BackTata Zica: It’s got the looks and zip
Tata should now be in a better position to take on Maruti and Hyundai in the mid-size hatchback segment
PremiumNEW DELHI :
Tata Motors will launch its all-new hatchback, the Tata Zica, in February at the Auto Expo 2016 show. Pronounced “Zee-Ka" and abbreviated for “Zippy Car", this all-new offering from Tata Motors has been designed to take on incumbents in the mid-size hatchback segment, like the Maruti Celerio and the Hyundai i10.
Tata has bet big on the Zica, and it’s different from any other Tata model in design and features. The car has been designed with inputs from Tata’s Pune, UK and Italy design studios, so the look is contemporary and appealing. The traditional smiling grille has been retained, but it gets a modern twist, and arcs outward uniquely, flowing back naturally into the large swept-back headlamps at either end. The rear end is distinctive, complete with a roof-mounted spoiler and racy blackened lower portion.
At 3,746mm, the Zica is significantly longer than the segment-leader Celerio (3,600mm), though the wheelbase and height are less. The cabin is well-designed and spacious, but the real surprise is how upmarket it feels. No expense has been spared to make the cabin look and feel more special than even some of the more premium hatchbacks. Everything, from the seat fabric and roof lining to the plastics and textured dash top, is top-of-the-line. It has added a useful dead pedal, and the large windows and low dashboard promote good all-round visibility. Tata has clearly put a lot of thought into the cabin.
The dashboard, though not radical in layout, does look smart. The Harman-Kardon-developed infotainment system, with its four-speaker plus four-tweeter set-up, delivers superior sound quality, with the sort of audio depth that one does not expect from a factory-fitted system in a budget car. It has aux-in, USB and Bluetooth connectivity, and can even be synced to a phone to display and read out turn-by-turn navigation instructions.
The air conditioning, however, disappoints, with the air vents suffering from limited reach, the blower being a bit too loud and the knobs a bit too mechanical. Also, on our particular test car, the system failed to cool the cabin quickly or effectively, which could be a considerable setback in the Indian market.
On the plus side, Tata has provided lots of storage space. There are two bottle-holders on each door, two cup-holders next to the gear lever, a shelf on the driver’s side of the dashboard, and a baggage hook in the passenger-side footwell. Small touches like the illuminated USB and aux ports, the dedicated recess for tablet devices in the cooled glovebox and the soft-release button for the glovebox really enhance the user experience.
The cabin is comfortable. Passengers in the front will get a good sense of space and seat comfort, though the shoulder support and seat base might fall marginally short of expectations. Passengers in the rear will enjoy more than adequate leg and shoulder room, well-cushioned seats and plenty of natural light from the large windows.
The 242-litre boot is deep and well-shaped. The back seat folds down to create additional space if needed. However, the high and narrow loading lip restricts convenient access.
The Zica will be powered by Tata’s all-new three-cylinder petrol and diesel engines, with selectable driving modes—a segment-first feature. The 1.2-litre Revotron petrol engine will produce 83.8 bhp and 11.6 kgm peak torque. However, it suffers from a distinct lack of willingness to rev freely and its performance can at best be described as adequate.
The Revotorq turbo-diesel engine, with 69bhp and 14.27 kgm torque, is far more powerful than the Celerio’s two-cylinder and Chevrolet Beat’s three-cylinder units. Like the petrol engine, however, it does not feel peppy.
The Zica feels slightly superior compared to its peers in ride and handling. There is an underlying firmness to the ride, and the Goodyear tyres it is fitted with provide a good amount of grip. Straight-line stability is very good, and the steering has a reassuring amount of heft.
Tata has put its heart and soul into the Zica, and the results show. With claimed fuel efficiency figures of 23.5 kmpl (petrol) and 25 kmpl (diesel), and a competitive expected price tag of under ₹ 4 lakh (petrol; ex-showroom Delhi) and under ₹ 5 lakh (diesel), Tata may be able to replicate the success of the Indica hatchback.
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