Tata Curvv EV Review: Attractive And Thrilling

Have you ever shown up to a party after everyone else and still found yourself at the center of all the conversations? Well, I can't speak for you, but Tata has accomplished this feat. They entered the compact SUV market in India much later than their competitors. Nevertheless, Tata has generated significant buzz around its first-ever compact coupe SUV, the Tata Curvv EV. Reason? A segment first and exceptionally unique design which has sparked discussions amongst laymen and enthusiasts alike.

The Tata Curvv EV features a first-in-segment SUV Coupé design. It draws polarising opinions—people either hate it or love it. I am a person who focuses more on function than form; however, the Curvv EV’s distinct design has forced to me to keep looking back at it.

We tested the vehicle for more than a week under various driving conditions to evaluate its performance. A glimpse of our experience with the vehicle resembled a thrilling roller-coaster ride. Without revealing too much, let's move on to our in-depth review.

Tata Curvv EV Detailed Review 

Build and design

Let’s begin with the design. The Tata Curvv EV’s front fascia resembles its electric siblings, the Punch EV and the Nexon EV. It includes an LED DRL that spans the upper section of the front bumper and looks cool. The car’s slim projector LED headlights are arranged in a vertical stack and provide excellent visibility at night.

Constructed on Tata’s born-electric platform, the Acti.ev, the Curvv EV features its charging port at the front, hidden underneath the Tata logo. The lower section of the front bumper has a glossy black finish with chrome highlights. The side profile of the vehicle is captivating, showcasing a sloping roofline, glossy body cladding and 18-inch aero alloy wheels. It also includes flush door handles that add a touch of elegance and enhance aerodynamic performance. However, a downside I observed is that the gloss black body cladding easily attracts dirt and scratches.

The rear design stands out as the most eye-catching aspect of the vehicle. It boasts a sleek connected LED taillight along with dynamic turn indicators. Additionally, the electric tailgate with the leg swipe gesture was very useful at times when I was carrying bags in both hands.

The Curvv EV offers a segment-leading boot space of 500 litres, which is very practical and can carry a lot of luggage. The car also has an 11.6-litre frunk, which is only good for storing the car’s small charger.

The dimensions of the Curvv EV are almost on par with other cars in the segment. It is 4310 mm long, 1810 mm wide, and 1637 mm tall. The car has a wheelbase of 2560 mm and a ground clearance of 186 mm (unladen), which did not seem to be a problem during our time.

Interior and features 

The Curvv EV’s cabin is very similar to the Nexon EV’s cabin. However, it does have a few distinctive elements. The upholstery is finished in a light grey and ivory colour combination, which makes the cabin feel more spacious than it is. On the other hand, it is hard to keep clean in the dusty Indian environment.

The car is also loaded with multicoloured ambient lighting on its panoramic sunroof and throughout the cabin, which looks cool at night.

To make the drive comfortable and convenient, the Curvv EV is equipped with features such as ventilated seats, an electrically adjustable driver seat, a 2-stage rear seat recline, automatic climate control, air quality control, rear AC vents, cruise control, keyless entry and more.

The dashboard of the car houses a 12.3-inch infotainment touchscreen. The system is loaded with features such as wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, a 9-speaker JBL sound system that sounds good and offers a plethora of customisation options. Instrumentation is taken care of via a 10.25-inch screen, which is customisable and loaded with features such as TPMS, navigation, blind spot assistance and more.

One thing I did not like about the interiors of the Curvv EV is the use of glossy black panels. It has the new glossy steering wheel with an illuminated Tata logo, and the centre console also has the same finish. While Tata aimed to make it look modern and cool, these glossy panels are hard to keep clean in daily usage. In my opinion, they should be redesigned with a different material.

Performance

Now, let’s talk about the car’s core functionality: driving performance. The Curvv EV is powered by a single-motor front-wheel-drive system that delivers 165 hp and 215 Nm of peak torque. The brand claims a 0 to 100 kph timing of 8.6 seconds, which the car achieves effortlessly.

The claimed top speed is 160 kph, and the car easily reaches this mark while remaining calm and stable. (Disclaimer: We tested the top speed in a closed and controlled environment without breaking any traffic rules and do not encourage others to do so.)

We also took the car on the Aravali range of mountains near Gurugram and had a lot of fun on the twisty roads. The car did have some body roll in the corner, given its high ground clearance and weight, but it never felt scary or unstable. The drive up and down the mountains was exhilarating.

The Curvv EV features regenerative braking with three levels: L1, L2, and L3. L1 is best for highways, L2 suits city driving, and L3 is ideal for stop-and-go traffic. The only missing feature is the single-pedal driving mode, which could have made city driving much more convenient.

The car also offers three driving modes: Eco, City, and Sport. Eco mode is the most efficient with a slight punch, making it suitable for beginner drivers. City mode enhances throttle response without compromising range and performance, making it versatile for both city and highway driving. Sport mode, my favourite, unleashes the car’s full potential. The power delivery is so aggressive in Sport mode that it can cause wheelspins even at speeds around 60 kph. While the range drops drastically in this mode, the thrilling experience makes it a fair trade-off.

The Curvv EV’s suspension and chassis are well-tuned, ensuring a comfortable ride even on poor roads. The large 18-inch alloy wheels pass on a lot of road noise into the cabin, especially from speed bumps and potholes. However, the hindrance is only auditory and does not cause major discomfort to the ride quality. The steering response is excellent; it always feels connected to the road and provides good feel and feedback.

Battery, range and charging

The Tata Curvv EV is offered in two battery options; 45 kWh and 55 kWh. We have been driving the top-end variant of the car with the large battery pack and a claimed range of up to 585 km. Tata also says that the real-world range of this car can be somewhere between 400 to 425km and they are nearly accurate this time.

While traveling with four passengers, with the air conditioning running and in Eco mode, we managed to cover four kilometers for every per cent of battery charge. This indicates that by driving cautiously, it is possible to exceed 400 kilometers on a full charge. On the other hand, in Sport mode, the vehicle uses 10 per cent of its battery charge every 25-30 kilometers, which limits the range to between 250 and 300 kilometers.

The Curvv EV supports 70kW DC fast charging, which charges the battery from 10 to 80 per cent in 40 minutes. A 7.2 kW AC wall box charger can take the battery from 10 to 100 per cent in 7.9 hours. The standard 15A home charger takes 21 hours for a full charge.

Safety

Safety is a highlight of Tata cars, and the Curvv EV is no exception. It includes features like all-wheel disc brakes, ABS with i-VBAC, ESP, traction control, a 360-degree view, six airbags, and many more modern safety aids. It also has received a 5-star crash-worthiness rating from BNCAP, hence, it is safe to say that safety is sorted here.

The car also comes with Level 2 ADAS features. However, my experience with ADAS was mixed. Emergency brakes were sometimes triggered incorrectly, although the adaptive cruise control worked well on highways. Still, it wasn’t always enjoyable due to the unpredictable driving of others. I believe that ADAS currently has very limited benefits in Indian driving conditions. 

Verdict

The Curvv EV starts at an ex-showroom price of INR 17.49 lakh, and it goes up to INR 21.99 lakh for the top-end variant. 

In our evaluations, the Curvv EV demonstrated impressive cabin and cargo space, exciting performance, and practicality. Featuring high ground clearance, 18-inch alloy wheels, and a real-world driving range of about 400 km, it serves as an ideal vehicle for long-distance travel. Although we assessed the top-tier variant, I suggest opting for the Accomplished 55 variant, which provides the best value for its price with a sizable 55 kWh battery and all necessary features.

Although the Tata Curvv EV doesn't have direct rivals (as far as the segment is concerned), you can get newly launched electric SUVs like the Hyundai Creta EV, Mahindra BE 6 and Maruti Suzuki e Vitara. You are likely to find these alternatives better than the Curvv EV in some way or the other -- one may offer better equipment, whereas the other may offer a lower price. Citroen is the only other brand in India to have a coupe SUV in its lineup, but there's an issue associated -- the Citroen Basalt is not an EV like the Curvv EV. Tata's product is a well-rounded package in comparison.

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