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The Bolt designers have kept the overall profile and stance of the new hatchback similar to earlier models from the Tata stable. Some believe this has been done deliberately to maintain the identity of the car as a Tata product.
Whatever may be the case, the truth is that all the components including the interior-exterior panels, powertrain and underpinnings have been thoroughly re-engineered to make Bolt, in effect, an almost brand new product. So we will try to review the exterior design of Tata Bolt without bringing Vista into picture but for those who want to pit Bolt against Vista, here is our comparison.
Tata Bolt Front Profile Review
Front is dominated by smoked headlamp housings which forms a nice background for the segment first low beam halogen projectors.
There is a neat chrome-look ring around the projector bulb giving it an eye like effect. Also there are large boomerang shaped chrome elements at the top and bottom of the lamp which looks like LEDs though these are just reflectors.
The smiley-face grill has a stretched honeycomb pattern and gets Tata emblem in the middle, chrome stripe on the top, and the bottom gets outlined by piano black surrounds only unlike Zest which get a layer of chrome as well.
The bonnet rises at both ends before falling to seamlessly merge with side fenders and comes with a V-shaped crease at the center creating an impression of a power bulge in the middle. Above the bonnet, there is a black plastic cladding that houses the two spray nozzles of windshield washer.
Front bumper looks big with wide air intake being sculpted in an inverted smile shape. It also houses the fog lamp console with chrome inserts unlike the DRLs in Zest on the bottom edge to balance out the chrome in the headlamps. Overall it adds to the agile look of the front.
For reasons best known to Tata, the Bolt comes with an extra-long radio antenna on the front which does not really gel with the overall aesthetic of the design. The Zest wears its antenna at the rear which looks to be a more appropriate place.
Tata Bolt Side Profile Review
Bolt’s side profile is similar to the Vista (oops..) but thanks to the blackened B and C pillars creating a floating roof effect along with the prominent shoulder & character lines and a relatively small gap in the wheel arches adding up to give the new hatchback a fresh and trendy look.
The C pillar gets a matt black finish with graphic design on it that has been made possible by applying vinyl wrap instead of using the usual body paint or plastic cladding like in new Hyundai i20. Overall Bolt’s side profile looks clean with no plastic strips or claddings anywhere.
Tata Bolt Rear Profile Review
Rear looks modest in comparison to the relatively stylish front-end. But still the design is unlike any of the previous generation Tata cars.
Gone are the Christmas tree like vertical tail lamps, rightfully replaced with fresh looking flame-shaped units that gel very well with the overall proportion of the car. But unlike Zest they are non LED. To maintain design uniformity, a glossy black plastic panel has been added between the C pillar and the rear windscreen and a small body colour insert is present just above the tail lights.
Just like the front, the back bumper also looks fat but the black plastic cladding at the bottom succeeds in hiding the visual bulkiness and comes with a fog lamp mounted in the center. Going with the general trend, Tata has not provided a handle or recess to lift the tailgate up. So one needs to hold on to the chrome garnish above the number plate while opening the hatch, which does not feels very convenient.
Sporty looking rear spoiler houses the stop lamp and is neatly attached to the roof. The back windscreen gets its own wiper with a washer spray nozzle integrated on it. Also the exhaust pipe is designed to hide behind the rear bumper. The combined effect of all these elements result in a very neat looking back-end for Bolt.
Final Words : Tata Bolt Exterior Review
The Bolt design is said to be a result of best ideas from Tata‘s design studios at India, UK and Italy. This effort definitely shows on the overall exterior design along with fit & finish of the Bolt, which is way ahead of Tata’s past cars. Panel gaps are tight and consistently spaced; the integration of the various new elements looks clean, no apparent cost cutting is visible anywhere and unlike its competitors, Bolt manages to looks mature and sporty at the same time.
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