Tata Nexon EV

The Tata Nexon EV is the electric version of India's popular compact SUV, and the car that did the most to make EV ownership feel normal here. The current facelifted model brings sharper styling, a cleaner cabin and two battery options, so buyers can pick between a value-focused short-range pack or a longer-legged one. It pairs an easy, silent drive with the practicality of a regular Nexon, and remains the benchmark most affordable electric SUVs are measured against.

On the move the Nexon EV is exactly what most first-time EV buyers want: smooth, quiet and effortless in city traffic. There's a strong shove of torque the moment you press the accelerator, which makes nipping through gaps genuinely fun, and the absence of gears or engine noise takes the stress out of stop-go commuting. The City and Sport drive modes let you balance range against urgency, and the regenerative braking is now adjustable through steering paddles, so you can dial in how much the car slows when you lift off.

The cabin is the biggest leap over the older car. The dashboard is dominated by a 12.3-inch touchscreen and a fully digital driver's display, and the build feels more upmarket than the price suggests. Space is good for four adults, the boot is usable for a family weekend, and features like ventilated front seats, a wireless charger, a 360-degree camera and an air purifier are available higher up the range. The flat floor and rear AC vents make the back seat comfortable, though three abreast is still a squeeze.

Range is where expectations need managing. The 40.5 kWh Long Range version claims 465 km on the test cycle, which in real Indian conditions with AC on translates to roughly 300-350 km, while the smaller 30 kWh pack is better suited to predictable city use. Fast charging from 10 to 80 percent takes around 40 minutes on a 50 kW DC charger, and a home wallbox will comfortably top it up overnight. As always with EVs, your experience depends heavily on whether you can charge at home or work.

There are rough edges. The ride can feel firm and a little fidgety over broken roads, the touchscreen handles too many functions including basic ones, and some interior plastics don't match the slick screens. It's also not cheap once you climb into the well-equipped variants. But none of these are dealbreakers for the core audience, and Tata's wide service network and growing charging tie-ups make the ownership story more reassuring than most rivals can offer.