Why is everyone focussing on the coupe-SUV body style all of a sudden? Has there been a surge in demand from customers? Or is it just one of those cases when a carmaker — or two — decides what they want to make and somehow forces their decision down the customer’s throat? Objectively, though, it’s difficult to deny that SUVs with a sloping roof are a tad more appealing. Unless ruined by an unpalatable design elsewhere, if given a choice between an upright roof and a sleeker, more aerodynamic one, it’s nearly impossible not to choose the latter. Even when it’s positioned atop a boxy SUV.

Thankfully, the new SUVs, or coupe SUVs in this case, are anything but boxy. They are a bit Curvv-y, some might say. We thought it would be a great idea to find that out ourselves as we headed to the first drive of the all-new Tata Curvv, in its conventionally powered avatar.

Visual appeal

First things first, it does look better in the metal than it did in the photos. The overall design isn’t simple — and sometimes too busy, for my liking — but it stands out. Not as an eyesore, but rather as something unique and never seen before.

The overall stance is muscular, and not too different from the Curvv.ev (which we featured recently), and apart from the new grille and the wheels, the Curvv continues with nearly identical styling and proportions. On the whole, the new Curvv looks just right, stylish enough to take on its rivals, but not as radical as a concept car. The wheel arches can certainly be filled better, though.

Interior
The overall luxury of the cabin is increased further with the help of a large 12-inch touchscreen infotainment system

The overall luxury of the cabin is increased further with the help of a large 12-inch touchscreen infotainment system | Photo Credit: Amit Naik

The Curvv isn’t a budget offering, and the interior is a testament to that. It looks and feels premium, there’s not much wrong with the fit and finish, except for varying gaps at places, while the burgundy upholstery elevates the interior’s aura. The abundance of piano black surfaces means that a micro-fibre cloth will be your best friend, as you’ll never run short of fingerprints, dust particles, and smudges to clean. The overall luxury of the cabin is only increased further with the help of a large 12-inch touchscreen infotainment system. It worked well for the most part, apart from a momentary hang-up, but it’s feature-rich and looks to be appointed well.

Engine options

On the conventionally powered Curvv, there are three engines to choose from: a new 1.2-litre Hyperion turbo-petrol engine (with direct injection), a 1.2-litre Revotron turbo-petrol engine, and a 1.5-litre diesel. We got a chance to drive both the Hyperion turbo-petrol and the Kryojet diesel. The former gets a 6-speed manual gearbox while the diesel test cars were all specced with a dual-clutch automatic. All engines are offered with a choice between a 6-speed manual and a 7-speed dual-clutch automatic.

We’ll start with the new Hyperion petrol. It comes with direct injection and a high-pressure fuel injection system (rated at 350 bar). The three-cylinder engine produces 123 bhp and 23.43 kg-m. Tata claims that it’s engineered to keep both noise and vibrations low. In practice, we found it to sound gruff in sport mode, while its torque boost function came in handy while overtaking. The other thing worth mentioning about the engine was that the clutch felt a bit snappy, and the gearbox had long throws. The 1.5-litre diesel, on the other hand, faced no such issues, as we drove the dual-clutch automatic. The gearbox felt to be smooth although not entirely lag-free. The peppiness of the petrol engine was missed, too. At 116 bhp and 26.53 kg-m, it’s similarly powerful but has a touch more torque than the Hyperion.

Balanced performance

The Curvv is underpinned by Tata’s ATLAS platform, which according to the company isn’t just full of high-strength materials, it’s made keeping an optimum ride and handling balance in mind. This shows when you drive the car. There’s a touch of body roll and understeer when you push it, but none of that comes in the way of overall drivability and everyday comfort. The ride quality seemed better on the diesel-engined version, and the same can be said about the steering, too. The petrol-engined model was more eager. Having said that, this was a first-drive event, and a bit more wheel time will make things clearer.

Verdict

Among the two versions we tested, we like the diesel-engined Curvv more — it felt more complete and better set-up. To round it up, in the newly formed segment, the Curvv is an interesting product: it looks decent, drives well, doesn’t skimp on features, and most importantly, it’s positioned keeping in mind the superbly priced competition, too. Prices start at just under ₹10 lakh onwards, ex-showroom.

© Motoring World