Tata Motors to introduce Nexon compact SUV in FY2017

Tata Motors will introduce its first entrant in the compact SUV segment – the Nexon – in the next fiscal year, Mayank Pareek, president (passenger vehicles), Tata Motors, told Autocar Professional on the sidelines of the automaker's Q1 earnings conference today in Mumbai.

The carmaker had first showcased the Nexon concept at the Auto Expo in February 2014.

Under its HorizoNext growth strategy, Tata Motors has launched two new vehicles a year. With the Bolt hatchback and the Zest sedan entering the marketplace in FY15 and speculation is rife of the Kite hatchback and notchback rolling out this year, the Nexon seems to be next in line.

The compact SUV is based on the same X1 platform that also underpins the Bolt and the Zest. Mechanically, the Nexon will be powered by Tata Motors’ maiden 1.5-litre diesel motor which will develop 110bhp of peak power, and will have a new six-speed manual gearbox designed to handle the extra power and torque.

The Nexon could face stiff competition from the likes of Ford's EcoSport, which has been a leader in the sub-four-metre category in the Indian market. 

Speaking on the successful repositioning of the Nano in the Indian market, Pareek said that the compact hatchback will be a key volume driver for Tata Motors in the coming months and that the company will ease out all the supply bottlenecks.

"There are some supply constraints for the AMT version of the GenX Nano, but we are working on it and the supply will almost double in the next two to three months," he said.

While maintaining secrecy on the company's plans for the upcoming Auto Expo 2016 to be held in New Delhi, Pareek said that Tata Motors has planned a lot of "exciting products" that would be unveiled in February, hinting at introducing vehicles with higher capacity engines.

Tata Motors had showcased a new SUV concept named Hexa at the 2015 Geneva Motor Show and reports suggest that Tata Motors could launch the vehicle at the upcoming Auto Expo.