Tata relaunched in South Africa with a variety of vehicles last year, ranging from entry-level all the way to premium-like SUVs.
The Curvv, which sits just below the flagship Harrier, is a coupé-styled SUV that looks elegant from the outside. It has a curved shape and a glossy contrast grille that brings the vehicle together well.
The added cladding makes the wheels look bigger than they are which complements the entire look of the vehicle. The lightbar across the back is in tune with the styling.
From an exterior point of view, it’s a superb-looking vehicle and it’s difficult to recognise that it’s a Tata. But it is refreshing.
The style continues on the inside. Tata has integrated a 10.25 inch touchscreen that has wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, comfortable leather seats, a lovely sunroof, ambient lighting and a nine-speaker JBL sound system. All this makes for a stunning cabin feel and look.
That is until you start touching things. The gear shifter is a problem — it feels flimsy and seemingly ready to fall off.
That led me to investigate the build quality of the vehicle. Everywhere I touched, I got that similar flimsy feeling.
Then there’s also the practical aspect of it. I’m a big fan of Chiller Tuesday at Krispy Kreme but I couldn’t find a place to put my cups. Normally, the cupholders are somewhere in the centre console but with the Curvv, I had to search for them.
Finally, I found them hidden in the cubbyhole. Too creative from Tata or really impractical? I don’t know but what I do know is that it’s not ideal for when I’m driving solo and I want to enjoy my chiller.
I could look past those things though, because, ultimately, the cabin is comfortable and spacious. Tons of headroom and legroom means passengers in the back seats have no issues. With bootspace of 500 litres, the Curvv does have some practical elements.
The build quality continued to rub me the wrong way, however.
But when it came to driving, I enjoyed it. The curved shape makes the vehicle agile on the road.
The Tata Curvv is no slouch. It is powered by a 1.2-litre Revotron engine that benefits from turbocharging to boast 88kW at 5 500rpm and 170Nm from 1 750rpm, paired with either a six-speed manual transmission or seven-speed DCA that transfers power to the front wheels.
It provides a smooth and consistent drive that I can’t complain about. On the highway, there was no sluggish driving.
The steering wheel is light and easy to manoeuvre and although the Tata badge lighting up on the steering is a cool feature, I’m not a fan of how bulky it makes the steering wheel look. It also makes the plastic stick out which can feel uncomfortable on the fingers at times.
In terms of safety, the Tata Curvv has an array of advanced systems, including ABS with EBD and ESP, as well as six airbags across the range. A 360-degree Surround View Camera takes the hassle out of parking. The Curvv has been tested and certified with a five-star Bharat NCAP rating, the NCAP assessment for India.
Pricing and verdict
The Tata Curvv is available in three variants: 1.2T Pure MT+ priced at R349 900, 1.2T Creative DCA priced at R419 900 and 1.2T Accomplished S DCA priced at R519 900.
At R519 900, it’s difficult to argue for the Curvv when other vehicles are available in the price range. However, the R419 900 price tag on the lower-spec variant is hard to argue against because of the size, space and comfort the vehicle offers.
While providing a smooth drive and some great features, the build quality makes the Curvv hard to love
