Tata Zest Review

The Zest has a pleasant face but the short, stubby boot gives the otherwise full-bodied Tata an awkward stance; and at 390 litres it's not the most accommodating either. It’s a different story on the inside. There’s loads of room and the sofa-like rear bench can even seat three, abreast in comfort. Of the things to bring up, there is a shortage of storage spaces in the cabin and while the dash is neatly styled, it’s set a bit high and could limit the view out for shorter drivers.
The Zest’s 90hp, 1.2-litre turbo-petrol engine delivers reasonable performance and is very refined too; but isn’t exciting. Likewise, the 1.3-litre diesel engine, offered in 75hp and 90hp states of tune, won’t wow you for performance. The diesel motors are slow to respond under 2,000rpm and that’s a downer in town. The Zest’s manual gearboxes are fine but the diesel-auto’s AMT unit can’t compare with the latest AMTs that are inherently smoother. A light steering makes the Zest easy to live with while the finely sorted suspension soaks up the bumps with ease.