Tata Altroz

Tata Altroz Expert Verdict

Tata Altroz Detailed Review

• Altroz Exterior

  Just like every new car, the Altroz started life as a concept in the form of the ‘45X concept’ that was previewed at the 2018 Auto Expo. However, unlike most production cars, the Altroz has stayed true to its concept, except, of course for the larger-than-life dimensions. The front-end is in accordance with the Impact Design 2.0 philosophy and looks quite futuristic and incredibly attractive. The sharp nose is further enhanced by sleek headlamps, while the bonnet gets some bold creases for a muscular look.

  In the side profile, the highlights include ample use of black plastic trim on the window line while the pillar-mounted rear door handles and the sloping roofline give the car a very sporty look. Even the well-pronounced shoulder line adds a strong visual element to the side. Other highlights include supercar-inspired thin stalks for the door mirrors and 16-inch diamond-cut alloy wheels.

  

  The rear-end is even more stylish. This is thanks to the black finish on the tailgate and the sleek wrap-around taillamps that are partially blacked out to give the posterior a sporty touch. The black elements present a highly appealing contrast with the base body paint, while bits like the all-LED taillamps and roof spoiler make the car look more premium than most of its rivals. Finally, the recently launched Dark Edition takes things a notch higher with a bold all-black colour theme.

  Summary

  Based on the incredibly attractive 45X concept, the Tata Altroz turns out to be the most attractive car in its segment by a huge margin. The Dark edition adds a bold touch to the already attractive design.

• Altroz Interior

  The interior is as likeable as the exterior. But as you enter this car, you’ll realize that the doors open at an angle of 90-degree, which makes ingress as well as egress really very easy. This feature alone can play a key role in case one lives with the elderly. Meanwhile, the interior design impresses with its neatness and various modern touches. For example, the instrument console is a part-digital unit that is similar to what the Harrier offers. The steering wheel, meanwhile, comes from the Nexon facelift.

  The black-light grey dual-tone finish further enhances the sense of airiness of an already spacious cabin. The top section of the dashboard benefits from soft-touch plastic while the customizable ambient lighting makes the dashboard look even cooler in the dark. The centre console holds a 7-inch floating-type touchscreen infotainment unit that supports Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. Other features include keyless entry with push-button start, a Jaguar-like wrist band for keyless entry, umbrella holders, tilt adjustment for the steering wheel, voice commands, cruise control, 15-litre cooled glove compartment, drive modes, auto-headlamps, reverse parking sensors and camera and rain-sensing wipers.

  

  As mentioned above, the cabin is very spacious. The front seats are well-bolstered and will keep you comfortable on long drives. Even the shoulder room is quite generous, while those slightly more than 6-feet tall won’t have an issue with the head-space on offer. In the second row, three can seat abreast as the Altroz is the widest car in its class. The flat floor even helps the middle passenger with enough legroom, while the 340-litre boot space, along with several cubby holes strewn across the cabin, makes the car very practical.

  Summary

  In a manner typical of Tata models, the Altroz offers a spacious cabin that is high on practicality and even offers segment-leading features. Fit and finish levels are largely good on the Altroz. The wide opening doors make ingress and egress an easy affair

• Altroz Ride & Handling

  As is the case with its latest crop of cars, Tata Motors has managed to tune the suspension well even for the Altroz. Underpinned by the new ALFA Arc, the small car offers great high-speed stability while it offers a high mechanical grip in the corners. That said, the suspension has been set up on the softer side, which means the occupants remain comfortable on the bad roads. Around the corners, though, things get a tad unnerving due to a high amount of body roll. The same vertical movement even creeps in during fast lang-changing manoeuvres.

  

   

  

  On the other hand, the steering has been tuned really very well and you’ll be quick to note a remarkable difference in case you’ve been used to driving a Maruti Suzuki or a Hyundai. While it’s not too light, you’ll never mind the slight heft while navigating your way through crowded streets. On the other hand, the talkative nature of the wheel will help you in the corners.

   

   

  Summary

  As has become a norm, Tata Motors has got the suspension settings and the overall dynamics of its latest small car right. The ride-handling balance is perfectly achieved. One can drive the Altroz spiritedly without making the passengers uncomfortable.

• Altroz Performance

  The Tata Altroz is offered with three engine options-  1.2-litre naturally-aspirated petrol, 1.2-litre turbocharged petrol and 1.5-litre diesel. All the motors are available only with a manual transmission for now.

  The turbo-petrol unit is a 3-potter that outputs 110 PS of peak power and 140 Nm of max torque. While this engine doesn’t make the Altroz the best performer of the segment, it’s surely a strong performer. The mid-range performance of the engine is strong and overtaking fast-moving traffic isn’t something that would require years of planning. The turbocharger spools up by 1,500 rpm and the turbo-lag even below this engine speed is not very significant. The NVH (Noise, Vibration and Harshness) control is also impressive as there are almost no vibrations in spite of the motor being a 3-cylinder unit.

  

   

  Source: Tata Altroz

  The 86 PS-113 Nm 3-cylinder 1.2-litre naturally-aspirated petrol engine, on the other hand, will leave you wanting for more power, better refinement and even lower NVH. This variant even suffers from an excessive judder as the automatic start-stop function wakes up the vehicle, while the motor gets a bit too audible when given the stick. While the engine performance is strong at the top-end of the rev-range, the mid-range could have been a lot stronger. Even in the initial revs, the motor leaves you wishing for more grunt. The performance from this engine falls short of expectations, especially if you compare with with the K-series or Kappa motors from Maruti Suzuki and Hyundai, respectively.

  The diesel motor comes from the Nexon but has been de-tuned a bit in interest of high fuel economy. But even with 90PS-200Nm on tap, it feels a lot better than the naturally-aspirated petrol counter part. The tractability offered by this motor is a lot better than not just the less powerful petrol engine but even higher than what the turbo-petro mill offers. In all the cases, the 5-speed manual transmission is a smooth-shifting unit with light clutch action.

  

   

  Summary

  The Tata Altroz is not the quickest car in its segment but its turbocharged petrol and diesel engine options offer a strong performance. The 1.2-litre naturally-aspirated motor, though, leaves a lot more to be desired.

• Altroz Safety

  Pretty unsurprisingly, the Tata Altroz has scored a full 5-star rating at Global-NCAP crash test. With this, the Altroz became the second made-in-India car after the Nexon to bag a full five-star score. Altroz even scored a fantastic 16.13/17 score for adult protection. The independent testing body even noted that the car’s body-shell remained stable in crash and it’s even ‘capable of withstanding further loadings.

  

   

  Speaking of the safety equipment on offer, the premium hatchback from Tata Motors comes with dual front airbags, ABS with EBD, ISOFIX child seat anchorage, rear parking sensors with camera and cornering stability control.

  

   

  Summary

  With a full 5-star rating at Global NCAP, the Tata Altroz is the safest premium hatchback on sale in the country. Dual front airbags, ABS with EBD, ISOFIX child seat anchorage, rear parking sensors with camera, and cornering stability control are all standard across all variants