Tata Curvv.EV: India’s Most Affordable Electric SUV Coupe Reviewed [Video]
The Tata Curvv.EV is the most affordable electric SUV coupe you can buy today in India but can it be your only car? Well, we found some answers to these questions as we experienced the Curvv.EV in a rainy yet picturesque Udaipur for this review. Jump right in.
Bookings for the Tata Curvv.EV are open starting today, and deliveries will commence from 23rd August.
Coupe SUVs aren’t new. Ever since BMW introduced the coupe SUV form factor through the X6 in 2008, multiple car makers have launched their own iterations of this polarizing body style. However, none of the coupe SUVs sold in India was accessible to the masses, for they were mostly priced north of a crore. Not anymore. The Tata Curvv.EV, launched at Rs. 17.49 lakh, is the most affordable electric SUV coupe money can buy in India. For the price of an automatic Hyundai Creta or a Kia Seltos, you can now drive an electric SUV coupe.
The front end of the Curvv.EV is a mix of typical Tata-friendliness and SUV-aggression. While the connected LED DRLs and the smiley bonnet lip gives the Curvv.EV the friendly form factor, the heavily sculpted front bumper and the high-set bonnet ridges make it look very SUV-like, adding aggression to the design.
The profile is where the SUV coupe form factor really comes through. The Curvv.EV has that typical sedan coupe meets SUV look, and looks rather dynamic from the side.
The waistline rises continuously from front to rear while the roofline plunges once it passes the B-Pillar, and both these elements give the Curvv.EV’s design a very tight form factor. It’s almost as though there’s a pent up energy in the car waiting for release. That’s design dynamism for you.
From the rear, the Tata Curvv.EV is sure to evoke a bit of Lamborghini, the Urus in particular. There are more edges and wedges than curves here, and the Tata SUV coupe looks like a Urus from rear straight-on and three quarters, and in a good way.
The inside of the Curvv.EV is basically an ode to the fact that Tata Motors has really upped the game when it comes to packaging a luxurious interior into an affordable car that will be bought mainly by the masses. The doors open wide and shut with a reassuring thud. There’s a grey and white theme running across the inside of the car while the roof gets beige treatment. There’s a brushed aluminum strip that runs across the entire length of the dashboard, and this wouldn’t look out of place in a BMW, and that’s saying something.
Art leather seats are nice and supportive with the driver’s seat getting an electric 6 way adjust and ventilation while the front passenger seat has to make do only with ventilation functions. Another highlight is the height adjustable seat belts, which greatly add to the cabin experience. The panoramic sunroof adds to the luxury element and makes the interiors feel very airy. It also has a cool, voice activated feature that you can use to impress friends.
At the rear, space can be a bit of a squeeze if there are 3 big 6 footers. For everyone else, the rear will feel adequate for 3 and luxurious for 2. Headroom can again be a challenge for six footers as the coupe design eats into the roof. However, a clever 2 stage recline system for the rear seat’s backrest liberates a few more millimeters in headroom. It’ll still be a tight fit for really tall people though.
Since the battery sits in the floor, the floor is slightly taller on the electric version. This means that under thigh support may not be adequate for passengers at the rear on longer trips, and the only way to remedy this is to probably put a cushion there. Overall, it’s an easy fix.
The boot is cavernous. 500 liters is quite something, and there’s the frunk too. The Curvv.EV can fit a small fridge and still have enough space for more. Airport runs will be handled easily as two big airport trolleys will fit in comfortably, leaving more space for softer luggage. And there are some hidden compartments both in the frunk and the boot, stuff that Pablo Escobar-types will appreciate.
With 167 PS of peak power, and 215 Nm of peak torque available right at idle, the Curvv.EV is not a car meant to be chauffeured in. Rather, it’s a car that rewards those who love to drive. Torque delivery is instant, for it’s an electric car. Mash the throttle and you get wheelspin that’s quickly controlled by traction control. The torque steer can be slightly unnerving for beginners, who are advised to start off in Eco or City mode. Progress is very quick and this car will be a hoot to drive on city streets as gaps in traffic can be taken in seconds.
The same electric response from the motor across the range means that roll-on times are just as impressive. The 40-100 Kph zone – usually the zone where most overtaking happens, gives you enough thrust for quick and safe overtaking maneuvers. On the Curvv.EV you’ll never really feel the need for more power under 160 Kph, which also happens to be its electronically limited top speed. Tata claims an 8.6 second 0-100 Kph run for the Curvv.EV and we have no reason to doubt that. This car is QUICK!
If you’re in the mood for relaxed driving, turn the mode selector left to access the Eco mode. The City mode blunts the Curvv.EV’s low end throttle response, and coming on and off throttle is smoother than the Sport mode. With the brake energy regeneration set to the third (maximum) level, you can happily amble around in the city with just the throttle pedal to control as the Regen does most of the braking for you.
Low speed ride? Very impressive and the Curvv.EV handles most imperfections very well, with the suspension going about it job quietly, and efficiently. All of this despite 18 inch wheels. Very nice.
Things are similar at speeds between 40-80 Kph as well but here a crater-sized pothole taken at speed can cause the suspension to crash through. There’s a thwack at such speeds, and the car tells you to go slower. This should settle down after a few thousand kilometers of driving as the suspension loses its new-ness but for now, it is what it is.
Beyond 80 Kph, the suspension again comes into its element and smooths out most rough surfaces. Changing direction quickly doesn’t upset the car thanks to most weight concentrated near the floor of the car. Remember, it’s an electric car.
Low speed handling is effortless with a light electric power steering that weighs up nicely as speeds increase. Mid speeds are also quite enjoyable, especially the steering part, and the Curvv.EV will flit in and out of gaps in city traffic like a hot knife through butter.
At higher speeds, the steering becomes heavier, especially in Sport mode, and this gives the car a reassuring feel. There’s an element of connected-ness with the road at higher speeds and this is something a lot of enthusiasts will value highly. The Curvv.EV feels rock solid at triple digit speeds. It’s confidence inspiring and sporty in equal measure.
This begins with the build quality, which exudes solidity, especially the way the doors shut. This is something that we’ve come to expect as standard on a Tata car and the Curvv.EV is no different. Panels do flex though but you shouldn’t be bothered as that’s the outer skin that has nothing to do with real crash safety.
Then, there are dozens of clever safety features – both active and passive – working overtime to make the Curvv.EV a very safe place to be in. 6 airbags, ABS, EBD, Traction Control, ESP, electric parking brake, hill hold, hill descent control, rain sensing wipers, emergency call and breakdown call, 360 degree parking camera, Level 2 ADAS with adaptive cruise control that even has stop and go functions, blind spot monitoring, lane change warning, lane keep assist, automatic emergency braking, ISOFIX child seat mounts, height adjustable seatbelts, and cornering lights are the various safety features on offer.
While the Bharat NCAP rating is yet to be published, the Curvv.EV scoring a five star rating is something that we expect given the amount of safety tech this electric SUV coupe packs.
This should be a separate story and we’ll probably have to live with the Curvv.EV for a full week to do justice to the long list of features that this SUV Coupe packs in. For now, let’s try and scratch the surface. First, the infotainment unit has a brilliant display resolution and can play YouTube videos, stream Spotify, Apple Music and can even let you play a couple of on-board games.
The TFT instrument cluster feels like a cockpit with a flurry of information that can be beamed onto it. The panoramic sunroof can be opened and closed with voice controls while the boot lid now has gesture control for opening and shutting. The motorized boot with close switch is particularly useful as slamming the boot shut is no longer a pain you have to contend with.
Wireless phone charging, Type-C charging ports both for the front and rear passengers, rear AC vents, arm rest for front and rear passengers, and multiple in-cabin storage compartments are some of the other features on offer in the Curvv.EV.
Well, this is a question a lot of people have been asking. To answer this, let’s focus on the range. We drove the 55 kWh battery equipped top-of-the-line model finished in the sporty Pure Grey colour (Tata’s version of Nardo Grey). Tata claims 585 kilometers of range per charge. 425 kilometers of range is what you can expect in the real world, and kind of seals the deal, at least for 85 % of buyers.
Yes, the Curvv.EV can be your only car as you seldom will do more than 400 kilometers in a single day, both in the city and on the highway. And even those doing over 400 Kms on the highway, there’s the fast charging ability. The Curvv.EV’s 55 kWh battery can go from 10 % to 880 % in 40 minutes when plugged to a 70 KW fast charger.
So before you finish your meal, the Curvv.EV will give you another 350 kilometers of range assuming that you had only 10 % left. This effectively pushes the Curvv.EV’s range to 750-800 Kms, and that should be enough for nearly everyone including those who drive frequently on the highway.
With the Curvv.EV’s 55 kWh version, you don’t need to have a petrol or diesel car parked for highway runs. This one is up to the job, and that’s also why it can actually be your only car.
This brings us to the end of the Tata Curvv.EV review. Should you have specific questions, do shoot them to us on Instagram. We’ll be more than happy to answer them for you.