Remember the sales debacle that Tata — despite having some good products in its lineup — was pushed into sometime in the mid-2010s? It took them bold steps to come out of that, and that wasn’t just to bring sales back up but also to show the market that Tata Motors wasn’t irrelevant. In the last few years that has changed, especially with the introduction of new models, a proactive approach to match the market’s expectations by introducing something that often outscores even the most well-established of rivals. Currently, in concept form, the new Tata Curvv EV is exactly that; it’s positioned as a promising SUV-coupe, which, when put into production, is likely to be well within reach of those who’d otherwise consider a compact crossover-SUV. We got a chance to take a look at the concept and here is whatever information we could gather from this little rendezvous.
Design details
Many premium carmakers (and even marques that make affordable cars like Skoda and Renault) have toyed with the idea of SUV-coupes, especially after the success of the BMW X6. From the looks of it, the Tata Curvv is poised to be the first such model in India that doesn’t bear a heavy price tag but delivers a striking design. This, while not revolutionary, is going to be a break from the current barrage of crossover-SUVs we have seen.
It is evident that, as far as this concept study goes, Tata Motors didn’t want to tone down the butch bottom half that represents the SUV to match it with the top half, or the coupe part. The wheels are large, the arches are bold and nearly square-shaped, and there’s substantial bodywork; all of which help it achieve a confident stance. The window area is relatively small (but that doesn’t mean there’s a lack of space inside, reaffirms Tata) due to the sloping glasshouse. while the light strips at the front and rear complement the character lines across the car.
The Tata Curvv is a modern EV-first concept, which means there’s been a lot of emphasis on how to make it more aerodynamic and efficient. The absence of a radiator grille up front is unsurprising for a car of this kind but the use of various vents to channel air makes the Curvv even more intriguing. The floating bonnet, vents on the C-pillar, and even the wheels add up to improve the car’s aerodynamic abilities. Tata has been keen on adding Easter eggs to its cars and even brand motifs; and you wouldn’t be wrong to expect the same on the Curvv. Be it the use of the grooved pattern on the bumpers, the C-pillar and wheels, or the triangular shape for the headlamps and the rear vents, the overall design feels cohesive.
The assertive front-end styling has a floating Tata logo, but even if one were to hide that, it does resemble the recent offerings from the brand in the SUV/crossover space. The rear has hints of Lamborghini Urus, but it’s worth appreciating how all the lines point downwards giving it a more stable, less-top-heavy appearance. It does look much better in the flesh than it does in the photos, and the coupe-like roofline stretches almost to the rear end of the car, giving it a cleaner, purposeful design.
Will it be exactly like this when they turn this into a production-spec EV or a petrol-/diesel-engined car? There will definitely be some changes, especially to make it easy to own and service. There are no door handles on the concept and no conventional rear-view mirrors. You can be sure those will be added, apart from the other changes. Also, it wouldn’t be wrong to expect the production car to run a size or two smaller wheels (the Curvv EV sits on 20-inch wheels and Pirelli P Zero tyres).
Interiors
Before going any further, it’s imperative that we appreciate the beautiful cabin that Tata has put together. It looks at the future with the choice of environment-friendly, recycled materials (including recycled leather) but keeps simplicity at the forefront. All the conventional buttons and knobs are gone and in their place are two screens (one a 12-inch infotainment unit and a 10-something instrument cluster). Instead of having separate AC vents, the Curvv Concept has a large vent that runs across the dashboard and depending on your requirements can channel the airflow in a specific direction. The steering is also similarly fuss-free; the idea here is that most features will be controlled by the touch-sensitive surface (with haptic feedback like on say the Range Rover) and only navigating through menus to be taken care of with the help of buttons on the wheels. The AC controls are also accessed through a touch-sensitive panel.
The front seats are made in such a way that they allow the rear passengers to slide their feet underneath. As for the rear passengers, the Tata Curvv Concept has two individual rear chairs, but thanks to the roofline not tapering rapidly, headroom isn’t compromised. The floor is flat, since this is an EV concept, so legroom is sufficient too. The top of the dashboard is lined with nice soft material, and instead of a conventional gear knob, there’s a neat rotary dial (similar to what you’d have seen in Jaguars but slightly larger). The concept also gets a panoramic roof, and the luggage space, while limited vertically, is expected to be spacious on the production car.
Tata Curvv Platform
The Curvv is based on Tata’s second-generation EV architecture. The brand hasn’t disclosed any details about the powertrain but the Curvv is going to be introduced as an EV first, with a conventionally powered version to follow. In terms of dimensions, the overall length is 4.3 metres, which puts it right between the sub-four-metre Tata Nexon and the longer LR-Discovery-Sport-based (okay, based on the same platform as the previous Discovery Sport) Tata Harrier. We expect it to rival cars like the Kia Seltos, MG Astor, Hyundai Creta, etc. when the production version eventually comes out.
This is not the first time an Indian carmaker has expressed its desire to enter the SUV-coupe space. The Mahindra XUV Aero concept from Auto Expo 2016 didn’t make it to production, but if online reports are to be believed and Mahindra’s exceptional performance with the XUV700 is anything to go by, there’s a chance that the market will see not one but two such cars from two of the most innovative and popular Indian carmakers. The Curvv is going to be the next bold step that Tata Motors takes to reach new heights, and that doesn’t just mean great things for the brand but also for its loyal supporters.
