I have recently got a delivery of Tata Nano LX version with Lunar Silver color in Pune.I was expected to get delivery this week but suddenly I got a phone from my dealer that The car is ready for delivery and you can come and collect it hence on 22nd Jan 2011, I got this car.
May be I am writing this review by riding only 140 kms in 3 days but still a lot will come from me after few time.
This is the first impression of the car and after driving in city.
Well my basic expectation from this car is just using it on weekends for commuting to my home town which is 50 kms Pune and sometimes use it to drive till Mumbai once in 2-3 months.Since mileage of this car is very good, hence I thought that if 4 persons are present in the car, definately the spendings on petrol is less than a state transport bus.
If Nano gives mileage of say 23 kmpl on highways then say commuting to Mumbai from Pune will be within 10 liters of petrol so total cost is 1200 rupees including toll and hence cost per head is 300 rupees which is 20% less than Ordinary State transport bus, 35% less than Semi Luxary bus and almost 80% less than a luxary/Volvo bus and plus the cost involved by travelling through local trains extra.I am not just considering Pune-Mumbai but almost everywhere in Maharashtra around 250 to 300 kms from pune.
I have meet few people who were servicing their Nano and asked mileage.Many of them said that on highway, if driven at max 80 kmph, it gives mileage around 26 kmpl and even more.
Here is the first ride and what I observed:
The torque: Torque is the pulling power of the vehicle.It is superb and is good .With a slight push of accelerator, this car zips past the traffic signal quickly.Even in second gear, you can drive comfortably in congested traffic without any shaking or knocking of engine.Nano develops 48 NM of torque at just 2500 to 3000 rpm hence it provides a good and smooth ride.
Power and pickup: Nano has 625 cc engine with 35 BHP at 5000 to 5250 rpm which is 4 bhp less than Maruti 800 but when we consider power to weight ratio, nano has power to weight ratio as 58 bhp per ton whereas Maruti 800 has this ratio as 56 bhp per ton.
Hence more than the bhp, power to weight ratio is important hence Nano whiskers ahead than a M800.
Gear ratios of Nano are superb and due to it Nano can climb any mountain road easily.
Its grade ability is 30% which means that it can driven easily at motor-able roads in the Himalayan region especially Khardungla Leh Ladakh, Rohtang pass etc without any problem.
Weight of Nano LX is 635 kgs and max payload is 300 kgs which means that it can carry 4 persons of 70 average kgs each and 20 kg of luggage.Thus it is comfortable for a small family for a 200 to 300 km journey.
Also I tried by seating 5 people and I found that on the back seat, 3 people can sit comfortably.
Height of Nano is very good. If tall people like me sit in an Alto/Zen, my head touches the roof whereas in a Nano, there is a 6 inch space between my head and the roof.So from interior space, I found it to be like a Santro.
Though its interiors are not that good finished like Santro/Zen/WagonR etc but when we consider the cost of nano with these cars, definitely tata motors has offered their best.
Mileage: when it comes to mileage, I have driven 120 kms in city and just for 15 to 20 kms on highway
and approx I got mileage around 18 to 20 kmpl which is good because I am a beginner, just learnt driving a car and after that I am independently driving this vehicle hence I am not driving it top gear too often.
Mostly in city I am driving in 2nd and third gear and gentle accelerator push only.I need to control this car with clutch and brake in city hence I think that I am getting good mileage.After I get adjusted to this car properly, I will try it on a 100 km highway ride and get its exact mileage figures.
This car is good for beginners to start with.
Compactness: Its turning radius is superb. Yesterday, I took a U turn in a small space without using reverse.from left most side of a narrow road, I managed easily to move in other end of road by turning in 180 degree.
I parked in between two cars on a reverse gear in first attempt and believe me, I didn't learn reverse gear before that hence parking in a crowded place is somewhat easy for this car.
Also mind that this car is just 20 cms less in length than a M800 and Alto and if you park a M800 and a Nano side by side and watch from second floor, you will not find any difference between these cars.
Also less parking space is required.
Well only thing which I didn't like much is the fuel tank capacity 15 liters of fuel tank and we need to compulsory refill when only 3 liters is remaining which means after 12 liters of petrol or say every 200 to 250 kms distance traveled, one must not forget to fill the tank.
Still a lot will come from me when I will run this car on highway. Till than I can only say Hats off to Mr Ratan Tata for this people's car
31-01-2011
Review edited from here.
Here is my further test drive on highway.
Yesterday on 30-01-2011 I had a drive from Pune to Ahmednagar and back to Pune total distance of 245 kms and 600 rupees petrol 9.5 liters with total 3 people in car and here are my observations.
Without AC the car delivers good power on highway whereas switching on the AC, some more acceleration needs to be given to this car.
Without AC this car can climb a low gradient slope in top gear but with AC on, it requires third gear at somewhere mid of the slope.
Handling and breezy overtaking around speed of 60 is good but at more speed like 80 kph, overtaking on highways becomes risky.Some excellent driving skills required for this.
Total mileage calculated was 245 kms distance plus 8 kms distance of petrol pump from my house(I filled petrol on 29-01-2011 evening from Koregaon Park Bharat Petroleum Pump).
Total distance of 253 kms and done in almost 10 liters.
AC was operated for only 30 minutes and I steadily driven this car at 70 kmph and at some time, I was near to 80 kph but never exceeded speed of 80.
Hence my mileage is approximately 25.3 kms per liter. Well I will test it again after first service done.
