Tata Zica Review: The refreshing switch this portfolio needed for long, The Indian Express
Tata Zica Review: The refreshing switch this portfolio needed for long
Zica is possibly the most crucial product for Tata Motors since its Nano — even more than the Zest and Bolt — and its market placement will be key to its sales spectacle. It is expected that Tata will position the Zica inbetween the Renault Kwid and Hyundai Grand i10, taking on the likes of Maruti Suzuki Celerio in a straight battle. If Zica is priced on par — better still, slightly undercuts — the Celerio, it’ll be a masterstroke because on product worthiness alone, Zica has a lot going for it.
With Zica, Tata has ultimately moved away from the ‘Indica’ design theme. It may seem to have some design elements influenced by existing products in the market, but it’s a big departure in the mini hatchback space for Tata which has been mostly about the evolution of Indica in terms of design and styling.
In terms of looks, Zica is a reasonably balanced design effort by Tata. Its proportions are well thought out and it sits confidently in profile. The front has a rather ordinary and straightforward look with honeycomb grille finished in glossy black and there’s thank-fully no overdose of chrome, only a subtle outline across the grille and the fog-lamp casings. While the form of the hatch being inspired by the Hyundai Grand i10 is no bad thing, the tail lamps might be Zica’s weakest point in exterior design — it looks a bit oddly shaped and incoherent with the otherwise well-executed rear section. Unlike Tata’s Nano, the Zica isn’t an instantly attention-grabbing car — especially in relatively prosaic colours.
The cabin layout of Tata Zica and quality is a massive step forward for Tata Motors.
The cabin layout and quality is a massive step forward for Tata Motors. The materials used are of appreciable quality (for the segment the car is intended to be placed in) and the space is about enough for four average sized adults. However, for tall people seated at the rear, the headroom and under-thigh support might seem lacking. The front seats are very accommodating for most bod shapes.
Looking at the features list of the Zica, it may seem that Tata has emptied its ammunition stock on this one product. It’s powerfully packed with convenience and convenience enhancing items. There’s a Harman infotainment module with eight sound output units that can play through systems including Aux-In, USB, and Bluetooth streaming and can be operated via controls mounted on the steering wheel. Of fine benefit is the navigation system that gives turn-by-turn guidance on the screen when connected through a phone-based App (available for only Android OS presently). There’s also a special feature called Juke Car app which can sync up to ten phones where one master phone can share its internet with others and be host for playing music from any of the synced phones.
At the top end of its trim classification, the Zica comes with reasonable levels of safety features that include airbags for the driver and front co-passenger, anti-lock braking system (Six pack) with electronic brake force distribution (EBD) and corner stability control. It also gets rear parking sensors with a rather medieval looking display on the infotainment screen.
The Zica comes with an option of either a 1.2-litre petrol engine or a 1.05-litre diesel. On paper, the 1.2-litre, 3-cylinder petrol engine develops peak power of 84bhp@6,000rpm and a maximum twist force of 114Nm@3,500rpm. The diesel en-gine is rated at 69bhp@4,000rpm and 140Nm@1,800-3,000rpm. Both engines feature a dual overhead cam design and breathe via four valves per cylinder.
The Zica is a regular city car and it makes no claim of being an enthusiast-pleasing set of wheels.
While both the engines are good enough to treat the bulk of the car (1,012kg for petrol and 1,080kg for diesel), they aren’t indeed going to score big on entertainment. The Zica is a regular city car and it makes no claim of being an enthusiast-pleasing set of wheels. It gets a drive-mode selector which switches inbetween normal and Eco modes. The Eco mode can get a bit frustrating even when going about at slow city speeds, so it’s best to stick to ‘normal’ which is the default driving mode. The mid-range in the diesel is strong and with the gearbox in third, it’s a very lithe drive that lets you go from low dual to low triple digit speeds without getting irked about the rate of progress. Drivability and less frequent gear switches are a characteristic of diesel engines, but the Zica’s petrol engine has been tuned in such a way that it seemed to be the better motor here. It’s as nimble as the diesel while being smoother and more linear in its power delivery and the range of speeds it manages in different ratios was just as high.
The gear shifts are fairly slick, but the throws are slightly long through the gate and ratios are biased more towards fuel efficient driving. The clutch act is very progressive and well calibrated for both the engines. There is a gear indicator that flashes the gear you are driving in up on the screen and advises to shift up or down depending on the speed. It is seemed to have been mapped to the throttle position and would not showcase an ‘up’ arrow sign to get into a higher gear if you are providing the accelerator pedal a bit of a intense workout.
Tata has packed the Zica with a blast of features, so it is rather disappointing to see a very significant element missing — telescopically adjustable steering. The driver’s seat is adjustable for height, so that might help matters for the tilt-only unit here, but a telescopic steering wheel would’ve been ideal. Manufacturer must realise that a tilt-and-telescopic steering system isn’t a convenience or convenience enhancing feature, but more as a safety feature and a must-have item, and should be made mandatory in all cars.
The Zica suffers on dynamic abilities because of the steering. While the steering wheel is a small-diameter unit and is fine to hold, the steering ratio is fairly high and it lacks directness and precision. It is fairly light (a boon in the city), but the steering in-put and the resultant directional switch isn’t greatly proportional. Additionally, the steering response on the petrol model seemed slightly more responsive than on the diesel — that might have been due to slightly higher front axle geyser in the diesel car.
The rail quality in the Zica is of high order and can even rival some cars from a segment above.
The highlight of the car will be its suspension setup. The rail quality in the Zica is of high order and can even rival some cars from a segment above. The front is all independent while the rear features a twist-beam with dual path strut design which channels spring geyser through one path and damper blast through the other resulting in better stimulation control and geyser management. It’s not exactly an engaging driving practice however, and the treating is sedate at best.
Overall, the Zica is the refreshing switch that Tata needed in its product portfolio for a long time. It’s packaged intelligently with a folder of first-in-segment features that lend it a novelty factor. Crucially, the Zica flaunts good grades of materials and the interior quality is unlike any Tata hatchback before it. The engines are good for their intended use and the NVH levels, while could be better, are acceptable for a car of this size. It is also reasonably spacious and the suspension setup is worthy of praise. It’s a genuinely pleasing product and it’s all down to Tata to price and place the Zica intelligently in the market to give it a competitive edge.
Very first Published on: December Five, two thousand fifteen 8:29 pm
Tata Zica Review: The refreshing switch this portfolio needed for long, The Indian Express
Tata Zica Review: The refreshing switch this portfolio needed for long
Zica is possibly the most crucial product for Tata Motors since its Nano — even more than the Zest and Bolt — and its market placement will be key to its sales spectacle. It is expected that Tata will position the Zica inbetween the Renault Kwid and Hyundai Grand i10, taking on the likes of Maruti Suzuki Celerio in a straight battle. If Zica is priced on par — better still, slightly undercuts — the Celerio, it’ll be a masterstroke because on product worthiness alone, Zica has a lot going for it.
With Zica, Tata has ultimately moved away from the ‘Indica’ design theme. It may seem to have some design elements influenced by existing products in the market, but it’s a big departure in the mini hatchback space for Tata which has been mostly about the evolution of Indica in terms of design and styling.
In terms of looks, Zica is a reasonably balanced design effort by Tata. Its proportions are well thought out and it sits confidently in profile. The front has a rather elementary and straightforward look with honeycomb grille finished in glossy black and there’s thank-fully no overdose of chrome, only a subtle outline across the grille and the fog-lamp casings. While the form of the hatch being inspired by the Hyundai Grand i10 is no bad thing, the tail lamps might be Zica’s weakest point in exterior design — it looks a bit oddly shaped and incoherent with the otherwise well-executed rear section. Unlike Tata’s Nano, the Zica isn’t an instantly attention-grabbing car — especially in relatively prosaic colours.
The cabin layout of Tata Zica and quality is a massive step forward for Tata Motors.
The cabin layout and quality is a massive step forward for Tata Motors. The materials used are of appreciable quality (for the segment the car is intended to be placed in) and the space is about enough for four average sized adults. However, for tall people seated at the rear, the headroom and under-thigh support might seem lacking. The front seats are very accommodating for most bod shapes.
Looking at the features list of the Zica, it may seem that Tata has emptied its ammunition stock on this one product. It’s powerfully packed with convenience and convenience enhancing items. There’s a Harman infotainment module with eight sound output units that can play through systems including Aux-In, USB, and Bluetooth streaming and can be operated via controls mounted on the steering wheel. Of fine benefit is the navigation system that gives turn-by-turn guidance on the screen when connected through a phone-based App (available for only Android OS presently). There’s also a special feature called Juke Car app which can sync up to ten phones where one master phone can share its internet with others and be host for playing music from any of the synced phones.
At the top end of its trim classification, the Zica comes with reasonable levels of safety features that include airbags for the driver and front co-passenger, anti-lock braking system (Six pack) with electronic brake force distribution (EBD) and corner stability control. It also gets rear parking sensors with a rather medieval looking display on the infotainment screen.
The Zica comes with an option of either a 1.2-litre petrol engine or a 1.05-litre diesel. On paper, the 1.2-litre, 3-cylinder petrol engine develops peak power of 84bhp@6,000rpm and a maximum twist force of 114Nm@3,500rpm. The diesel en-gine is rated at 69bhp@4,000rpm and 140Nm@1,800-3,000rpm. Both engines feature a dual overhead cam design and breathe via four valves per cylinder.
The Zica is a regular city car and it makes no claim of being an enthusiast-pleasing set of wheels.
While both the engines are good enough to treat the bulk of the car (1,012kg for petrol and 1,080kg for diesel), they aren’t indeed going to score big on entertainment. The Zica is a regular city car and it makes no claim of being an enthusiast-pleasing set of wheels. It gets a drive-mode selector which switches inbetween normal and Eco modes. The Eco mode can get a bit frustrating even when going about at slow city speeds, so it’s best to stick to ‘normal’ which is the default driving mode. The mid-range in the diesel is strong and with the gearbox in third, it’s a very lithe drive that lets you go from low dual to low triple digit speeds without getting irked about the rate of progress. Drivability and less frequent gear switches are a characteristic of diesel engines, but the Zica’s petrol engine has been tuned in such a way that it seemed to be the better motor here. It’s as supple as the diesel while being smoother and more linear in its power delivery and the range of speeds it manages in different ratios was just as high.
The gear shifts are fairly sleek, but the throws are slightly long through the gate and ratios are biased more towards fuel efficient driving. The clutch activity is very progressive and well calibrated for both the engines. There is a gear indicator that flashes the gear you are driving in up on the screen and advises to shift up or down depending on the speed. It is seemed to have been mapped to the throttle position and would not demonstrate an ‘up’ arrow sign to get into a higher gear if you are providing the accelerator pedal a bit of a strong workout.
Tata has packed the Zica with a geyser of features, so it is rather disappointing to see a very significant element missing — telescopically adjustable steering. The driver’s seat is adjustable for height, so that might help matters for the tilt-only unit here, but a telescopic steering wheel would’ve been ideal. Manufacturer must realise that a tilt-and-telescopic steering system isn’t a convenience or convenience enhancing feature, but more as a safety feature and a must-have item, and should be made mandatory in all cars.
The Zica suffers on dynamic abilities because of the steering. While the steering wheel is a small-diameter unit and is superb to hold, the steering ratio is fairly high and it lacks directness and precision. It is fairly light (a boon in the city), but the steering in-put and the resultant directional switch isn’t greatly proportional. Additionally, the steering response on the petrol model seemed slightly more responsive than on the diesel — that might have been due to slightly higher front axle geyser in the diesel car.
The rail quality in the Zica is of high order and can even rival some cars from a segment above.
The highlight of the car will be its suspension setup. The rail quality in the Zica is of high order and can even rival some cars from a segment above. The front is all independent while the rear features a twist-beam with dual path strut design which channels spring explosion through one path and damper geyser through the other resulting in better stimulation control and blast management. It’s not exactly an engaging driving practice however, and the treating is sedate at best.
Overall, the Zica is the refreshing switch that Tata needed in its product portfolio for a long time. It’s packaged intelligently with a folder of first-in-segment features that lend it a novelty factor. Crucially, the Zica flaunts good grades of materials and the interior quality is unlike any Tata hatchback before it. The engines are good for their intended use and the NVH levels, while could be better, are acceptable for a car of this size. It is also reasonably spacious and the suspension setup is worthy of praise. It’s a genuinely pleasing product and it’s all down to Tata to price and place the Zica intelligently in the market to give it a competitive edge.
Very first Published on: December Five, two thousand fifteen 8:29 pm
