With the launch of the Harrier SUV early this year, Tata Motors has just warmed up. The automaker is readying up another big launch, in the form of the 45X premium hatchback. Final rounds of testing ahead of the festive season launch are going on, and one of our readers, Mr. Megharaj Javali from Bangalore has sent in these spyshots. Thank you, Megharaj. The spyshots show a near-production version of the 45X hatchback going about its testing duties.
As the spyshots reveal, the Tata 45X promises to be the largest hatchback that the automaker has ever introduced in India. The car is expected to measure just a little under 4 meters in length, and from the looks of it, has a relatively long wheelbase as well. Tata Motors may be working on a sedan based on this hatchback platform, which incidentally is the Advanced Modular Platform (AMP), which Tata calls Alpha.
The Alpha/AMP platform will underpin a range of future Tata cars, and this platform will offer a high level of parts sharing. The Tata 45X premium hatchback will be offered with both steel and alloy wheels. The design of the car will be similar to what was shown through the 45X concept at the 2018 Indian Auto Expo. The car will be offered with petrol and diesel engine options. Meanwhile, here is a teaser video Tata Motors has just released.
It’s likely to have 5 speed manual gearboxes at the outset, with a dual clutch AMT option made available later. The engines in question are likely to be the 1.2 liter turbocharged petrol unit that Tata uses on the likes of the Tiago JTP and the Nexon, and the 1.5 liter turbodiesel engine found on the Nexon. Other details about this car’s mechanicals remain unknown for now.
Premium hatchbacks in India now offer features that are also found on C-Segment sedans. We expect the Tata 45X hatchback to be no different. Tata has typically been known to launch feature-rich cars at very affordable prices. A similar strategy could play out with the 45X premium hatchback, which has to contend with two very formidable rivals in the forms of the Maruti Baleno and the Hyundai i20 Elite.
The 45X is expected to be packed with features. Automatic climate control, cruise control, 6 airbags, ABS, reverse parking camera, power assisted wing mirror folding, multiple driving modes, touchscreen infotainment unit with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, leather seats, 60:40 split rear seat, LED headlamps, DRLs and rear AC vents are the various features the car could get in its top end trim. A near-production version of the Tata 45X will be showcased at the Geneva Motor Show, which kicks off in early March. The actual launch will happen later this year, during the festive season.
