Tata Altroz DCA Owner shares his observations about the dual-clutch box

One of the greatest USP's of this car is the gearbox. It's fast, smooth and contrary to the popular belief that dual clutch gearboxes are problematic, this one proves to be otherwise.

BHPian W.A.G.7 recently shared this with other enthusiasts:

A few observations about the gearbox and the engine from an ordinary person's perspective...

One of the greatest USP's of this car is the gearbox. It's fast, smooth and contrary to the popular belief that dual clutch gearboxes are problematic, this one proves to be otherwise. In a sense, this "unpopular" opinion was formulated after the owner experiences of the first gen Skoda Fabia 1.4P, Skoda Laura TSi, Skoda Superb Petrol (?) and possibly some more cars from the Volkswagen stable. What we musn't forget though is that some of these cars were inherent lemons from the factory. However, after 10 years of reading about problematic dual clutch boxes, and the improvements/learning; I am of the opinion that none of the latest dual clutch gearboxes are inherently bad. It's the driving style and the conditions in which they are used, that affects them. Secondly, both of us have learnt that the service center guys are trained to brainwash you for the "Sealed for life" gag! But as we all know, this is not the case and the gearbox oil/fluid will degenerate sooner or later and will need a replacement. I don't know what technology Tata (or Punch Powertrain(?)) has used in this gearbox, but I can affirm after two years of ownership that this gearbox is quick to shift gears very smoothly. Up shifting is barely perceptible, but you can make out the downshifts. Now downshifts are audible, not really due to the gearbox but due to the wheezy 1.2P engine. Seriously this car needs the 1.2 Turbo engine to be paired with fast DCA box. The gearbox is a primary reason why we were sold on the car 2.5 years ago and why we are still sold on it.

In our car, the gearbox shifts up and down quite smoothly in the city, but at times gets confused whether to stay in 2nd and upshift to 3rd or vice-versa. Having said that about the behaviour of the gearbox in city traffic conditions; we have observed that the car and the gearbox actually do better out there on the highway or open roads where your speeds will exceed 40kmph. Paradoxically, this gearbox is/was always intended for the city-scape where the car will experience bumper to bumper traffic or will be driven in one. It had the bad luck of being paired to an under powered engine. The puny 1.2P engine was never meant to lug the heavy car on the highway anyway. Yet, on the highway, the engine and gearbox feels much more relaxed. It takes it's own sweet time to get upto 100kmph but the gearbox is far more comfortable out on the highway simply due to the nature of the 1.2P NA engine. Which gets us back to the main point - the single fly in the entire package is the wheezy engine.

The gearbox is the most uncomfortable in the ghat section. You see the open road while climbing and the gearbox keeps holding on to 3rd. In a manual car, you would downshift to 2nd and any car with an iota of self-respect (puny engines be damned) would lurch ahead in a spirited manner. But in this car, you press the accelerator and nothing happens! Half a second later the gearbox drops down a gear or two lightning fast and then again nothing happens! Another ! Once again, half a second later the engine realizes that it needs to work it out and then you hear a loud groan from the 1.2P motor as it protests the task forced unto it. And that's where you realize the drawback of not having the Turbo petrol. Some members suggested slotting it into manual and using it in the ghats. Technically yes, but that isn't why we got an automatic for! For some reason our hand-leg-eye coordination is as dead as a dodo in an automatic. Strangely it works very normally in a manual geared car. But both of us simply cannot drive this car in the manual mode.

To conclude highway is the best, city is better, but the ghat sections are bad in this car. Something to look out for if you plan to purchase this one.

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