Upon launch, Tata Nexon Facelift could become the first sub 4m SUV to offer ADAS suite of autonomous driver aids
ADAS is fast becoming the new USP feature in cars. Until a few days ago, the cheapest ADAS equipped car on sale in India was the MG Astor. Its ADAS variant is priced at Rs 16.9 lakh, ex-sh. But with the launch of the new Honda City, the entry price to buy an ADAS enabled car has come down to Rs 12.37 lakh, ex-sh. The entry price of ADAS featured cars in India is likely to go down even further, as ADAS will soon be offered in many more cars.
Tata has been experimenting with ADAS tech for quite some time now. It would considerably increase the safety quotient of its offerings, something Tata Motors is known for. With the ADAS suite, Tata Motors intends to offer an added safety net to their customers, on top of the 4/5 star crashworthiness (Harrier and Safari are not yet tested).
Tata Nexon ADAS
Now, new developments suggest that the company is planning to offer ADAS tech with the upcoming Tata Nexon facelift. This way, Tata Motors seems to make ADAS tech a part of its sub 4m SUV offering. In effect, Nexon facelift could become the first ADAS-equipped offering in its space and potentially, be the next cheapest ADAS-equipped car in India.
Nexon facelift has been spied testing on roads recently, clad with camouflage. Only slight exterior revisions are expected with Nexon facelift and overall design is likely to stay vastly similar to the outgoing model. On the outside, we expect a facelift with a modern LED DRL setup, headlight positioning, and bumper design. New alloys and a revised rear bumper are likely as well. On the inside, Nexon could come equipped with the new 10.25” touchscreen system, which promises vastly superior graphics and better responsiveness.
Also likely is the new 7” digital instrument TFT cluster, replacing the outgoing unit shared with Tiago and Tigor. A new 2-spoke steering wheel is also part of this update. This would be similar in design to the one showcased with Curvv concept.
Currently, Tata only offers ADAS tech with its flagship SUVs under the new Red Dark Editions. It offers Auto Emergency Braking (AEB), Forward Collision Warning (FCW), Rear Collision Warning (RCW), Rear Cross Traffic Alert (RCTA), Blind Spot Detection (BSD), Lane Departure Warning (LDW), Lane Change Alert (LCA), and High Beam Assist are bundled too.
Impact Of ADAS On Nexon
Tata’s ADAS suite misses out on adaptive cruise control and lane change assist. It is not yet sure if these will be added at a later date via an OTA update. Red Dark Edition with ADAS for Harrier and Safari starts from Rs. 21.77 lakh (ex-sh) onwards. In Jan 2023, Tata sold close to 2,600 units of Harrier and Safari combined.
However, Nexon sold over 15,500 units at the same time. By offering ADAS with Nexon, Tata could make this tech available to a much larger audience base than with Safari and Harrier. Nexon facelift will retain the same 1.5L diesel unit as is. While the 1.2L turbo petrol motor will be tuned to deliver more power. Expect 125 bhp and 225 Nm, instead of 118 bhp and 170 Nm of torque. Tata Nexon Facelift launch is likely to be by the end of 2023.
