[pk_del]

Thanks Aditya and GTO for the update and review of Altroz iTurbo.

Altroz is already raking in numbers for Tata and this version should help them to strengthen their position further.

Altroz is perfectly placed in this limited playing field where only few players are there. I think this is the reason despite having lesser powerful engine people have accepted it.

Now, as a buyer if I am looking for a new and good fresh hatch which I can use for city commute, can carry sufficient luggage for short trips for a family of four, can help me to have some fun and looks smashing.

Then the choices again narrows down to two recent launches i20 and Altroz.

Now, I then think of budget and am looking something between 6-9 L (ex showroom), then it again narrows down to Altroz and i20 (limited variant choices in the price band) petrol and Altroz Diesel and the new entrant Altroz iTurbo (assuming its priced correctly).

This is where Tata has played a disruptive game, the same thing we are seeing now which we saw when i20 was launched - Market disruption.

Altroz, right now has no new competitor when it comes to the features and priced it is placed in.

If I am a family person, and need a safe car, for city and short trips, and I dont care for six speed or a hot hatch, then my hunt will end at Altroz.

And if I am single and want a car in the 7-9L which has looks, decent power for some fun, connected car features to impress my friends, voice recognition and decent features then it will be between i20 and Altroz iTurbo.

Yes, DCT/AT and sunroof will further push the numbers for Altroz, and I believe we may see the sunroof in Altroz very soon.

So in my opinion Altroz, with all the three engine versions, is very well placed and will cater to larger audience/buyers.

Now after reading this review I am itching to test drive it

-PK

[museycal]

Originally Posted by ZenMaster

A large volume of buyers looking for an Altroz are people looking for a relatively "premium" car and not willing to compromise in terms of power unlike a typical Tiago buyer who is looking for their 1st entry level car or a second city run-about car etc.

Umm, more than 15-17000 buyers every month plonk good amount of money on an ~83HP Baleno.
Before the very recent launch of TGDi DCT i20, the most powerful Elite i20 was 89HP 1.4 CRDi, the Elite i20 petrol was 82HP IIRC. And even it used to do more than 8000 units per month on an average.
Now, lets just recollect how many nos. the 109HP Polo and 95HP Figo cousins do?

Come on guys, it is out there for all of us to see that the Altroz in its recent forms is not an enthusiasts' product. Even Tata never claimed it to be. But lets just cut some slack to Tata and not deride their various departments, for this car is one of their most well engineered and rounded mass appeal product to come from their factories. Which is also vindicated by the recent sales numbers of more than 5900 per month in past 4 months on a trot.

(I don't mean this to sound like a fanboy rebuttal/rant, its just that for once lets admire/appreciate the car for what it is, rather than deride it for what it is not).

[Sounak04]

A very well written review. I have to say this engine in Tata Altroz really gives it a breath of fresh air.

I have driven the N/A Tata Altroz quite extensively as one of my close friend owns one. The performance from that engine was always lacking especially on highways with full load of passengers and their luggage.

Seeing the initial reviews, it seems like Tata has finally giving the engine which Altroz deserves. I would love to try out this new engine.

I still do not understand why Tata does not give a Auto box to this Car. Tata did the same thing with Harrier when it launched the Auto Box only in the refreshed model. That being said, if the rumours are to be believed, Tata is already developing a DCT gearbox. I do not know how reliable the DCT will be as we have seen DCTs of Ford, VW and Hyundai having some serious reliability issues. Also, seeing Tata Cars from the past, their first batch of Vehicles always have some or other issues. Going by that, I do not think a Proper Auto GB will be coming 2022. I still feel Tata should with a Torque Convertor.

[shancz]

Thanks for the review, finally the Altroz which should've been launched.

Originally Posted by Aditya

• Max revs of merely 5,500 rpm! That's way too low for a petrol

Is it possible that this might be a limiter for the test vehicles and the actual production cars will rev to normal RPMs ?
Although I don't see any reason for it but false hopes on my part

I too join fellow BHPians in expecting the DCT version to the have Nexon spec engine.
But seriously Tata has to stop this incremental release of power and gears (Harrier was enough).

[Dr.Suraj]

Originally Posted by landcruiser123

TML probably doesn't have the expertise to develop one in-house, but they can certainly source a good GB from Aisin or some other reputed manufacturer.

The 'Wet' Clutch DCT is under development with part of the components sourced from Punch Power and the stalk/know from Schaeffer. Expected by Q3 2021. First in the Altroz, then the Nexon.
This is to the best of my knowledge. I will gladly welcome corrections.

[Elito11]

On paper it has all the makings of a success. Its a petrol, its a hatch and its even got space! I will be in the market for a petrol car by end of this year, and as of now this is top of my list!

[Benoit]

I bought the altroz XZ D for 10.5L on road including all the additional accessories and extended warranty. A cousin bought the i20 Asta(O) Petrol manual for 10.6L. Anyone looking to buy a NA petrol i20 will now consider the Altroz and will happily buy an equally good looking car with turbo petrol engine that is safer and cheaper by around 1L. This will surely dent i20 sales considerably.

[slayer23]

This is indeed a perfectly timed launch! A powerful hatch will surely be appreciated y the market. Automatic will be the icing on the cake! I have always loved the looks of Altroz and this engine really does push me to consider this.

Really happy with the direction TM is taking on the whole with their strategy. Would love to see them move into double-digit market share soon!

[PrasannaDhana]

I went through 0-100 kmph runs of Altroz 1.5 diesel and was surprised to find out that it took a leisurely 13 seconds to a ton, that too on speedo and not on VBox(which would be a second more).

In comparison, the turbo petrol definitely will be more fun to drive and if they price it 1 lakh lesser than the diesel, you get compensated for the comparatively low fuel efficiency that the petrol gives.

So if one is looking at a diesel hatchback that is also exciting, we have no other option that the Figo 1.5 TDCI.

I guess Polo tsi and Altroz 1.2 iTurbo will be tough contestants to pick from when one's looking at a primary car. Polo being the exciting one while the Altroz turbo being the all rounder that cannot be ignored.

[2000rpm]

@ Mods

Any feedback on the Ground clearance of the Altroz. I think its very low and will cause problems in case of any roads which are next to perfect (huge potholes, large breakers).

[Dr.Naren]

Not at all a hot hatch!!

I came across this video where 0-120 and in-gear acceleration timing was done, not sure if any equipment like V-Box was used.

https://youtu.be/Ac5NG7oFBIY

Autocar, OD etc have got 0-100 timing of ~12.7 seconds, slower than the claimed 11.9s by Tata.

[mayd85]

I guess when it comes to launching higher power engine, AT/DCT or any other important feature, TML is taking it slow due to its earlier image of launching half-baked products in terms of quality and product validation. It just doesn't want to launch anything that's not extensively tested. If it means launching products which are missing some key features or variants, so be it! Even if it means a poorer image in terms of product planning or management (for which it'll get bashed in knowledgeable crowd like this one), Tata certainly won't come of as a company with bad products in the market. And considering the baggage the company carries, I think it's a reasonable approach.

We need to understand that for any company going from mediocre products to great products is not only a change in terms of design. It's a massive change in the company's culture and that's more complex and difficult to bring about. It calls for changes right from company's mission and vision & leadership all the way to internal processes & people. Existing silos need to be broken, organizational structure shaken down, people need to be let go, younger talent needs to be pushed up the org ladder and what not. It's not easy to achieve in a short span for such a big company like Tata. Tatas have known to be a lenient bunch when it comes to dealing harshly with their people and that has of course come back to bite them in the buttocks in past. But seems like it's all changing now for good.

And when it comes to major things like powertrain, one cannot rush into launches. Automotive history is dotted with failures due to rushed launches and Tata knows that (a little too well, I feel). New powerplants and transmissions are looked at as platforms which cater to a generation of models to come. If Tata is taking its sweet time to test them extensively in order to make them flawless, good for them. Losing business because a product cannot cater to a part of overall market may be a calculated risk Tata has taken in order to have the product in the market in time. It's purely a business call. In summary, even though I am sad to see new Tata products missing important features, I am happy to see that these are not bad quality products. I will still give them more time and hope everything will fall in place in times to come.

[akshye]

Among other mainstream reviewers, stands humble Team-BHP:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DjjZsA8XdGo

[terra85]

Why is TATA planning to get a dual clutch. They have more or less proven unreliable in our country. A CVT or a plain old TQ would do. I don't expect much improvement to be seen in gearbox technology considering the shift towards electrification anyways.

[Beelzebub]

Sirish Chandran comments on Altroz Turbo:



Link