Tata Nexon iCNG review, first drive - A no compromise and premium CNG SUV

Tata Motors is back with yet another iCNG model, but this time around, it is the Nexon which has resulted in India's first turbocharged CNG engine in an SUV. We took the SUV for a spin to find out if this is a CNG car that can allow customers to make a no compromise switch to the cleaner fuel.

Tata Motors has been going all out with its CNG model offensive ever since it introduced the Altroz iCNG last year which marked the debut of Tata’s dual-cylinder CNG tech. The portfolio of iCNG cars has grown since, and includes the Punch, Tiago and the Tigor, but now Tata has added the Nexon to this list.

The Nexon iCNG visually resembles the standard car, with the only exception being the iCNG badge on the tailgate. What makes this part great is that the Nexon is one of the best looking cars, with its sharp, future inspired look mixed with bulbous proportions. The front carries the slim LED DRLs which also double up as turn indicators, with the LED headlamps placed down below, while the rear gets Y-shaped taillamps. The aforementioned turn indicators are sequential, both at the front and at the rear. This particular Nexon iCNG, comes in the Creative Ocean paint with a white roof, and rides on 16-inch alloys.

Inside, the layout is the same as the standard Nexon, but the key thing here is that unlike some CNG cars which are offered mainly in their base or mid-level trims, the Nexon is offered with all trim options, so you can get the top-spec trim with all its bells and whistles. The cabin is dominated by the floating 10.25-inch infotainment display, which offers wireless smartphone integration, while the features list is exhaustive and includes a panoramic sunroof, a 10.25-inch digital display, ventilated seats, 360-degree camera, front parking sensors and automatic climate control.

Like other CNG cars from Tata, you get a CNG mode switch, but this has been neatly integrated into the central console and is touch sensitive.

Most conversations about CNG cars end with the mention of boot space, but Tata addressed it first with the Altroz iCNG and its cleverly packaged dual-CNG tanks. With the Nexon, the engineers had much more space and volume to work with, 382-litres to be precise, and this means that after putting in the two 30-litre CNG tanks in the boot, the space remaining is 321-litres, which is still at par with some of its non-CNG rivals. Infact, the boot floor now lies flush with the loading lip, making it much easier to load in heavier pieces of luggage, quite a win.

Now the Nexon is offered with only turbocharged engines, one petrol and one diesel, and while it may have been easier to Tata to put in the naturally-aspirated bi-fuel engine they’ve used for the smaller cars, Tata went through the trouble of engineering India’s first passenger vehicle turbocharged CNG engine. Now this is the same 1.2-litre three-pot Revotron, and it makes the same 120bhp and 170Nm in petrol mode, but in CNG mode it makes 100bhp and and unchanged 170Nm. What this means in terms of performance is that the difference is barely noticeable while on the go. The unchanged torque figure makes a world of difference when the accelerator is floored, with the power coming in dollops, albeit at a bit higher rpm than in petrol mode.

Driving in the city isn’t any problem at all, and I didn’t even realise at times that the car was running on CNG, and I don’t think there is any greater compliment than that for a bi-fuel car. This engine is mated to the same 6-speed manual shifter, which is nice to work with, although one would appreciate slightly shorter throws, especially in stop-go traffic. Refinement levels however could be improved, with quite a lot of engine whine seeping inside the cabin once past the 4,500rpm mark, especially in CNG mode.

Ride quality and handling have always been the Nexon’s strong suits, and this hasn’t changed with the iCNG. It rides like a big, heavy SUV, with some stiffness at lower speeds but it evens out at higher speeds. Best part arrives when you go over bad patches, with the Nexon taking everything in its stride, and almost nothing creeping into the cabin. It is so capable at handling Indian roads, that I stopped bothering with brakes and worked the steering to find the best route out of bad sections. Speaking of the steering, it too hasn’t changed, its light for the city and weighs up nicely as you gain pace, and does inspire quite a bit of confidence for cornering. The Nexon can take curves very confidently, and it has an agility to it that is quite surprising. However, having spent some time with the diesel Nexon, I do feel that the plugger handles a bit better.

To sum it up, the Nexon iCNG may be a game-changer for Tata. Not only does it bring the convenience and cost-savings associated with CNG cars, but removes all the drawbacks that are associated with one. It has more than ample power and a very sorted boot space, and you can start up the Nexon in CNG mode itself, and never bother to switch it to petrol, so good is the performance. And the clever part here is the inclusion of CNG variants till the very top of the Nexon’s trims, so you get every single feature and tech which has made the Nexon a bestseller since its launch. Our test car had some minor fit and finish issues on certain areas, but that shouldn't be a deal-breaker for most customers.