Tata Zest 1.2 Revotron Petrol Review: A Zesty New Beginning

Ride and handling

Like most things on the Zest, the suspension is new too. The front suspension is an independent unit comprising McPherson Struts with anti-roll bar. Rear suspension is semi-Independent twist beam with coil spring and shock absorber. Riding on 185/60 Bridgestone B250 rubber with 15 inch wheels. At 175 mm, the ground clearance is good too.

Comfort has always been a priority for Tata cars and the Zest is no different. The suspension is tuned for a compliant, comfortable ride and the Zest really excels in offering a composed, absorbent ride. While most terrains we drove on in Goa were well laid out not offering much to figure the ride quality, we managed to find some long broken patches of tar near Verna. The ride quality of the Zest stood testimony to the Tata engineers claim that they have worked extremely hard on the suspension settings.

The steering system is electric power assisted and Tata Motors have apparently been supported by a British firm in ensuring that the new steering has plenty of feel to it. The result is evident in more ways than one. The steering on the Zest is much better than the Vista unit, not just in terms of shape and quality, but also in terms of position and feel. Its decently weighted and stiffens as speed builds. It most definitely has a better feel to it as compared to the Vista’s rather lifeless wheel. That said, however, there most definitely is ample scope to work further on this unit, and bring it up to speed with the segment leaders in terms of an engaging drive.

Going repeatedly around a couple of interesting corners on the deserted road we found in Verna, the Zest’s comfort-centric character revealed itself further. Hurling the Zest enthusiastically around the bends substantiated that it isn’t exactly the car we would prefer piloting on an winding uphill road. The steering lacks the tactility and precision a discerning driver would desire on his car to chuck it around disdainfully. The soft suspension set-up, the high ground clearance, along with the relative vagueness of the steering doesn’t give you enough confidence to place the car precisely on the road.Close to the limit, around a corner you need constant steering corrections and inputs from throttle and brake to keep matters in control. A fair bit of understeer can also be experienced while taking sharper corners while being on the throttle.

The Zest feels composed on smooth surfaces even at high speeds. It tends to get somewhat unsettled while passing over deceptive, wavy undulations at higher speeds. Braking is good, as we found out by stomping on the pedals from speeds as high as 140 km/h in a controlled environement. The Zest maintains its line, and drops the anchor with confidence.

In all, the Zest’s suspension set-up impressed us with its absorbent ride quality. It’s a family oriented car, and the cushy ride should really appeal to the majority of customers in the segment. As regards handling prowess, the improvement overe the Manza / Vista is remarkable, though there is still some distance to go before the Zest manages to delight the true enthusiast.

Verdict

We have nothing but appreciation for Tata Motors on seeing how the Zest 1.2 Revotron has turned out. A brand new product, with plenty of innovation, attention to detail and good intent – this is exactly the direction we want Tata Motors to take for all its future products. The Revotron engine is a revelation as regards driveability and smoothness and the Zest scores highly in terms of features, space, comfort and technology as well.

The new design direction is driven by a great philosophy, though it would still need some more refinement before being deserving enough to stand shoulder to shoulder with international products. What’s been achieved with the Zest’s design as an improvement over the previous products is truly plausible though.

Where the Zest absolutely shines is in terms of its in-cabin features, technology and the attention to detail on some elements. The quality and workmanship inside the cabin has also scaled new heights. Ride quality in another highlight, with liberal cabin space being an evergreen USP. The Zest has some real strengths, and we are more than sure that it will create some real interest and excitement in the segment for itself.

The price of the car has not been announced yet, and we believe the real test of the Zest will be in delivering good value to its customers. We will reserve our verdict for the launch of the Zest. In the meantime, we would like to congratulate Tata Motors for its fabulous effort in the meantime.

Tata Zest 1.2 Revotron Petrol Price : NA

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