The Tata Nexon is arguably the most critical product in the history of Tata Motors’ passenger vehicle division. It didn’t just compete in the crowded sub-compact SUV segment; it defined it, primarily by pioneering the concept of democratized safety with its landmark 5-star Global NCAP rating.1
The 2025 model year of the Nexon, which carries forward the radical design and technological overhaul of the latest facelift, strengthens this dominance. It is no longer just the “safest car”; it is now a technological powerhouse, boasting segment-leading features, a diverse powertrain portfolio (Petrol, Diesel, and CNG), and a genuinely premium interior experience.2
This comprehensive 1500-word review dives into the Tata Nexon 2025, exploring its rejigged price structure, the staggering list of features, the performance of its turbocharged engines, and why its unwavering commitment to safety continues to make it the top choice for the modern Indian family.
Price, Variants, and Value Proposition
The 2025 Tata Nexon continues to offer one of the most complex, yet comprehensive, variant structures in the market, ensuring a model is available for nearly every buyer, from the budget-conscious consumer to the feature-hungry enthusiast.
Price Range (Ex-Showroom, India, December 2025)
The pricing spans a wide spectrum, effectively challenging high-end hatchbacks at the entry level and mid-size SUVs at the top end.3
| Engine Type | Transmission Options | Starting Price (Approx.) | Top-End Price (Approx.) |
| Petrol | MT, AMT, DCA (DCT) | ₹7.32 Lakh (Smart MT) | ₹13.87 Lakh (Fearless+ PS DCA) |
| Diesel | MT, AMT | ₹9.01 Lakh (Smart Plus Diesel MT) | ₹15.60 Lakh (Fearless+ PS Diesel AMT Dark) |
| CNG | Manual (iCNG) | ₹8.23 Lakh (Smart CNG) | ₹12.53 Lakh (Creative Plus PS CNG) |
Variant Strategy: The PERSONA-driven Lineup
Tata has streamlined the complex variant structure into five main personas: Smart, Pure, Creative, Fearless, and the Dark/Red Dark Editions, often appending ‘+’ (for added features), ‘S’ (for Sunroof), and ‘PS’ (for Premium Safety/ADAS-like features).4
- Smart & Pure: Focus on essential safety (6 airbags standard) and core utilities.5
- Creative: The sweet spot, adding premium aesthetics, keyless entry, and better infotainment.
- Fearless: The fully loaded segment, featuring all the luxury and safety technology.
Value for Money (VFM) Recommendation: The Creative Plus (S) variant is widely regarded as the best value. It unlocks critical feel-good features like the 10.25-inch Infotainment Screen, 360-degree camera, Panoramic Sunroof option, and Cruise Control, without incurring the highest premium of the top-end Fearless trims.
Engine Options, Transmission, and Mileage
The Nexon’s strength is its unparalleled choice of three fuel types and four transmission technologies, offering a solution for every driving need.6
1. 1.2-litre Revotron Turbo-Petrol
This powerful three-cylinder engine is the heart of the Nexon’s volume sales.
- Specifications: 7$1199\text{ cc}$, 3-cylinder, 8$120\text{ PS}$ Power, 9$170\text{ Nm}$ Torque.10
- Transmission Options:
- 5-speed/6-speed Manual (MT): The 6-speed MT is the preferred choice for highway driving.
- 6-speed AMT (Automated Manual Transmission):11 A budget-friendly automatic for city convenience.
- 7-speed DCA (Dual Clutch Automatic): This is the flagship automatic, offering quick, smooth, and seamless shifts, significantly enhancing the driving experience over the AMT.12
- ARAI Mileage: 13$17.01 \text{ – } 17.44 \text{ kmpl}$.14
2. 1.5-litre Revotorq Turbo-Diesel
The four-cylinder diesel remains a powerhouse and a top choice for high-mileage users.
- Specifications: 15$1497\text{ cc}$, 4-cylinder, 16$115\text{ PS}$ Power, 17$260\text{ Nm}$ Torque.18
- Transmission Options: 6-speed Manual (MT) or 6-speed AMT.19
- Character: The high torque figure (20$260\text{ Nm}$) ensures effortless city driving and relaxed highway cruising, making overtaking a breeze.21
- ARAI Mileage: 22$23.23 \text{ – } 24.08 \text{ kmpl}$ (Best in Segment).23
3. 1.2-litre Revotron iCNG (Coming Soon/Recently Launched)
Tata has pioneered the twin-cylinder CNG technology, which is expected to be integrated into the Nexon lineup, offering market-leading boot space retention for a CNG vehicle.
- Specifications: 24$1199\text{ cc}$, 25$100\text{ PS}$ Power (in CNG mode), 26$170\text{ Nm}$ Torque.27
- Transmission: 5-speed Manual (MT).28
- USP: Unmatched fuel economy combined with usable boot space.
Safety: The Unbreakable Benchmark
Safety is the Tata Nexon’s cornerstone and its single most significant competitive advantage.
The 5-Star Assurance
The Tata Nexon has secured the top rating of 5 Stars from both Global NCAP and Bharat NCAP, reinforcing its position as the safest compact SUV in the country.29 This rating is backed by its use of high-strength steel and the robust Omega architecture.30
Standard Safety Revolution
In a crucial move for the 2025 model year, Tata Motors made the following safety features STANDARD across all variants, including the base Smart trim:
- 6 Airbags (Driver, Passenger, Curtain, Side).31
- Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) with Electronic Brakeforce Distribution (EBD).32
- Electronic Stability Program (ESP) and Traction Control System (TCS).33
- Electronic Parking Brake (EPB) with Auto-Hold (on DCA/AMT variants).34
Advanced Safety and Driver Aids
While the Nexon currently does not feature Level 1 or Level 2 ADAS (Advanced Driver Assistance Systems) like some rivals, it includes significant driver assistance features:
- $360\text{-degree}$ Surround View System (a massive help for parking).35
- Front Parking Sensors.
- Tyre Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS).36
- Hill Hold Control (HHC) and Hill Descent Control (HDC).37
Design and Exterior: A Digital Era Aesthetic
The 2025 Nexon carries the ‘Digital’ design philosophy introduced in the 2023 facelift, which dramatically modernized its appearance.
- Front End: Dominated by a sleek, connected LED Daytime Running Lamp (DRL) signature across the width of the bonnet.38 The split headlamp design places the main LED projector units lower on the bumper, giving it a high-tech and aggressive face.
- Side Profile: The coupe-like silhouette is retained, but the cladding is bolder, and the 16-inch alloy wheels (Diamond Cut) enhance its rugged stance. The “Y-shaped” motif is incorporated into the tail lamps and DRLs for a distinct visual identity.
- Rear End: The rear is perhaps the most impressive design element, featuring a connected LED Tail Lamp strip that emphasizes the vehicle’s width.39 The sequential turn indicators and the lack of a visible exhaust pipe (in most trims) complete the clean, futuristic look.
Read more : Hyundai Creta
Interior Quality and Premium Features
The cabin of the latest Nexon is its biggest transformation, shifting from utilitarian to genuinely premium and feature-loaded, challenging cars from a segment above.
The Tech Cockpit
The dashboard features a sophisticated multi-layered design with soft-touch materials on key contact points (like the door pads and armrests) in top trims, significantly elevating the interior quality.
- Infotainment: A large 40$10.25\text{-inch}$ Floating Touchscreen with a smooth, responsive interface, supporting Wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay.41
- Digital Cluster: A fully customizable 42$10.25\text{-inch}$ Digital Driver Display that can display full-screen navigation maps.43
- Haptic HVAC Controls: Replacing traditional buttons, the touch-sensitive capacitive climate control panel adds a futuristic, clean look to the center console.44
- Steering Wheel: A new, premium two-spoke steering wheel with an illuminated Tata logo.45
Comfort and Convenience Highlights
The Nexon is packed with features designed for India’s climate and traffic:
- Ventilated Front Seats: A crucial comfort feature for hot Indian summers (Top-End Fearless trims).46
- Electric Sunroof: Voice-assisted and available on many variants (S trims).47
- JBL 9-Speaker Audio System: Delivers high-fidelity sound, a significant upgrade for audiophiles.48
- Practicality: 49$382\text{ Litres}$ of boot space (segment-average) and a high ground clearance of 50$208\text{ mm}$ (unladen), which is exceptional for tackling rough roads.51
Real Driving Performance and Dynamics
The Nexon’s driving dynamics prioritize the rugged comfort and stability required for diverse Indian road conditions.52
Turbo-Petrol Performance
The $1.2\text{L}$ Turbo-Petrol engine is best described as an enthusiastic performer. While the three-cylinder setup results in a slight vibration at idle and low speeds, it comes alive past 53$1800 \text{ rpm}$ when the turbo spools up, offering a strong mid-range pull.54
- City Drive: The DCA (Dual Clutch Automatic) is transformative, offering smooth shifts that make bumper-to-bumper traffic easy.55 The AMT is serviceable but exhibits the typical head-nod inherent to this gearbox type.
- Highway Drive: Stable and planted, the car cruises confidently. The availability of multiple Drive Modes (Eco, City, Sport) allows the driver to tune throttle response and engine output, with the Sport mode sharpening the accelerator input noticeably.56
Diesel Engine Dominance
The $1.5\text{L}$ Diesel remains the choice for the keen driver and the high-mileage consumer. Its $260\text{ Nm}$ torque provides a substantial surge of power that eliminates gear shifting requirements in most city and highway situations. The engine is relatively refined for a diesel, though some clatter is audible under hard acceleration.
Ride Quality and Handling
- Suspension Setup: The suspension is tuned slightly on the firmer side at low speeds, which is necessary to maintain body control given the high $208\text{ mm}$ ground clearance.
- High-Speed Stability: At highway speeds, the suspension comes into its own, offering a flat and stable ride, absorbing large bumps and road undulations with commendable composure.57
- Handling: The steering is light at city speeds for easy maneuverability but weighs up sufficiently on the highway, contributing to the feeling of control.58 The Nexon feels incredibly reassuring around fast corners, a testament to its robust chassis and suspension tuning.
Full Specifications Summary
| Feature | Detail |
| Length x Width x Height | $3995\text{ mm} \text{ x } 1804\text{ mm} \text{ x } 1620\text{ mm}$ |
| Ground Clearance (Unladen) | $208\text{ mm}$ |
| Boot Space | $382\text{ Litres}$ |
| Fuel Types | Petrol, Diesel, CNG |
| Max Power (Petrol) | $120\text{ PS}$ |
| Max Torque (Diesel) | $260\text{ Nm}$ |
| Transmission Options | 5MT, 6MT, 6AMT, 7DCA |
| Safety Rating | 5-Star (Global NCAP & Bharat NCAP) |
| Standard Safety | 6 Airbags, ABS with EBD, ESP, TCS |
Final Verdict: The Complete Compact SUV
The Tata Nexon 2025 is not just riding on the wave of its safety credentials; it has decisively closed the gap on refinement and features that once favoured its rivals. It now offers a futuristic design, an interior packed with high-end technology, and the DCA gearbox, which finally provides a smooth automatic option for the petrol engine.59
It stands as the most compelling package in the sub-compact SUV segment, offering Safety, Style, and Substance in equal measure. For the buyer who values the peace of mind of a 5-star rating alongside modern conveniences, the Nexon is the gold standard.



