Excellent Product-Poor post-sales service

Exterior Very good. Fit & Finish has been improved. Headlights and tail-lamps are also very good. Styling is pleasing.  

Interior (Features, Space & Comfort) Console is excellent. Seating and floor trims are pedestrian - need improvement. Seats are spacious and comfortable, but the upholstry needs drastic improvment. Colour chocie of the fabric upholstry is baffling. Bottle holders / Door storage spaces are absolutely useless.- too small even to hold small water bottles. Arm-rest is mediocre.

Airconditioning is excellent - I see it as the best in its class. I own a SKODA and a Micra. A/C and climate control is far superior in Tata Bolt. Air flow vents  and air-flow directional controls are not good compared to Micra or any Hyundai cars.

Dashboard is a beauty. Control knobs are at the right places, ergonomically placed, smooth to operate. This is excellence at its best. Electroncs, music system, blue-tooth connectiivity, Connect-Next , ACC, voice-activated conrols and the like are way ahead of the competition in this proice range, much better than the one found in SKOADA Rapid! Speakers deliver precisely the sound with high quality.

The seat belts need sepcial metion: They do not do what they are expected to do. If you think this seat belt will save you in an accident, increase your insurance cover by 10 fold. The belts do not tighten and retract after the seat belt is locked. extra length limply lies on your lap! I tried to convince the service guys with photos and everyone of them says that this how it is in every Tata Bolt car! I think Tata Motors should find a better vendor for this supply and may even have to recall vehicles to replace it. This is a saety-related issue.

The igniticion key is supplied to TATA BOLT by the same maker (HELLA) who supplies to SKODA and VW. But perhaps, this vendor sends all the seconds and rejects, to Tata Bolt! 

Engine Performance, Fuel Economy and Gearbox Engine is very well designed. Surprisingly the power and torque are good. Acceleration therefore is very smooth. Micra (Petrol versions) has a perceptible lag on a gradient, where as Tata Bolt surpasses expectations. Fuel economy is very good. I drive over 200 KMS daily on the national higway with mileage averaging close to 20-21 KMS to a litre of diesel consistently, at over 100 KMPH and with A/C on.  I have had no complaints on the engine and gear box in the last 15000 KMs that I have driven in six months. Gear Shift lever is in the right place and shifts smoothly, without any vibration even at lower speeds. This engine is very quite and is hardly audible when you are travelling at around 80 - 90 KMs. Engine does seem to loose its nerve to cross 120 KMS even on the best stretches of roads.

Ride Quality & Handling Ride quality is superb. Gound clearance is much more than in most compact hatch backs. Suspension is very good, handling is very comfortable and without any strain. EPAS helps smooth and easy steering. No complaints. I do not know what cornering control does, but it must be quietly doing its job - I have had no problems of loss of stability or rolling taking turns at high speeds - SKODA stands a shade better in this department, though MICRA does roll perceptability while cornering. 

Final Words TATA Bolt is worth the money invested in it. It may not have the brand image to boost its sales volume, and may be the underdog (with the INDCA stigma) atttached to it. Nonetheless, this product deserves more sales than SWIFT or any other hatchback in this segment. TATA's Design Engineers have done a great job, but the product may have to shed the shape and leanings on the INDCA platform which connects (though inadverdently) to the impressions of a Cab! 

Areas of improvement Tata service centres are within easy reach. I have to fight with Sayar Motors (a dealer of Tata Vehicles in Vellore) even to make them understand the simple complaints that I explain to them. But the service mechanics must have been maintaining Auto Rikshaws. Even though I am tolernt, these guys can exaspirate you. Sayar Motors, Vellore is an utter disgrace. But this is not a sweeping comment about other Tata Service Centres.

Rtn. Prof. E.I. Ravindranath.

Tata Bolt undoubtedly the best value at this price-point!Post-sales service is pathetic