TATA Altroz First Drive Review
The model Altroz is known as TATA’s latest modern edition. It was first decided to launch in the year 2019, but was delayed by the company till January 2020, as the company wanted BSVI compliant power plants from the time of launch. The model Altroz was exhibited at the Geneva International Motor Show in 2019. It stands up against the Maruti Suzuki Baleno, Hyundai i20, and its twin Toyota Glanza.
It is based on a new modular platform known as ALFA (Agile Light Flexible Advanced), which is lighter in comparison to what TATA motors have been introducing. In terms of stiffness and safety, the platform is built in a better way. It certainly meets all the future safety protocols, especially in India.
The new platform is designed to work as an adaptable system for multiple body styles like sedan, MVP, compact SUV, and hatchback. The parts like track, wheelbase, and other features are changeable, and it is engineered to be rigid and light. TATA also claims to utilize energy absorbing structure and modern technology for the purpose of advanced safety. The ALFA platform is designed to facilitate bigger luggage space, as the platform is versatile. You can fix the leg space, as it has a flat floor to maximize the space. It can also hold maximum power trains, and is capable of electrification and hybridisation.
If we talk about styling, this is the second vehicle designed under the Impact design 2.0 language. The company was conventional with the concept of designing for a long period of time and on that level, generation of Indica and iteration looked so much similar.
The new designs of this model along with other features look so bold and eye-catching that TATA vehicles no longer get criticism for dullness. The company’s adventurous approach in the concept of designing is appreciable, and the end result might be more remarkable.
Our adventurous tour was taken in Jaisalmer for the first drive test. It continues to obtain designing and styling components from 45X. By the time they enter the production line, the obvious aspect gets low keyed. But with the bold design base, the car looks flamboyant and gets dramatic styling components like the prominent kink, which starts from A-pillar and goes into the door, where it turns into a rising beltline. The headlights are designed upwards, and with the chrome surrounding garnish that elongates them, they slightly span the length of the bonnet and they also appear longer. The front grille provides vision from a futuristic helmet, but in comparison to other sleek front, it looks slightly upright.
The SUV wheel adds muscle to the sleek profile of the car, which does not provide overall attractiveness. It also has a couple of blacked out portions or according to the company ‘tastefully integrated piano black accents’. Both look attractive, the blacked out portions and blacked out roof on the tailgate as well. About the portion below the side windows that provides the impression of expanding glass area has not provided assurance that much. It will be exciting to see how much all the black will resist to age in hot and sunny countries like ours, as there is nothing more painful than watching your vehicle age before the time.
TATA Altroz Drive on Interior:
The concept of designing is conservative with a seven inch touchscreen dashboard, which includes features like Android, Auto, Apple CarPlay, voice commands, SMS readout, and etc. The display is designed with remarkable graphics and 3 pre-built themes known as Zen, Zing, and Zeal. These themes control components like the instrument panel, color of the display, climate control, sound, and etc. The company has prepared the car with premium features like auto headlamps, sensing wipers, ambient interior lighting, umbrellas in front of door pads, wearable key for passive entry, tweeters, Harman speakers, smartphone navigation, and others as well.
The car gets the features of a flat bottom steering wheel, and the company says that it was opted to improve egress and ingress. It is sporty looking, thick, and you can feel power when using it, which is also one of the best features in this car. It is also designed with an easy to use horn button on ring that surrounds the steering. There is one more thing impressive, which is a gigantic 15 litre cooled glove box. This car also has cavities, slots for knick-knacks, and a removable tray, which creates more space substantially.
The instrument cluster is designed as semi digital with digital RPM meter and analogue speedometer. The tachometer is positioned on the left side and speedo is placed on the right and in between there is digital cluster space, which displays information about other vehicles and it also has fuel gauge. The digital RPM meter indicator needle in the car is hard to read, as it mixes up with background and lack of contrast indicates that you have to pay extra attention to check out the engine revolutions.
The seats in the car are made well shaped with comfortable seating, and the driving position is designed with correct measurement. The passenger cabin has enough space, but the rear sitting arrangement can be a bit of claustrophobic space, as it has a small glass area and rising window line. The armrest can be a beneficial feature, as they are covered with soft fabrics so that you can enjoy the ride at a comfortable position. The cabin has sliding armrests at the front, and the car offers 345 litres of luggage space.
The entire passenger cabin is properly designed with quality materials, and it has wing 90 doors that open at 90 degrees for the allowance of better egress and ingress. It has a sharp sloping A-pillar, where you have to be careful while heading out or getting in. The doors can open wide, but you have to be careful to not hit the doors on the walls or when the car is parked on the sides.
TATA Altroz Drive Review on Engine and Transmission:
Altroz comes with an aspirated 3-cylinder petrol engine, which makes 113 Nm and 86 PS of torque. It provides the feeling of underpowered and you have to revolute it, which is hard to process the real power, and it also gets slightly vocal when it is pushed to the limit. If it is compared, then the 1.5 litre diesel looks more refined, as it generates 200 Nm and 90 PS of torque.
The additional torque provides a better punch and good drivability, but it will be expensive in comparison to the petrol version. It is built with 2 driving modes, which is economy and city, but ultimately the button that helps to switch between them has nothing indicated on it. The weight of the diesel is 1,150 kg more than the petrol (1,114 kg) and both the power plants are designed with 5-speed manuals. With shift quality and precision, you have the option to choose between slots on the transmission.
TATA Altroz Drive Review on driving impression:
It is for sure that the dynamics of driving is the best in this car in comparison to other TATA Altroz Drive Review vehicles so far. The new platform ALFA is strong with stiffness and the suspension in this car is very well sorted as well. The car can deal with all the imperfections on the road with an enjoyable ride. The body roll is well controlled and the steering is designed very good too with accuracy and is also well weighted.
The braking system feels confident and even if it is under hard braking, it handles the line very fine. The modulation and pedal feel is pretty impressive too. The handling can look predictable and the car should be handled carefully on twisty roads, and it was a bit harder to put test on the arrow straight roads in Jaisalmer. It has a sharp rake angle and windscreen, which means more light will enter on the top of the dash, it can also result in reflections and frown on the lower part of the windshield. There is also one more down siding point, and that is reflecting the sunlight into the driver’s eyes, as the door mirrors have chrome garnish. It is distracting and could be a problem.
Price in India:
The company has announced the price range between 5 to 8 lakhs, as it is competing with a lot of remarkable car models like Maruti Suzuki, and others. It is more likely to hit the completion level pretty impressively.