a car of this class. Still, if you can manage without them, then the Creative variant is as good as it gets in terms of value. From here, the value ranking further deteriorates considerably.

Tata Nexon Petrol Creative vs Creative Plus/Creative Plus (S) Variant - Features Comparison

The Nexon Creative Plus petrol also retains the 3 transmission options and it is Rs. 70,000 more expensive than the lower Creative variant. The Creative Plus (S) with the sunroof is another Rs. 50,000 more expensive and it too gets all 3 transmission options.

Following are the additional features of the Creative Plus variant:

Even in the otherwise-well-loaded Creative Plus variant, you won’t get:

• Front armrest
• Rear armrest
• Rear defogger
• Split rear seatbacks

Even Creative Plus and Creative Plus (S) trims don’t get a rear defogger and armrests (front, rear). Still, if you want the cruise control, then you can go with this variant. Please note that it offers worse value for money than the lower vanilla Creative option, which already is a compromise of sorts in terms of value for money.

Tata Nexon Petrol Creative Plus vs Fearless/Fearless (S) Variant - Features Comparison

Fearless variant drops the AMT automatic transmission but retains the manual and the DCT. The Fearless costs Rs. 12.50 lakh with the manual and Rs. 13.70 lakh (ex-showroom) with the automatic transmission. These prices are Rs. 80,000 more than the lower Creative Plus variant with comparable transmission options. The Fearless (S) with the sunroof is Rs. 50,000 more expensive than the Fearless non-S. It costs Rs. 13.0 lakh with the manual and Rs. 14.20 lakh with the manual.

The Fearless variant of the Nexon 2023 gets the following additional features over the Creative Plus:

The Fearless variant seems to offer the most well-rounded experience without any compromises in terms of missing features. But it’s again a terrible value for money option. Therefore, we will recommend against buying the Fearless and Fearless (S) variants.

Tata Nexon Petrol Fearless vs Fearless Plus/Fearless Plus (S) Variant - Features Comparison

The Fearless Plus variant costs Rs. 13.0 lakh with the manual and Rs. 14.20 lakh with the DCT automatic. It’s Rs. 50,000 more expensive than the lower Fearless variant. For another Rs. 50,000, you can get the Fearless Plus S variant, which gets a few extra features besides the sunroof, but only if you buy it with the automatic transmission. With the manual, you only get the sunroof for the additional Rs. 50,000.

The Fearless Plus top model of the Nexon gets the following notable features:

While the top model of the Nexon 2023 is pretty well loaded and it’s difficult to find fault with it. Still, if we have to nitpick, we’d say that considering the competition like the Venue, we wish it had a telescopic steering, some ADAS features and a power-adjustable driver seat.

As far as buying recommendation goes, the Fearless Plus is where we once again see the value equation slightly tilting away from terrible to just poor. With the automatic transmission, it offers better value because of some exclusive features like JBL sound system and subwoofer.

Which Variant Of The Tata Nexon Petrol Should You Buy?

Among the petrol-manual variants of the Nexon, the choices are fairly straightforward. If you are okay with adding some aftermarket features, then the base Smart variant is a good choice. From there, the mid-spec Creative variant is a somewhat okay option even though it doesn’t completely justify the incremental cost over the base model. It is, after all, the 2nd most value for money variant of the Nexon. From there, the next variant worth considering is the Fearless Plus. Unfortunately, none of the variants of the Nexon earn our top recommendation. There’s either too much compromise in value or too much compromise in feature distribution or both.

For the petrol-automatic buyers also, the Creative (without the S) is a decent choice even though it doesn’t get a few features, which are absolutely must-have for a car of this class, especially at this price. If you have a bigger budget, then we suggest you go all out and buy the Fearless Plus (S) as it even gets exclusive features like the JBL sound system with subwoofer. It’s not available with the manual transmission even in the top trim.

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, the inclusion of 2 manual and 2 automatic transmission types with the same petrol engine could make it difficult for buyers to choose the most suitable powertrain combination.

*Estimated

Compared to the non-turbo petrol engines of the B2-segment SUVs, 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 much 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 wider cars in its class and it also has the best-in-class ground clearance of 208mm. Its 382-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 slightly wider tyres.

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 2023 Tata Nexon will come in the following 6 monotone exterior colour options:

• White
• Light grey
• Dark grey
• Red
• Light blue/turquoise
• Purple

The new Nexon will also get the following 6 dual-tone exterior colour options:

• Dark grey with white roof
• Red with white roof
• White with black roof
• Dark grey with black roof
• Red with black roof
• Purple with black roof

All colour options are not available with all variants. To know the variant-wise colour options of the Nexon, visit the following link: 2023 Tata Nexon Facelift Variant-wise Colour Options

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

You can read more about vehicle segmentation at the following link:

Car Segments Explained - With Body Styles And Examples