Will it be a cakewalk for Tata Nexon to carry forward Tiago's success?

Tata Motors has been on a roll ever since the Auto Expo 2016 ended. The home-grown carmaker unveiled four new concepts at the show bearing new and improved designs christened as Impact design language.

Among them, the Tiago hatchback entered market first in April 2016. A price starting at Rs 3.20 lakh along with desirable design, Tiago went on to become the best selling Tata car, beating long running models such as the Safari and the Indica. Tiago is the model that started Tata Motors' transformation journey.

Tiago currently has over 4,000 takers monthly, which is well ahead of other Tata models with sales less than 1,500 units monthly. Tiago accounts for 38 percent of Tata Motors' monthly sales. The success of the hatchback then topped up with the launch of second and third Impact models, the Hexa SUV and Tigor compact sedan, this year. All three models have sent Tata Motors sales charts soaring from an average of around 7,000-8,000 units a month to 12,000 units a month now, reports Moneycontrol.

Nexon to take the baton forward

Judging from the buyer profile, perception about the brand appears to be improving after Impact models' arrival. For the upcoming Nexon, it has already set the path clear for success. In addition, the Nexon is catering to the compact SUV segment of India which is the most happening sector of the industry now.

Hence, the Nexon has a bigger responsibility to carry forward the winning momentum of Impact models which started off with Tiago. Does the Tata compact SUV have potential to emulate success of Tiago or even to eclipse it?

Tata Motors is yet to reveal the prices of the Nexon. That aside, rest of the information indicates the company has got a winner in Nexon. Denting sales of segment leader Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza which is around 8,000 units is a herculean task for Tata Motors, especially when Nexon is already late to the party.

However, it looks like the company has done its homework. The Nexon offers much more than other compact SUVs in the segment provide. Take the design for instance, Nexon has a blend of SUV and Coupe in stance. It's a whole new approach and that does give the vehicle a unique character.

It is also loaded with various features. The SUV comes with segment first Multi Drive Mode function, which will let the driver switch between the three different drive modes – Eco, City and Sport. The floating dashtop HD touch-screen and HARMAN infotainment system with Android Auto and Car play adds a premium touch.

The new set of petrol and diesel engines is another plus point. The 1.5 Revotorq diesel and 1.2-litre Revotron petrol mills and its power figures make it clear that Nexon is a winner on paper. The Tata Motors SUV boasts of more power, torque and better transmission than all its rivals.

The bottom line is Tata Motors has got all the ingredients right for Nexon so far. If the company nails in terms of pricing, the Nexon can become a workhorse for the company.