[prasaad95]

Originally Posted by PrasannaDhana

15,000 km & 3rd Service Update

2. I have not driven the turbo. I have started to discourage people from buying diesel altroz, especially if they are sedate or overly concerned about fuel efficiency. DPF issues are a pain. As for your query about driveability, i think the diesel will be better as it pushes out more torque at lesser RPM when compared to the turbo petrol

Hey Prasanna, it is a delight to read your "to the point" posts and honest take on what's working and what can be improved.

I have few questions to you, please answer them whenever you get time.

I have booked Altroz Diesel XZ+ Dark Edition. Now I'm in a fix and the only reason is DPF issues. Price wise, both iTurbo and Diesels are similarly priced (30K apart to be precise). The reason I did not go for iTurbo is, for my driving style I'm sure my mileage will be in single digits and like the Diesel version more.

My questions:

1. How should I drive to avoid DPF issues? Watched couple of YouTube videos, which says redline twice or thrice a day. Wish I could talk to you on this
   
2. If DPF issues do crop up, what do service centres do?
   
3. Surprisingly Nexon Diesels have very less DPF issues it seems, your take on it?

I have been using a 2008 Hyundai Santro GLS petrol car, which is more of a fill it, shut it and forget about it machine. Looking for a similar trouble free ownership experience.

[PrasannaDhana]

Originally Posted by Batman_ab

This is really informative and really well written with almost all real-life situations and everything covered. Really helped me in deciding for the ALTROZ DIESEL, as I was also in the situation of buying 1 and your thread really helped me and answered all the questions that i had.

Thank you ! Glad my ownership thread was useful

Originally Posted by LeoChakraborthy

A very well written, informative and practical post. For anyone looking for an all encompassing review of Altroz, this is definitely helpful! Wishing you plenty of happy miles ahead!

Thanks machi. Glad to see you here.

Originally Posted by 5haS_0209

You're really lucky with the damages from the hit. Once my brother was driving from Thiruvallur to Chennai in our Tata Nano, we had a similar incident and our right foglamp was damaged and was fell off the housing. Upon inspecting the damage with TASS, the AC condenser was damaged and had to be replaced and they gave an estimate of Rs.15,000 for the same.

I was indeed lucky

Originally Posted by chaosengine

My nightmare coming true - I've always dreaded imagining the spare 14" steel rim wheels on a gorgeous Altroz with 16" alloys. Would Tata provide us with a spare alloy wheel if we paid for it? Also does the boot allow for a 16" spare wheel of the right size to be fit in it?

Awesome! I currently own a Beat and I have been looking to own an Altroz too, what are the odds! My parents joke that they are wouldn't need to get used to finding the rear door handles on the rear door of the car since they're used to the ones on Beat.

Boot fits the 16 inch wheels. I had the flat tyre kept there before I got it rectified. It fit in the cavity easily.

Beat was a great little car. I loved it. As you said, the unconventional rear door handles bring back Beat memories to us too.

Originally Posted by Navinprakash

@PrasannaDhana - Thank you Bro for your post about the Altroz. When i decide to come back home, I will need 2 cars for me. I made up my mind that one car will be Altroz D based on your reviews & usage reports. I love the way you maintain the cars and documenting it. Kudos.

I am from Batlagundu and feeling nostalgic about the Batalagundu and Kodaikanal when I read the post. Looking forward to travel in the road which I last drove 17 yrs back in bike.

Thank you!

I loved the Batlagundu byepass area. It's serene upto Kodai road.

Originally Posted by Prowler

It looks like it happens more with Tata cars. Our Tiago suffered a dog hit and the fender was bent. You pull hard enough and it slaps back into position with a loud click sound. And the dog survived the ordeal. The fenders are designed well in the sense that they survive and the small animals also survive.

How was the Biryani in the Velu ?

I don't think the dog would have survived. Poor thing, if it had sustained a fracture, it isn't going to survive.

Biriyani in Velu was recommended by TeamBHP Chennai Whatsapp group. My regular outlet is Dindugul Thalapakkatti, but since these guys told me Venu Biriyani has amazing side dishes, I drove to Venu.



Totally unlucky as they had nothing but biriyani that day as CM Stalin was visiting the locality and all delicacies have been sent to meeting venues.

Biriyani was OK. Not excellent and not bad either.

Originally Posted by prasaad95

Hey Prasanna, it is a delight to read your "to the point" posts and honest take on what's working and what can be improved.

I have few questions to you, please answer them whenever you get time.

I have booked Altroz Diesel XZ+ Dark Edition. Now I'm in a fix and the only reason is DPF issues. Price wise, both iTurbo and Diesels are similarly priced (30K apart to be precise). The reason I did not go for iTurbo is, for my driving style I'm sure my mileage will be in single digits and like the Diesel version more.

My questions:

1. How should I drive to avoid DPF issues? Watched couple of YouTube videos, which says redline twice or thrice a day. Wish I could talk to you on this
   
2. If DPF issues do crop up, what do service centres do?
   
3. Surprisingly Nexon Diesels have very less DPF issues it seems, your take on it?

I have been using a 2008 Hyundai Santro GLS petrol car, which is more of a fill it, shut it and forget about it machine. Looking for a similar trouble free ownership experience.

Hey thanks!

1. For DPF to not clog, the soot has to vapourise and pushed out. Only when the engine is run at optimal temperatures for longer durations, the DPF gets regenerated. Good practice is to drive the car at 2500 rpm for atleast 30 minutes every week. To make it simple, do 85-90 kmph in 3rd gear or 100 kmph in the 4th gear on the highway for 20 km.

I usually enjoy the mid range and top end a lot, ie, I do a lot of 3000 - 3750 rpm driving almost daily. But that isn't necessary at all.

2. Service centers run the engine at 3000+ rpm to clear it off. Not sure what else they do.

I am also surprised why nexon Diesels don't have as many DPF reports as Altroz diesel.

If you want to stay away from DPF issues, you need to be driving on highways often. Simple. If you plan on using the car primarily in city and only occasional highway runs, it is better to stick with petrol cars.


Update :

Odo : 17150 km

The 17k odo



You must know we have a Dark Harrier MT. Now another brother of mine has replaced his Vento 1.5 TDI with a Dark Safari AT

Spent some time with it. Heck, I love how convenient AT is, in urban traffic



Safari Dark XZA+ with Altroz Downtown Red XZ+







The little red Altroz from the Safari's 2nd row



Both cars get identical keys



Until next update, signing off with a pic with my little white beauty

[sumitj71]

Originally Posted by PrasannaDhana

The same roads in the celerio will be painful to drive, specially if you like driving spiritedly. Celerio's K10C is reluctant beyond 100 kmph and the 3 cylinder NVH gets worse too. But if you are someone who likes cruising at 70- 80 kmph, the Maruti will surprise you with 25+ kmpl on the same route.

Hello Prasanna, I just love your thread. Your writing is practically very useful, no-nonsense.

I have a request for you..
Can you do a comparison of Altroz diesel and Celerio?

Even a quick comparison would be very useful because I am thinking about upgrading from Nano. My heart is over Altroz diesel engine but my mind is towards Celerio. My daily driving is 70km (85% Highway) and once in 3-4 months a long drive of 1000-1500km. I always dreamed of a diesel car, I almost booked Tiago diesel before bs6 norms but then the COVID struck and got no response from Tata.

Now confused if I should go for Altroz diesel XE+ (can make upgrades later, if required) or Celerio ZXI due to budget constraints. (Looks don't matter to me. Though in the case of Altroz it's added bonus.)

My wife only requires the car to be comfortable with good AC (Nano's AC is of no use in a summer afternoon with 4 adults). And yes I also want good drivability.

As you own both of these cars, Can you please compare these points?

Thanks in advance.

[subie_socal]

Originally Posted by PrasannaDhana

I am also surprised why nexon Diesels don't have as many DPF reports as Altroz diesel.

Had to agree, recently drove to Trivandrum from Chennai, in my uncle's newly acquired Nexon XZ+ (diesel). The engine had good drivability, good refinement and mileage. He mostly uses his Nexon in the city for his daily office commute (~25 kms in Chennai traffic). He has never faced any issue so far, w.r to DPF.

You must know we have a Dark Harrier MT. Now another brother of mine has replaced his Vento 1.5 TDI with a Dark Safari AT

Spent some time with it. Heck, I love how convenient AT is, in urban traffic

Safari Dark XZA+ with Altroz Downtown Red XZ+

Lots of TATA badges in your family .

[arun_josie]

Originally Posted by PrasannaDhana

Biriyani in Velu was recommended by TeamBHP Chennai Whatsapp group. My regular outlet is Dindugul Thalapakkatti, but since these guys told me Venu Biriyani has amazing side dishes

Totally unlucky as they had nothing but biriyani that day as CM Stalin was visiting the locality and all delicacies have been sent to meeting venues.

Is it worth taking the 5Km into the town? I've been wanting to try this place but end up at Thalapakkatti or Ponram which are on the highway itself.

[PrasannaDhana]

Originally Posted by arun_josie

Is it worth taking the 5Km into the town? I've been wanting to try this place but end up at Thalapakkatti or Ponram which are on the highway itself.

Honestly, not at all worth doing the drive into the town. The traffic is chaotic and parking is not good either. Also the ambience is like in a roadside hotel.

I will stick to either the Thalapakkatti or Ponram in the future.

[PrasannaDhana]

Originally Posted by sumitj71

Hello Prasanna, I just love your thread. Your writing is practically very useful, no-nonsense.

I have a request for you..
Can you do a comparison of Altroz diesel and Celerio?

Even a quick comparison would be very useful because I am thinking about upgrading from Nano. My heart is over Altroz diesel engine but my mind is towards Celerio. My daily driving is 70km (85% Highway) and once in 3-4 months a long drive of 1000-1500km. I always dreamed of a diesel car, I almost booked Tiago diesel before bs6 norms but then the COVID struck and got no response from Tata.

Now confused if I should go for Altroz diesel XE+ (can make upgrades later, if required) or Celerio ZXI due to budget constraints. (Looks don't matter to me. Though in the case of Altroz it's added bonus.)

My wife only requires the car to be comfortable with good AC (Nano's AC is of no use in a summer afternoon with 4 adults). And yes I also want good drivability.

As you own both of these cars, Can you please compare these points?

Thanks in advance.

Sorry for the late reply Sumit. I missed your query.

Altroz diesel and Celerio K10C are 2 very different machines.

Your usage is high enough to go for a diesel. That being said, celerio is extremely frugal too. Easy 20+ kmpl on the highway.

I will suggest Altroz diesel over the celerio if

1. You like enthusiastic driving, including triple digit cruising on highways

2. You want more space (cabin as well as boot)

3. You want a sturdier, safer, well-built car

4. You like responsive steering & excellent high speed manners

5. Better fuel efficiency than the celerio at speeds (80-100 kmph)

I will suggest Celerio over Altroz diesel if

1. Your budget is tight. Altroz base diesel is still 1.5 lakhs more expensive than the top end Celerio ZXI(O). If you opt for ZXI, the difference becomes a good 2.1 lakhs!

2. You are going to be doing a lot of urban usage/ slow highway usage(like KL highways)

3. You don't want to put up with Tata A.S.S

Running cost wise, the Altroz is still cheaper than the Celerio by 0.5 rs per km.

Altroz running cost per km



Celerio running cost per km



Driveability wise, both are good.

Altroz diesel can be a much better car for long journeys, effortlessly doing 120 kmph all day and still being fairly quiet in the cabin (2600 rpm in 5th). Celerio feels strained beyond 90 kmph and the NVH is bad beyond 100 kmph.

When you drive gently, Altroz diesel can deliver excellent fuel efficiency. This is from today's work load - 120+ km usage, mostly driven under 90 kmph except for a few instances of 120 kmph overtaking maneuvers. 24.1 kmpl



And then there is the looks factor, which is totally subjective

You choose which you find better



Or



If you ask me which car I like better, here is the answer from the mileage I have clocked on both

Time since purchase and Km driven:
Altroz diesel - 6.5 months 17,700 km

Celerio K10C - 5 months 1,500 km

Clearly, if you love driving, get the altroz eyes closed. Also be cautious about DPF issues if you have more urban usage than highway usage. Celerio steering is typical Maruti - vague and lifeless.

If your need is just practical point A to point B transport in a rigid budget, Celerio is a good car (Ignis is also a good choice in that budget, with a much better engine).

[FASTLIFE]

If LIFE is important, buy altroz/punch, both are 5 star cars, don't buy celerio, (steering doesn't come to center after a turn) rather buy ignis (steering issue solved now). If your monthly kms covered justifies the 1 lakh extra of diesel then go for it, otherwise petrol car is fine for 15 years . I would suggest Tiago AMT / Tiago NRG in your budget, rather than buying altroz, try punch amt, its smoother and better ground clearance than all the cars mentioned in this post. Tata AC is a chiller, gone are the nano days, test drive each car before buying, the tata cars have a fantastic steering feel and low speed 1 finger operation and feather light clutch. Test drive and you'll know the difference between Tata and others.

[srihari]

Hey @PrasannaDhana,

Great thread, really helps us get a good overview of the car, better than any review can. This thread played a very important role on my decision to go with the Altroz and made the choice clear while choosing b/w xz, xz-o and xz+ .

I placed an order for the diesel Altroz XZ+ variant in Hyderabad, this Tuesday. Picked Harbour Blue color. They say I will get it in 4-6 weeks, cant wait.

In the sprit of sharing, I will go on a tangent regarding our color choice. Me and my wife were not impressed with the usual gray, white, red and dark editions when we saw them IRL, for various reasons. Never considered the harbour blue when we saw it in the photos, we just ruled it out from the outset.

I went to the showroom to book the car and pay the advance, alone as my wife was busy with some guests. The sales person, told me that there is one harbour blue car in the showroom, asked me if I want to take a look. I said yes just to tick a box, but I was very impressed with it , took the decision right away without consulting the wife, I was sure she will like it.

Me and wife could be in the minority with our tastes, but we strongly hate how some Tata cars look, especially the nexon. We were not blown away by the looks of Altroz either, the looks were acceptable. But, the harbour blue on Altroz is veryimpressive. I am attaching a few pics I took at the showroom.

[PrasannaDhana]

Originally Posted by srihari

Hey @PrasannaDhana,

Great thread, really helps us get a good overview of the car, better than any review can. This thread played a very important role on my decision to go with the Altroz and made the choice clear while choosing b/w xz, xz-o and xz+ .

I placed an order for the diesel Altroz XZ+ variant in Hyderabad, this Tuesday. Picked Harbour Blue color. They say I will get it in 4-6 weeks, cant wait.

Congratulations on the booking!

Glad my ownership thread was useful. Harbor blue is a beautiful colour. Coincidentally, I saw one at a restaurant parking on the highway.



PS: please don't install those corner protector strips. They were an eyesore

[ajay_satpute]

Great thread Prasanna !

I am sorry to ask a very common question - Have you ever faced any issues due to the low ground clearance of Altroz?

We are in the process of purchasing a new Altroz for my wife and mostly Altroz iTurbo XZ+. We are considering the i20 Turbo, but it costs at least 2 lakhs INR more than Altroz top end. So we may book the Altroz. Except the GC, everything about Altroz is top notch.

[PrasannaDhana]

Originally Posted by ajay_satpute

Great thread Prasanna !

I am sorry to ask a very common question - Have you ever faced any issues due to the low ground clearance of Altroz?

Except the GC, everything about Altroz is top notch.

I have had zero instances where I have scraped the underbody. Though I don't travel with 4 people on board often, I regularly travel with hundreds of books or bags of rice/farm stuff in the boot. Stiff suspension is an advantage that the car doesn't bottom out at all.

I run on lower tyre pressure for better ride quality @ 31psi. Even then there has been no issues.

i20 vs Altroz, do consider NVH as an important factor too. That is one area i20 aces the Altroz. I am totally OK with NVH of diesel altroz. I am not sure about iturbo. I have heard the i20 diesel/turbo petrol are both very refined cars.

[ajay_satpute]

Originally Posted by PrasannaDhana

I have had zero instances where I have scraped the underbody.

i20 vs Altroz, do consider NVH as an important factor too. That is one area i20 aces the Altroz. I am totally OK with NVH of diesel altroz. I am not sure about iturbo. I have heard the i20 diesel/turbo petrol are both very refined cars.

Thanks for a quick reply. That is reassuring.

You are right about refinement. i20 is miles ahead in terms of refinement, whatever engine you pick. Hyundai has some magic trick up their sleeves. Especially, the 1.2 NA is so damn silent, someone will think that the engine is actually dead. But Hyundai charges a hefty premium for the outstanding refinement and fit and finish, which is always best in class.

[srihari]

Originally Posted by PrasannaDhana

PS: please don't install those corner protector strips. They were an eyesore

True, I saw a white altroz with those protector strips on the road and felt the same.

[John P Daniel]

That's quite a good log of your vehicle on the forum. I enjoy reading your regular updates on it. I drive the NA variant of Altroz and I enjoy driving it every single time. It's a great handler for it's price. While the engine does have feel underpowered at times, it's mostly adequate for a family car. Hope we get to meet up some day.

Originally Posted by PrasannaDhana

1. For DPF to not clog, the soot has to vapourise and pushed out. Only when the engine is run at optimal temperatures for longer durations, the DPF gets regenerated. Good practice is to drive the car at 2500 rpm for atleast 30 minutes every week. To make it simple, do 85-90 kmph in 3rd gear or 100 kmph in the 4th gear on the highway for 20 km.

I usually enjoy the mid range and top end a lot, ie, I do a lot of 3000 - 3750 rpm driving almost daily. But that isn't necessary at all.

That's the exact reason I had opted for the NA variant of Altroz. In my case, the car would spend most of it's time resting with occasional short city runs. It will be taken to the highways about once in a month. If BS6 hadn't occured, I'd have gone for a diesel but with BS6, it's better to have a petrol for my usage pattern.

2. Service centers run the engine at 3000+ rpm to clear it off. Not sure what else they do.

That's exactly how they do it but it will be done using the DTC scan tool. The DTC scan tool will run the DPF clearing sequence and once successful, the vehicle is delivered.