In a reverse strategy, Tata Motors launched a hatchback version of their sub-four-metre sedan, the Zest. We tell you what it’s like from the driver’s seat after a spin in the city of lakes
Story: Aninda Sardar
Photography: Aninda Sardar & Gaurav Thombre
Udaipur, the city of lakes or lake-city, or even the Venice of the East for the ambitious lot, is a gorgeous city. Be it the view from the Sajjangarh Palace that sits high atop a mountain overlooking this beautiful place or the view from the Lake Palace (now a heritage hotel) or from the banks of the Fateh Sagar Lake, every panorama on offer is a sight to behold. And then there is the bold history of a city being founded from the ashes of war. You see, Udaipur was founded by Maharana Udai Singh of Mewar while his capital Chittorgarh was being besieged by Emperor Akbar. Being a history buff I could go on about the city, but, unfortunately, I must cut that short and talk about my reason for being in that beautiful city – the new Tata Bolt 1.2 Revotron.
Seen head-on, you’d be hard put to noticing any difference between the hatch and its sedan sibling. Obviously, things are different when the car is viewed from the rear. The absence of the Zest’s stubby boot can’t be missed. What also can’t be missed are the tail-lamps on the Bolt, the design being quite a visual improvement over what has been seen on the Indica range. At first glance, the build quality of the vehicles seems to have improved over the previous vehicles as well, though panel gaps in certain areas could still be worked on.
Inside, the feel is very very familiar to what you’d get in the Zest, given that the interiors are virtually identical. Again, there’s noticeable improvement all around over previous products to wear the ‘T’ badge of Tata Motors. The quality of plastics is now a couple of shades better than before and the fit-and-finish levels are a notch higher as well. However, Tata Motors will still have their work cut out since the benchmark in the in-cabin-premium-feel game has moved ahead by a country mile at least. Where the Bolt can take on the entrenched competition and challenge them for the podium spot is in its offer of space. The Bolt, like all Tata Motors vehicles before it, is very high on space. At no point in time will you feel cramped in this vehicle. Low window-sills and large glass areas further complement this feeling of roominess. The Bolt also gets a healthy list of gadgets and gizmos for the techy geek in you. The top-of-the-line spec gets Bluetooth connectivity, touchscreen infotainment system by Harman, video playback, steering-mounted controls, and more.
