The Tata Kite 5 has been been unveiled for the first time. This is another compact sedan from Tata Motors and this one is based on the Tata Zica platform. The Kite 5 is the code name for the Zica sedan that will be launched sometime in 2017.
The front of the Kite 5 resembles that of the Zica. It has a honeycomb mesh grille with chrome surrounds with the same Zica headlamps. The Kite 5’s side profile the similar to the Zica. The blacked-out pillars and the roof makes the Kite 5 look swanky. The the wing mirror too get the black treatment and they even have LED indicators. There is a prominent crease line that rises as you move towards the rear. The eight bi-spoke alloy wheels makes the Kite 5 look stylish. This compact sedan’s biggest USP is its design. The rear has almost a sloping roof that makes it look class apart from the rest of the compact sedans. The others look a bit out of proportion and the boot still looks like an after thought, but on Kite 5, the sedan looks a lot more stylish than the hatchback version.
The interiors of the Kite 5 are the same like the Zica. There is the new styling for the instrument panel that makes it feel very upmarket. The newly designed centre consoles adds to the styling quotient. The interior theme is black to make it look sporty. The three-spoke steering wheel is from the Zica and even the instrument cluster is made up of twin dials with the driver information system at the centre. The in-dash music system is Harman and it is connected to eight speakers. There is climate control air-con too. The Kite 5’s space is one of its strong points, be the front or the rear. There are about 22 storage spaces in the Zica and even the Kite 5. Both share the same wheelbase, so the interior cabin space and stowage will also remain the same.
The engine options on the Kite 5 will be the new 1.2-litre three-cylinder petrol engine that churns about 80bhp of power and other one is a 1.05-litre diesel engine that produces close to 70bhp of power. These engines will come mated to a five-speed manual transmission and they will even have an AMT on offer in the near future. The Kite 5 has the same powertrain options like the Zica, however there will be a change in suspension tuning as the Kite 5 will be more heavier. So, ideally the rear might be a bit more softer than the Zica.
