A new bird joins the Tata flock

Tata Motors passenger vehicles is adding another SUV to its South African line-up: the Tata Osprey. I have to admit that I am still wondering why Tata did not stick with calling it the Nexon. The vehicle is, after all, the Tata Nexon underneath the South African-specific naming exercise, and I personally think Nexon would have suited the South African market rather well.  Nexon is already an established name with a sizeable following in India. The Nexon is one of Tata Motors’ most successful passenger vehicles and has found more than 1.1-million homes in India.

However, South Africa gets its own version of the compact SUV, with Tata tailoring the Osprey for local tastes and requirements.

The name is inspired by the osprey bird, an accomplished creature that spends its time negotiating sky, land and water. That does tie in nicely with the SUV idea, although most Osprey owners are probably more likely to encounter shopping centres, school runs and potholes than remote wilderness.

The Osprey measures 3,995mm in length, making it compact enough for city driving and parking, while still offering a useful 382-litre boot. Ground clearance of 208mm should also come in handy when the road surface becomes less than perfect.

Safety is one of the strongest aspects of the Osprey package, with all four derivatives getting six airbags, Electronic Stability Programme, ABS with Electronic Brakeforce Distribution, ISOFIX child-seat anchors with top tether, seatbelt reminders for all occupants and rear parking sensors.

The vehicle also benefits from the crash-test record of the Nexon on which it is based. The latest-generation Tata Nexon achieved a five-star rating in the Global NCAP #SaferCarsForIndia assessment published in 2024. Its bodyshell was rated stable, with strong scores recorded for adult and child occupant protection.

All four Osprey derivatives use the same 1.2-litre turbocharged three-cylinder petrol engine, producing 88.2kW at 5 500r/min and 170Nm between 1 750 and 4 000r/min.

The entry-level Smart+ gets a five-speed manual gearbox, while the rest of the range uses a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission.

The automatic derivatives get a Smart E-Shifter, steering-mounted paddle shifters and eco, city and sport driving modes.

The entry-level Osprey Smart+ MT costs R249,900 and comes with a turbocharged engine and manual gearbox, six airbags, ESP, ABS with EBD, a seven-inch touchscreen, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, LED headlamps and daytime running lights, rear parking sensors and 16-inch wheels.

For another R30,000, the Smart+ DCA adds a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission, paddle shifters and drive modes.

Then comes the Creative DCA at R309,900. The equipment list starts getting considerably more generous, with a 10.25-inch Harman infotainment system, automatic climate control with rear air vents, cruise control, a 360-degree surround-view camera and Blind View Monitor. Alloy wheels and roof rails are also included.

At the top of the pile is the Creative+ PS DCA at R329,900. This gets full LED headlamps and connected LED tail lamps, along with an electric panoramic sunroof. Inside, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, wireless smartphone charging, keyless entry and push-button start add to the convenience factor. Front parking sensors and a tyre pressure monitoring system are also fitted.

Pricing includes a five-year/125, 000km warranty, and a three-year/45,000km service plan which form part of the TataMove promise.

* Sheryl Goldstuck is general manager of World Wide Worx and editor of GadgetWheels. Follow her on Bluesky on @crazycatbuzz.bsky.social.