Tata 45X, Maruti Baleno Rival, Spied Again

Published November 28, 2018
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To be launched in 2019, the large hatchback is in the final stages of testing

Tata 45X Hatchback Spied ZigWheels Exclusive

The Tata 45X continues to be extensively tested on public roads.
New exclusive spy shots show the car with non-production lights and tasty 8-spoke alloy wheels.
Like the Tata Nexon, the upcoming hatchback retains many design features shown in its concept form.

A new set of of exclusive spy shots show the Tata 45X hatchback on test near Pune, Maharashtra. The Maruti Suzuki Baleno rival will be launched in the second half of 2019 and is expected to inject a fresh breath of air in a segment which has not seen any updates in a long time except for the Honda Jazz facelift and constant updates to the Volkswagen Polo.

Maruti Suzuki is expected to make things difficult for the 45X by launching a mid-life facelift of the Maruti Suzuki Baleno around the same time. Ford too will put its fighter in the ring with an update to the Figo, with design updates similar to the Freestyle and the new Aspire. An all-new Hyundai i20 will join the melee sometime in 2020.

What’s new in the latest spy shots? Apart from a look at what could be production-spec 16-inch alloy wheels, nothing much we haven’t seen before. The 8-spoke alloy wheels have been inspired from the units seen on the concept back at the 2018 Auto Expo.

The edgy design seen on the concept seems to have been carried over on to the production version with compromises made to make it road-worthy. The door handles on the front doors are conventional while the rear ones sit somewhat flush in a quarter panel behind the rear windows. The grille may not be as inset as the one on the concept for functional/safety reason. Finally, the wild looking roof-mounted spoilers have been given a miss, but these could be seen on future test mules or on the final production model.

While engine and transmission details are yet to be revealed, the 45X is expected to get the same engines as the Nexon. These could be offered in a different state and will comply with BSVI emissions norms too. Manual transmissions will be offered on most variants. AMTs or automatic transmissions could be offered if they match the characteristic of the car. We know that Jayem Tata Performance (JTP) will have a crack at making the 45X go as fast as it looks, expect a firebreather of a car to slot in above the Tiago JTP.