Tata Nano 2013 Review

It may not be on Fusion Automotive's shopping list right now, but the diminutive Tata Nano has some future potential. At least that's what we thought after testing one of them at the Tata test track near Mumbai.

The original idea was to make the car accessible to the masses of India, but a year later everything changed and now it is used as a mini-car for the city.

PRICE AND FEATURES

The most important thing about this little car is its price. Its cost is equivalent to $3000, which is less than what many Australians pay for a push bike. From this point of view, this is a very attractive little jigger. And inside is not so little.

It has room for four tall people, has air conditioning, and despite the 28kW/51Nm 634cc two-cylinder engine and four-speed gearbox, it runs pretty well. This is because its mass is only 600 kg. And one windshield wiper, three studs to attach each of the saucer-sized wheels, and a few other cost-saving measures.

DRIVING

We managed to get one of them up to 85 km/h on a short test track, and the advantage of this is that there is very little chance of triggering the Multanova or other safety device invented by politicians. The suspension is all independent, but without anti-roll bars. And to get to the trunk, you need to fold the rear seat.

The steering was a little questionable, as were the four drum brakes, but for three grand, we think it's a lot better than a bike. Another question is whether it will pass our safety crash tests. However, it should perform better than a bike.

And if it can handle the roads of India, it will definitely last a long time on our smooth pavement. We had a lot of fun in it. But don't expect an Australian release. At least for a couple of years - by then our cities may be so congested that Nanos may be the answer.