Tata Nexon can be honoured the tag of one of the best sub-4-metre compact SUVs in India. The Nexon is a very special product from the house of Tata Motors. That's because it became the first Made in India car to achieve 5 Star Safety rating in the Global NCAP Crash Test. Tata Nexon can also be termed Special because it is the only compact SUV currently on sale in India to be offered with not just one or two but three different powertrain options. We have regular internal combustion engines and also an electric powertrain. So, here is a detailed comparison of the new Tata Nexon EV vs Nexon Facelift Petrol vs Nexon Diesel. We will find the answer to the question that which Nexon is the most sensible option to buy?
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Before we begin, let me tell you that we will be comparing the car on various parameters including running cost and keeping in mind long-term usage of the SUV up to 8 years, so make sure you go through every point carefully and in detail.
Tata Nexon EV vs Nexon Facelift Petrol vs Diesel: Looks and Colours
Starting with the looks of the car. Tata Nexon recently got a facelift in India and the Nexon EV is based on the facelifted model. The car really looks too good to be true. Upfront, it now gets a revised hood and bumper with revised blacked-out grille, new projector headlamps with LED DRLs and also a lot of funky triangular accents which are finished in green colour in the electric model. The Nexon EV also gets other green-coloured accents all-around the body to depict that it is a clean & green mobility solution. You may also view our review of the Nexon EV by clicking on the video below.
Aesthetically, the regular facelifted Nexon, as well as the EV counterpart, both looks good and they have a stunning road presence, all thanks to its butch design language and a solid ground clearance of over 200mm. So, in terms of looks and design both the Nexon' are evenly matched. And, talking about colour options, the regular Nexon is offered in six colour variants: Foliage Green, Tectonic Blue, Flame Red, Calgary White, Daytona Grey and Pure Silver. Tata Nexon EV is sold in three colour shades: Glacier White, Moonlight Silver and Signature Bluesilver.
Tata Nexon EV vs Nexon Facelift Petrol vs Diesel: Engine and Powertrain Options
| Specifications | Nexon Electric | Nexon Petrol | Nexon Diesel |
| Engine/Battery | 30.2 kWh Li-ion battery pack with an electric motor | 1.2-litre turbo-petrol | 1.5-litre turbo-diesel |
| Maximum Power | 129 PS | 120 PS at 5500 RPM | 110 PS at 4000 RPM |
| Maximum Torque | 245 Nm | 170 Nm at 1750-4000 RPM | 260 Nm at 1500-2750 RPM |
| Gearbox | Single-speed transmission | 6-speed MT 6-speed AMT | 6-speed MT 6-speed AMT |
| Drive Modes | Drive / Sport | Eco / City / Sport | Eco / City / Sport |
| Emission Norm | Zero tail-pipe emission | BS6 | BS6 |
The electric Nexon gets Tata's Ziptron EV technology that features a 30.2 kWh lithium-ion battery pack with a permanent magnet asynchronous electric motor that churns out 129 PS of power and 245 Nm of torque. While on paper it doesn't seem much but it is a very power-packed machine as it is an electric vehicle and the power and torque output comes into play from the word go that is from 0 RPM. Tata Motors markets Nexon EV's performance very nicely as one person goes saying from OH to WOAH and it is pretty much correct as that is what you will experience while driving the Nexon EV.
Talking about IC-engines, Nexon Facelift gets a 1.2-litre turbocharged petrol engine that churns out 120 PS of power at 5500 RPM and 170 Nm of torque between 1750-4000 RPM. It also gets a 1.5-litre turbocharged diesel engine that develops 110 PS of power at 4000 RPM and 260 Nm of torque between 1500-2750 RPM. Both the engines are BS6-compliant and come mated to a 6-speed manual as well as a 6-speed AMT gearbox. Nexon Facelift also gets three driving modes - Eco, City and Sport while Nexon EV gets Drive and Sport modes. Do note that the Nexon is the only compact SUV to offer an optional automatic with both petrol and diesel engine options.
Tata Nexon EV vs Nexon Facelift Petrol vs Diesel: Mileage and Fuel Cost
| Model | Mileage (ARAI) | Fuel Price | Yearly Cost Running - 12,000 kms | 8 Year Fuel cost |
| Nexon Electric | 10.3 kms / kWh 312 kms / 30.2 kWh | Rs. 8 / kWh | Rs. 9000 | Rs. 72,000 |
| Nexon Petrol | 17.4 kmpl | Rs. 79.3 / litre | Rs. 55,000 | Rs. 4,40,000 |
| Nexon Diesel | 22.5 kmpl | Rs. 69.9 / litre | Rs. 37,000 | Rs. 2,96,000 |
Note: Fuel Costs keeps changing from time to time. This figure has been taken as an average of the entire country.
Now, here comes the interesting part. Tata Nexon EV has an ARAI claimed range of 312 kilometres on a single charge and gets a 30.2 kWh battery pack. So, if we consider the mileage of the car from a general point of view, it comes out to be 10.3 kms per kWh. Nexon petrol has an ARAI claimed mileage of 17.4 kmpl while Nexon diesel delivers 22.5 kmpl. Now, taking into consideration fuel cost, electricity cost and yearly running distance of around 12,000 kilometres, the Nexon EV comes out to be the most affordable mobility solution.
Also, we have made a column which shows the running cost of the cars for around 8 years and again it's the electric model that is way cheaper than the ICE counterparts. One can save more than 3 lakh rupees in 8 years only on fuel cost by choosing the Nexon EV. However, we haven't included maintenance cost and other wear and tears which we are sure will be again more expensive in the petrol and diesel models but it is worth mentioning that Nexon EV is more expensive than its fuel-powered counterparts.
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Tata Nexon EV vs Nexon Facelift Petrol vs Diesel: Features
Tata Nexon is a very feature-loaded compact SUV, be it the regular model or the electric one, all are loaded with features up to the brim. Tata Nexon gets an array of features including a 7.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Android Auto, Apple CarPlay and other connected car features. However, the Nexon EV also gets the ZConnect App compatibility with 35+ connected features which the regular Nexon lacks as of now (application). The compact SUV also gets Indian's favourite and least-used feature, an electric sunroof.
Talking about safety features, Tata Nexon gets most of the safety equipment as standard and it also gets some high-end safety equipment. The safety features list includes dual front airbags, ABS with EBD, reverse parking sensors with rear-parking camera, hill assist, ISOFIX child seat mounts, and many more. The only gripe we have with the Nexon EV is that it misses out on the traction control while its ICE-counterpart gets it as standard across all the variants. We really wish Tata should have offered traction control in the electric model as it puts that 245 Nm of torque on the tarmac from 0 RPM and offers crazy wheelspins.
Tata Nexon EV vs Nexon Facelift Petrol vs Diesel: EMI and Down-payment
| Model | EMI (5-year Loan) | Down payment |
| Nexon Electric | Rs. 29,500 | Rs. 2,25,000 |
| Nexon Petrol | Rs. 14,800 | Rs. 2,25,000 |
| Nexon Diesel | Rs. 18,800 | Rs. 2,25,000 |
Tata Nexon EV vs Nexon Facelift Petrol vs Diesel: Price and Warranty
| Model | Price: Ex-showroom, Delhi | Warranty |
| Nexon Electric | Rs. 13.99 lakhs - Rs. 15.99 lakhs | 8 years on the battery and 1.6 lakh kms on the electric motor |
| Nexon Petrol | Rs. 6.95 lakhs - Rs. 11.20 lakhs | 2 years / 75,000 kms |
| Nexon Diesel | Rs. 8.45 lakhs - Rs. 12.70 lakhs | 2 years / 75,000 kms |
Tata Nexon EV is priced between Rs. 13.99 lakhs - Rs. 15.99 lakhs, Ex-showroom and is available in only 22 cities as of now. Nexon petrol is priced between Rs. 6.95 lakhs and Rs. 11.20 lakhs while the price of Nexon Diesel ranges between Rs. 8.45 lakhs - Rs. 12.70 lakhs, all prices stick to Ex-showroom Delhi and the ICE models are available across the country.
Tata Nexon EV vs Nexon Facelift Petrol vs Diesel: VERDICT
Nexon Electric: For those who mostly do intra-city commutes
Nexon Petrol: For those who have neither too low nor too high running
Nexon Diesel: For those who prefer munching miles
Lastly, talking about the verdict, which Nexon is the most sensible option to buy? So, the answer can't be a single model as it will depend on the person's requirement and the demography. The Nexon EV has a good range but once you go out of juice, the regular charger will take around 8 hours and 30 minutes to fully charge it while the DC fast charger will take around 1 hour to juice it up. However, the DC fast charging station won't be available everywhere and India's EV space is currently in its nascent stage and we don't have proper charging infrastructure even in Tier-I cities of the country.
So, if you are someone whose running is average (neither too low nor too high) and want a car which is low on maintenance cost, you should get the Nexon Petrol. If you are someone who loves to munch miles and aspires to cover the length and breadth of the country in your SUV, then you should get the Nexon Diesel. Last but not the least, if you are living in a modern metro city and your running is low with most intra-city runs, occasional highway getaways and want to save the mother earth, then you should get the Nexon Electric.
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So, this was a detailed comparison of the Tata Nexon EV vs Nexon Facelift Petrol vs Nexon Diesel. What are your thoughts on it? Share with us in the comments below.
