Tata Curvv

Exterior

Off the top of my head I cannot think of any other vehicle that looks like this, especially at this price point. Measuring just over 4.3 metres long, our Pristine White-dressed test Curvv sports your typical Tata corporate face, with the prominent ‘T’ logo, LED headlamps and daytime running lamps and a prominent front grille. Then, as you move towards its side profile, you do a double take. What is this…a jacked-up sedan? It’s an SUV coupe as the Tata brochure tells me. Moving to the rear, things become clear. You’ve got a high-set rear with a single lighting element stretching across the car, including the tailgate. The brochure also tells me that there are sequential turn indicators, which I don’t notice since I am in the driving seat, obviously. 

Other highlights include flush-fitted door handles that must be pushed at one end to pivot them out before being pulled to open the door. Then, there are 18-inch alloy wheels with aero inserts, and a dual-tone roof. This means that the centre portion of the roof is black, but the sides are body-coloured. All in all, it makes for an intriguing package that definitely saw many heads turn as I drove along the streets of Colombo. No doubt, a Curvv in the more dashing colours available, such as Flame Red or Gold Essence will really stop traffic in its tracks.

Mech & Tech

The Curvv is also available as an EV, but today we’re checking out a petrol-powered example. It’s got Tata’s latest Hyperion direct injection 1.2-liter three-cylinder turbocharged engine with 123hp and 225Nm of torque. The engine is paired with a 7-speed DCA transmission – DCA means Dual Clutch Automatic. The brochure tells us that the transmission uses wet clutches with active cooling technology, shift-by-wire technology and machine learning. It’s also got some sort of self-healing mechanism. Paddle shifters are available for manual control, and there are three driving modes – City, Eco and Sport. Steering is via an electrically assisted rack, while braking is via discs, backed up by ABS and EBD.

Driving Experience

A power-adjustable and ventilated driver seat makes for a very pleasant spot to park yourself when driving the Curvv. Once you’re settled, select D on the electronic gear shifter, release the manual parking brake and the car creeps away. If you’re in City or Eco mode, the gearbox actually starts in second gear for most cases. If you really want first gear, you can manually select it via the paddles or shift into Sport mode which holds gears longer and allows the engine to rev higher. I note that the redline is around 5,000rpm, at which point the transmission automatically upshifts even if you’re in manual mode. You don’t need to rev it this high anyways; it’s got plenty of midrange torque. 

In the city, I found City mode to be most appropriate. You’ve got enough urge to zip about here and there, without wasting too much fuel. Eco mode dulls things down and makes the throttle response less sensitive. You can still make smart progress but it’s not as engaging. Hence, I feel that Eco is best used on the highway where you can simply engage the cruise control, or when you’re running out of fuel and really need to hypermile.

What about Sport? Ah, here’s where some fun can be had on more flowing roads with faster overall speeds and room for enjoyment. Here, you can actually experience some of the ‘snappiness’ of a DCT when upshifting which adds to the sportiness factor. However, using Sport in traffic will lead to ‘nodding donkey’ syndrome as the gearbox will always start off in first gear, and paired with the sharper throttle response, can be a bit uncomfortable for your passengers. For the most part, keeping the vehicle in City mode will serve your everyday driving needs if you’re primarily a Colombo commuter.

The ride in these new Tata vehicles is utterly impressive. You can drive them at regular speed over broken roads and you won’t be jostled around or unsettled. In fact, while driving the Curvv from Dimo 800 into Colombo city, I noted that even though I could see fairly deep manhole covers and rough road stretches coming my way, I only felt them in a very mild manner through the seat. Basically, you are superbly cushioned from the vagaries of the road but aren’t totally disconnected either. This refinement continued well into triple figure speeds, giving you confidence on the highway as well. You can also hustle the Curvv into corners and it won’t roll excessively or flop around. It gamely hangs on and on, and when the rear does let go, it does so in a gradual manner, usually signalled by the squealing of tyres. Braking is a similarly well-adjudged affair, with good pedal feel and progressive travel. All in all, a well-rounded driving package.

Living with the Curvv

Our test Curvv came with a lovely, burgundy-coloured leatherette upholstery for the seats. The seats themselves have enough padding to be comfortable for longer journeys, and both front seats are ventilated – an excellent feature that I believe will really uplift the driving experience in our hot climes. The driver’s seat gets 6-way power adjustment as well. Then, you’ve got automatic climate control that’s operated via the vehicle’s 10.25-inch infotainment touchscreen, as well as a separate control panel directly beneath. I’m glad to see physical controls for temperature and fan speed. Of course, you can also use voice control to direct the system on what to do, and I must say, it worked a treat. Simply hitting the button on the steering wheel and saying something like “set temperature to 22” was enough. I never had to repeat a command twice, nor did I have to try and emulate an Indian accent – it recognized my Sri Lankan accent just fine. The climate control system also has an air purifier, as well as an air quality display. Thankfully on our test drive day, the air was clean and the AQI hovered between 11 and 17.

That 10.25-inch infotainment screen is also where you control your media, which includes Bluetooth, plus wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto capabilities. Fellow tester Ryan Jansz tried out Apple CarPlay in his test of the Tata Punch and it worked flawlessly. I have no reason to think it will be any different in the Curvv, as the cars share the same infotainment system. You’ve also got some options for the JBL premium sound system here - yes, there’s a 9-speaker JBL sound system with a subwoofer and various sound modes. Sound quality is pretty darn good for the segment I’ve got to say, and you can customize it to your liking.

The driver gets a 10.25-inch full digital gauge cluster with three modes. You’ve got a fully digital mode, a 1-dial mode, and a 2-dial mode. You can also have navigation and blind spot information displayed on the digital gauge cluster. There’s also regular cruise control, operated via steering wheel-mounted buttons. Furthermore, there’s a panoramic sunroof, the front part of which is openable. You’ve also got two USB charging ports (one is a fast-charging port) and a 12-volt power socket in the centre console.

Rear-seat passengers can treat themselves to some recline as well. They also get rear air vents, two USB device charging ports, and a flip-down arm rest with cup holders. Curiously, front-seat passengers don’t get cup holders. I suspect that the wireless phone charger takes up their spot and feel that cup holders would be a better use of that area in the centre console, given the presence of a fast-charging USB port up front. In terms of storage space, there’s an illuminated and cooled glovebox, as well as a centre console storage compartment. You’ve also got door bins which can accept smaller items such as files or books.

Popping the trunk reveals a real surprise. Despite the curvy, sloping roof line, there’s 500 litres of space, and it’s certainly cavernous. Mind you, I’m saying 500 litres beneath the cargo cover. If you remove the cargo cover, you can carry more. Not bad, for something a steeply raked rear design. Plus, there’s a full-size spare wheel beneath the boot floor, so you don’t have to fumble around with a compressor and a can of sealant if you get a flat tyre.

Safety

The Tata Curvv has got plenty of safety features. First off, you’ve got six airbags. This comprises the two up front, plus two in the front seats. The final two are curtain airbags that cover the entire side of the cabin, including rear-seat passengers. Then, you’ve got a blind-spot monitor that works in conjunction with the vehicle’s 360-degree camera system to alert you of obstacles around the vehicle. Should a pedestrian walk near the rear of the vehicle when you’re in reverse gear, the system will not only show a red box over their image, but it will also bong at you – loudly. If you open the boot, the horn will beep. If you open the bonnet, the horn will beep. If you get out of the car while it is running with the key fob in your pocket, the horn will intermittently beep until you either switch off the vehicle or keep the key fob inside. If you change drive modes, the car will vocally inform you, by way of a female Indian-accented voice. There’s really no excuse for being distracted in the Curvv – it uses sound to get your attention.

Fuel Economy and Price

Given its 1.2-liter turbocharged nature, the engine should return around 10km/l on average, if you primarily commute in Colombo and drive like an average person. Of course, hard driving, and extended periods in stop-start traffic will reduce this figure. Driving outstation and on the highway should be able to achieve closer to 15km/l or even more if you’ve got a careful right foot and use Eco mode a lot.

In terms of price, our tester is an Accomplish S specification that retails at Rs. 13.9 million at the time of testing. There’s also a lower spec available for Rs. 13.2 million. The vehicle is covered by a 3-year / 100,000-kilometre warranty. DIMO also provides 24x7 island-wide roadside assistance with a network of service centres covering the entire country. 

Final Words

Tata vehicles have indeed come a long way from their agricultural roots and first efforts at passenger cars. I recall models such as the Indica and Indigo, the famous Nano, and more recently, the pre-facelift Nexon from 2018. Driving the latest crop of Tata vehicles has really impressed our testers who have sampled them. The brand sure has come a long way, and I’d like to leave you with a certain sentiment. One of the songs that came up on my playlist when I was testing the Curvv’s JBL sound system was Abba’s ‘Take a chance on me’. So, why not take a chance on a Tata? Tata certainly has grown up, and I think the time is right.