Tata has been on a roll lately with releasing quite a few new cars. By the end of the year, four new models should become available for sale while in the next couple of years a few more should be added. One of these is the upcoming 2017 Tata X451, a future premium hatchback designed to compete with the Hyundai i20 and the VW Polo. The X451 is just the codename of the car with its official name being expected next year. The car will be based on Tata’s Advanced Modular Platform which will underpin most of their small cars in the near future.
What is it?
Like we said, the car is going to be a premium hatchback but there are quite a few opinions about it so far. A well known Indian publication suggested that it may be a hatchback, but the car could borrow design cues usually found on a crossover for a beefier look. Its price is still unknown but we expect it to be launched at roughly the same starting price as the Nexon. The car is expected in late 2017 for the 2018 model year, so there is still some wait time for it.
Design
Unfortunately, at this point, we only have a few unofficial renders of the upcoming 2017 Tata X451. These have been made by an enthusiast and include Tata’s current design scheme. While we do believe that the production model will be quite a bit more different, some of the traits found on the renders might be found on the production model. The car is likely going to be similarly sized and it should employ Tata’s new design scheme. If they will decide to go for the crossover look then expect something a bit more muscular.
Interior
With a rather small exterior size, the X451 is expected to have roomy interior thanks to a clever layout. There will only be five seats with a rather small trunk. The actual design of the dashboard might be similar to the Nexon but they could go on another route altogether. The small X451 should offer better features than its crossover sibling as well as better materials. We expect the top end models to feature satellite navigation, climate control, heated leather seats and even a large sunroof. All of these should make the car a steal for the price and it should pose a real problem for VW and their Polo.
2017 Tata X451 Engines
So far the rumors suggest that the upcoming 2017 Tata X451 is going to feature a petrol engine derived from that of the Tiago. This new family of engines uses an all aluminum construction and direct injection, so they are lighter, more efficient and more powerful than their predecessors. The X451 should feature a naturally aspirated 1.4 liter 4 cylinder petrol engine good for anything between 100 and 110 horsepower which would be more than enough in its class.
An optional 1.5 liter 4 cylinder turbocharged diesel that would offer 100 to 110 horsepower and as much as 200 Nm of torque is a real possibility as well. In any case, though, no matter what engines Tata will use, we are quite sure that we are going to see them first on the new Nexon which is set to be released for the market by the end of the year. Both the petrol and diesel engines should be offered with a six-speed manual gearbox. An automatic transmission should also be offered as an option. A high-performance version of the car is unlikely at this point. However, we might see one in the future if Tata manages to root themselves in other markets such as Europe or even China.
