Tata Motors, a prominent Indian automaker and parent company to Jaguar Land Rover, is set to debut a sedan concept based on its 45X Hatchback Concept launched at India’s 2018 Auto Expo. The new model will supposedly be called the 45X Sedan. Its debut will happen at the 2018 Geneva International Motor Show, which kicks off March 6.

The 45X Sedan will share the same underpinnings as the 45X Hatchback – Tata’s futuristic AMP platform. The architecture is designed to accommodate both left- and right-hand driving position, along with complying with future crash testing regulations.

Tata is expected to release production versions of both the 45X Hatchback and Sedan, with both targeting the premium side of their respective markets. The hatch is due first with an expected on-sale date of 2019 in India. Tata will likely announce its plans for the 45X Sedan at the Geneva show.

Continue reading for more information.

2018 Tata 45X Sedan

Specifications
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  • Model: 2018 Tata 45X Sedan
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Pros
Cons

Tata 45X Sedan Exterior

At this point, all Tata has released is a single teaser photos showing a headlight and fog light shining brightly against a darkened background as a faint light highlights the curves and sharp character lines in the 45X’s hood and front quarter panel.

Though the photo doesn’t show much, we do expect the 45X Sedan to have a somewhat similar appearance to the 45X Hatchback. The two will share Tata’s Impact 2.0 design language seen on the H5X SUV – another model that debuted at the 2018 Auto Expo.

The 45X Sedan will likely be longer than the 45X Hatch’s 167-inch length and have a longer wheelbase than the Hatch’s short 103-inch wheelbase. On the other hand, Tata could keep everything the same for the sake of cost and production, while simply modifying the roofline and rear end design.

Tata 45X Sedan Interior

Nothing is officially known about the 45X Sedan’s interior, however, we’re betting it will look very similar to the 45X Hatchback’s – at least in the dashboard.

The all-glass cockpit features a wide, uninterrupted screen used for both the gauge cluster and infotainment system with almost no distinction between the two. The HVAC controls are even housed on a touchscreen, separately located where the center console normally resides. And since there is no engine ahead of the front occupants, the firewall is pushed very far forward to create a large, open area for legroom.

Being a sedan, we expect seating for four or five people, depending on how Tata arranges the interior. Our guess is a production model will have room for five.

Tata 45X Sedan Drivetrain

Tata has not announced powertrain information for the 45X Sedan, though the car is expected to be fully electric. The range could be between 150 and 300 miles and charge times take less than four hours when connected to a 240-volt charge point. Being a sedan, the car will likely be front-wheel drive, though with the AMP architecture, it’s possible Tata could offer all-wheel drive as an option.

Tata could announce specifics at the 2018 Geneva International Motor Show, but we don’t expect to hear anything concrete until a production model arrives.

Tata 45X Sedan Competition

Honda City

The City is a sedan version on the popular Honda Jazz hatchback. In other words, it’s the perfect competitor to the Tata 45X sedan, which is based on the 45X hatchback. The world can sometimes be a magical place. Anyway, the Honda City offers that sub-Civic small-car feel that’s perfect for tight urban roads and those on a budget. Interior room is surprisingly good for such a small car and trunk space is also reasonable.

Power comes from a 1.5-liter four-cylinder making 118 horsepower and 107 pound-feet of torque. it mates to a manual transmission or an optional Continuously Variable Transmission. Naturally, only the front wheels receive power.

Most impressively, the 2018 Honda City starts at only $15,990 in its base trim and with the manual gearbox. The range-topping model with the CVT starts around $21,590. There’s no wonder why the Honda City was the highest selling compact sedan in India in 2017.

Read our full review on the Honda City.

Volkswagen Ameo

Like the Tata 45X sedan and Honda City, the Volkswagen Ameo is a sedan version of its hatchback cousin, in this case, the Volkswagen Polo. As such, the Ameo is nearly identical to the Polo ahead of its C-pillars. From the dash to the drivetrain, the two cars are basically one in the same. That’s just fine considering the interior is typical Volkswagen and looks modern and minimalistic.

The drivetrain comes standard with a 1.2-liter three-cylinder making 74 horsepower and a 1.5-liter TDI with 108 horsepower. Front-wheel drive is standard, as is a manual transmission. An optional seven-speed DSG is available.

Price wise, the Ameo starts at $8,400 U.S. dollars at current conversion rates, making a pretty solid bargain as far as new vehicles go. With all the option boxes checked, the Ameo will cost upwards of $16,000.

Read our full review on the 2017 Volkswagen Ameo

Conclusion

Tata’s movement into the upper luxury levels of the Indian automotive market could likely be attributed to its ownership and huge success with Jaguar Land Rover. While the 45X Hatchback and Sedan won’t be some ostentatious Tata dressed as a Jag, but both could offer a high-tech option for customers needing something on the small end of the size scale.

We should know more about the Tata 45X Sedan as information becomes available at the 2018 Geneva International Motor Show, so stay tuned to TopSpeed.com as news breaks.

References

Read more Geneva Motor Show news.

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