The car is 3 days old and over a bad road rattling noise is coming from the dashboard.

BHPian JDMBOI recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

When you buy a new car you want to enjoy every moment of it and thoughts of facing any issue hardly come into anybody's mind but our destiny didn't want us to enjoy the very first drive.

1. Car & Variant - Tata Altroz - XZ Automatic / XZ DCA
2. Price - Ex-showroom Rs- 9,59,900 and on-road 10.60L.
3. Odometer - 16 KM during PDI and now 24 KM.
4. Mileage - 8 KMPL (in the cluster).
5. Accessories purchased - 3d Mats and body cover. (Mud flaps were unavailable, was given 7 days)

Wants:

• Safe car
• Hatchback / sub-4-meter car
• Automatic
• CNG from the factory (in the end bought petrol)

Cars considered:

• Tata Punch.
• Tata Altroz.

Why petrol over CNG?

No automatic with CNG.

Not much difference between the current price of CNG and petrol.

Somewhat similar mileage of CNG and petrol.

Booking

Booked Tata Altroz online on 5 December 2023, was given 20 day waiting period which turned out to be 58 days. In the meantime, we didn't receive any update from the salesperson we had to call him now and then and the most disappointing part was his being unable to give a satisfactory answer to the questions, so my brother decided to wait until the 10th of January if the car doesn't arrive by then he will cancel the booking but he never did.

2 February - Car arrived at showroom.

3 February - Went to the showroom on 3 February to do PDI (without intimation to a salesperson, the showroom is a few minutes away from home). Told him that we wanted to see the car and the way he said "It is in the stockyard" felt like he didn't want us to see the car but when I insisted, he drove us to the yard by saying "Only take 5 minutes to do PDI, I am busy". Reached the yard and to our surprise, the car was not there, The salesperson called someone and then told us it was parked in their second yard and he couldn't show us the car as the yard was locked and the person who possessed the key was away. No wonder Why I felt suspicious. He told us to come the next day and he will have the car at the showroom.

4 Feb (Sunday) - Reached the showroom and the sales guy was not present (his phone was switched off) talked to another staff member, and explained everything but they were uninterested. Finally, after 20 minutes someone came (who happened to be going to the yard otherwise I would have been waiting there for God knows how long) and we went to the yard and the same old drama continued, couldn't locate the car. The other yard which was locked yesterday was empty so we went to the former yard the car was not there at this point & my brother lost his cool he was about to call the manager but he (a staff member) located the car, A huge sigh of relief. Clicked a few pictures & as I was about to start the PDI this happened:

Him- What is this?

Me- PDI checklist.

Him- Do you work at a car company?

Me - No

(At first, he was calm but after five minutes or so he started behaving erratically and started asking me -is it done? is it done? how much time you are going to take?)

Me- At least 30 minutes.

Him- I can't wait 30 minutes, how about you stay here, and I will return after some time or send the PDI guy?

Me - Sure.

Him- (After a phone call, literally after 2 minutes). Is it done?

Me- NO

Him- I can't wait.

then things escalated he yelled at me " O bhai sunle, mai tumhare sath bandha hua nhi hu, ye tumhare sales man ka kaam hai( "Listen, brother, I am not associated with you it's your salesman job".)

Me - He fixed the date and he is not present plus his phone is switched off. It's not my problem. Why don't you send the PDI guy you were talking about?

Him - NO, I can't leave you here. You have only 5 minutes then we need to go. I can't wait as I have to do some paperwork for delivery.

Enough is enough. Before I lost my patience, dropped the process and went home.

PATHETIC EXPERIENCE with Swan Motor Tata, Sonipat (Haryana).

My recent experience with HONDA was much better. (1000 Times better)

• 20 days turned into 60 days.
• Didn't call us once to give any updates.
• Won't pick up your call.
• Unable to give satisfactory answers to questions regarding car arrival.
• Fix the PDI date and don't show up. (The salesperson was unable to come due to some emergency but they should at least assign someone else)
• Yells at you for taking time for PDI.

5 February - Finally PDI completed and satisfied with the car but it has a couple of scratches and a mat full of mud (I don't understand why Tata doesn't paste plastic on their carpet now it's all messed up.) which wasn't the case with our Amaze, it was spick and span.

7 February - Took delivery of the vehicle. Was given a small basket of snacks. No cake cutting. The car was driven home by its driver (I had never driven an automatic car so didn't want to take the risk of driving a brand-new car) and reached home. While he was parking it, I heard a metal grinding noise (not so loud but consistent and concerning for a brand new car. Like something is broken inside the gearbox/metal groves grinding when you engage the gear without pressing the clutch fully) and told the same to the driver he said don't worry if something happens car is in warranty. Didn't pay much attention at that time because I had to drop the driver back at the showroom.

The issue faced - Transmission malfunction and TPMS error

After taking delivery, the car was parked for 2 days. On 10 February when I tried to start the car, it won't crank. (The same thing happened during PDI on 4th February even the Tata guy was unable to start the car and gave an extraordinary excuse that there was no fuel (I didn't buy that) but on 5th February I made sure everything was ok by requesting Tata employee to start the car few times and it started in 1 try each time) tried few times but no luck. The display says to press the brake pedal and then press the start button but it won't start (how hard do you want me to press the brake pedal, do you want me to stand on it) tried locking and unlocking the car but no luck. I Called the salesperson and told him about the scenario he started giving illogical reasons - you might have left the door open and the car battery drained. Are you kidding me?

When I was about to give up, I tried one last time and this time 2 errors popped up on the screen first TPMS and then Transmission malfunctioning. My heart skipped a beat after seeing the latter fault then I thought maybe that's why the grinding noise was coming from the car they might have sold us a LEMON. Called the salesperson again (like always won't answer the call) and told him about the scenario at first he didn't believe me, little did he know I made a video of the cluster with the aforementioned error & when I forwarded the video to him, he called us and I can feel the change in his voice tone and requested to wait as he will contact the technical team and call back. Finally, after an hour or so they arrived home.

The technician pressed the button once and I showed him the error and salesman was shocked, he tried 1-2 times. Still, no luck and tried shifting from the park and pressing the button then the car started. All the faults disappeared (MUST BE TATA THINGS) told him about the gearbox noise, and he tried parking the car as the other driver did on delivery day (noise was coming while moving at a slow speed too) but no noise this time around but he did something after opening the bonnet and sticking his hands behind the engine (loose plug or maybe a screw) Took the car for a test drive, he hit some good figures and we came back. After they left I took the car for another test drive and it was working fine. Thank God it wasn't the gearbox or maybe it is. time will tell. The thing I noticed was that the brake pedal felt hard (less travel) when the car didn't start but after they left I tried to start the car and it started in one try at that time brake pedal was smooth (more travel)

If that dude had given me more time on 4th February I definitely would have tried to start the car a few more times and if that error had popped up during the PDI then we would have avoided the car. Do I trust the car, will I recommend it to anybody, HELL NO. To be honest I was telling my brother to buy Amaze CVT (he denied it because of not-so-good built quality) now it's wait and watch either it's fine or we are in for a drive that we don't want to do.

Likes

• 5-star safety rating.
• Build quality, thud sound is so satisfying.
• The speaker's sound quality is good.
• Cornering fog lights.
• Feature loaded - TPMS, auto headlights and wipers cooled glove box.

Dislikes

• Under-powered, noisy 3-cylinder 1.2L petrol engine.
• Reliability.
• After-sales service.
• Only 2 parking sensors.
• No auto-dimming IRVM for a 9.6L car.
• Windows take a lot of time to go down fully.

Nitpick

• Handbrake location.
• Indicator on fenders.
• Ugly long antenna.
• Piano black is prone to scratches. (Tata used it a lot- near the headlight, window surround and at the rear too)
• Rear door handles.
• Not a fan of touchscreen implementation.

Initial thoughts

• Acceleration - Not so quick response it takes its own sweet time (1-2 seconds) sometimes I question myself did I hit the pedal or not.
• Rattling noise - The car is 3 days old and over a bad road rattling noise is coming from the dashboard. Very nice.
• Steering - The steering (leather-wrapped) is very eager to come back to the centre. Usually, if you turn the wheel 5 -10 degrees in other cars you have to bring the steering back to centre yourself but not the case in Altroz.
• DCA Noise - Noisy, you hear the gear grinding noise/ gear engaging and disengaging that it feels like some parts are broken inside the gearbox. I want to ask fellow DCA owners, is it normal?
• Build - Doors, trunk lid, bonnet are heavy and the thud noise it offer is something else.
• Gear change - When the car changes gear you can feel it, no jerk though.
• Hand brake - The build quality (plastic) of the brake is poor, it moves left and right (base structure) not properly implemented. Positioning is kind of weird.
• Windows motor - They are not noisy but take their own sweet time to roll up or down fully. means you have to hold the button longer than usual.
• Seats - Fabric material, they don't hug you though.
• Glove box - Soft opening, has panel gaps and I find it to be less useful as they partitioned it by putting a plastic shelf in the middle.
• Button quality - The quality of the steering wheel button and window switches is decent.
• ORVM - They are huge and offer good visibility.
• Reverse camera - Good quality and comes with adaptive guidelines. (utilizes full screen for the camera)
• Headlight and fog light - Headlight(projector) and fog lights are in halogen. can't comment on their performance, yet to drive at night.
• Engine bay - It has white padding (above the front wheel arch on both sides) when asked they said it's for insulation but I think it's for the headlight, to protect it from water splashes as its plug is right next to it and it has under hood insulation.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

Wondering what would happen if you bring home a Tata Altroz DCA? This ownership report should help you decide faster.

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

Today the car completed 8000kms. I am happy to report that it is performing as expected. It does its duty twice weekly, clocking around 80-100 kms weekly. It is a good option as a second car of the house. There were no rattles or sounds after the servicing was done - so the issue of sound coming from the rear pillars was resolved. The tyres are holding well and I am glad they are much better quality than the MRFs. Auto headlamps and wipers work as expected - although I feel the sensitivity of the auto headlamps is a tad too much. I mean they are quick to turn on at the slightest hint of shadows, but don't turn off as quickly as expected when the car is back again in the sunlight. The air conditioner works like a charm, and on a side note, we managed to break the knob on one of the rear A/C vents, causing it to roll inside. Something that needs to be extricated during the next service. 

The speedo screen and the piano black surface(s) are scratch nightmares and we have managed to put so many scratches on the surface, that we stopped thinking about it. The interiors are holding up well, no complaints on that part. Everything is screwed and bolted together tightly. Seats lack under-thigh support for me (I am 5'10") but are just right for my wife who is 5'2". 

There was supposed to be a road trip in December but we had to take flights due to a shortage of time. Now hopefully in the summer vacation, we will have one. Once again, it needs a proper detailing session and some photos on the thread. But for now, this update should do. I see a lot of opinions about how the Tata sales, after-sales & service experience is; but luckily for us, Garve Tata has been quite okay in that sense. Not exceptionally good, but at-least not as bad as some of the experiences penned down in some of the threads.

Here's a pic of the speedometer. Just look at the scratches on it!

Click here to read more BHPian comments and insights.

Some of these might be bare basic know-how, already known issues with a clear guideline of fixes, trivial discussions or sheer technical things.

BHPian ssathiyanarayan recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Hi All,

The TeamBHP forum has been very supportive in clarifying, guiding and answering any doubts I had about the cars. Be it from correcting the requirements to clearing the air of doubts to selecting the correct model and picking the right variant, the suggestions from this community have been super useful. Recently bought a Tata Altroz XZ+ DCA and with that my sharing experience on this forum.

Background on starting this thread:

I was just exploring and browsing the Tata iRA app. Came across the "Explore Tribe" option "My Space" section. There was an option "Altroz iRA Tribe" under the "My Tribes" tab. Went to the "Feeds" tab and left my number under the "Comments" section. Sharing the screenshots of the same below:

It seemed the Owners of Tata Altroz had found a way to connect through Social Platforms, especially WhatsApp to share their thoughts and help. The Admin of the group, Mr Nishanth, shared the link/group invite to join the forum. Joined the forum and was intrigued with the discussions going on from the moment I joined. It felt like I had met my like-minded people speaking along similar lines.

The number of Tips, Tricks, Hacks, Mods, and technical and trivial discussions happening related to the Tata Altroz made me realize that, if these get documented as an experience this will benefit everyone. Floated a word in the group and many agreed. Next was securing the approval from TeamBHP Moderators to host such information. Wrote PMs to 3 admins, Administrator, GTO, and libranof1987 on the idea. It was GTO, who gladly agreed to host this information and went a step ahead to give this thread a name.

I intend to compile and share the Tips, Tricks, Hacks, Mods, and technical and trivial discussions related to the Tata Altroz happening on the "ALTROZ" WhatsApp group. To avoid any privacy infringement, will avoid personal photos, and number plates. Will try my level best to bring as many technical details as possible in case of any Mods and Hacks done. With this brief, starting of the new thread. A request to all TeamBHP forum Admins, Moderators, and Users, "Some of these might be bare basic know-how, already known issues with a clear guideline of fixes, trivial discussions or sheer technical things. Let us know the reference shared in this forum. Correct me/us in case we are doing things wrong. Improvise wherever required. Kindly contribute to this knowledge sharing as usual.

The initial discussions - Why only one side reverses tail light and Fog lights:

The first question was by Sudeb "Why is there only one reverse tail light working? Is there any logic in this feature when two lamps are provisioned from the OEM, but only one functions"

Though it appeared a simple question, I didn't have a clue about the logic behind this. I couldn't come to explain this thing with clarity. There were a couple of replies from the group members:

Shabbir: This is a normal practice. It's one of the things we copied from European makers. Since there are no regulations to make two reverse lights mandatory in India, the OEMs decided to cut costs by giving just one.

Ashwanth: Exactly cost-cutting on every possible level

The logic behind this:

So after many such replies, I decided to search the internet further and landed with below answers:

Reddit:

Well, the rules say that a car needs only one reversing light. Installing one on either side isn't forbidden, but it's not necessary either. There really isn't much to it, except for cost savings. The laws (not in the USA, IIRC) also dictate that a car must have a rear fog light, so the manufacturers just put the reverse light on one side and the rear fog light in the same spot on the other side.

TeamBHP Forum: Why do some cars have a single reversing light???

Found some details from Tata Motors Altroz User Manual as well. Sharing screenshots below:

Is PPF or Ceramic coating or Graphene coating necessary for the car? Tips to protect the same:

Vimal Raithatha: Is PPF or any coating necessary? I've been in a dilemma of whether to get it done or not. The reason the vehicle colour is white and my worry is if it gets faded to yellow then what to do

Vamsi: "Whoever has done ceramic coating, how are you parking your cars if there is no possibility to park under shade? Do you use covers? Or just leave under sunlight?"

This a genuine dilemma every car owner undergoes. So here is what a few members had to share:

Sathiya Narayanan: I too was in the same boat. Had Ceramic coating in mind. Went to 3M. Saw their products and chose 100 gloss for the bonnet and normal pp for the rest of the body. The thing is they can protect against minor scratches and daily wash problems by the society personnel. If accidents then a particular panel needs replacement. I saw a Merc with pp that was 8 years old, the underlying paint surface was as good as new. The owner came to redo the PP as it's overdue for replacement. By the way, he had 100 gloss pp.

The only thing to take care of with pp or Ceramic coating is to avoid pressure washing done on wheel footwells and sharp edges as the pp or the coatings tend to come off at that high pressure. A normal pressure washer can make a cut in the hand at the pressure setting used in car wash shops. The pp coating is loose at the sharp ends and footwells due to the profiles. If high pressure is directed there, they tend to lose glue and get damaged further.

I did PPF for my car. Under open parking in the office and covered parking back home. With PPF keeping in the open sun helps to self-heal to some extent.

Ceramic or Graphene coatings won't shy to be sunlight. The dazzle will make it Owner's pride and Viewer's envy.

Ceramic or Graphene coating is just 5 to 10 microns thick. At the max will help avoid swirl marks due to society's help washes.

In comparison, a PPF regular one is 150-175 microns and 100 gloss would be somewhere around 250 microns. It will actually have some say against scratches and swirls due to the self-healing properties

Refer to post #10 3M coating for full details on the PPF coating done

Refer to post #24 The check for PP at 3M and again a short trip to Ranjangaon Maha Ganapathi for a follow-up check-up done at 3M after a few application

Rohan: I considered PPF. But then thought that for the price of a PPF, I can get the whole car repainted.

Dadhwal Dalip Singh: I have Altroz xz+ dark colour but the ceramic coating does not proctor properly many more lines on the body

Shabbir Ahmed: For me, ceramic worked! After driving in the rain, I honestly believed my car would be covered in water stains and filth, yet the next day, it was shining and crystal clear at least on the outside.

Vinit Vispute: True. both coatings are fine I have Graphene coating on the car. its works well in the rain as well as every time I get my car washed. Shines like a mirror all time.

TeamBHP: Refer threads on the following:

1. PPF
2. Ceramic coating
3. Graphene coating

Continue reading BHPian ssathiyanarayan's Altroz tips for more insights and information.

The Tata Altroz Racer is touted as a rival to the Hyundai i20 N Line.

The Tata Altroz Racer has been confirmed for launch. According to the company, prices for the sporty version of the hatchback will be announced soon.

The Tata Altroz Racer is touted as a rival to the Hyundai i20 N Line. The car was showcased at the recently concluded Auto Expo 2023.

The show car featured a dual-tone exterior with a Black roof and bonnet with a contrasting bright Red paint job. The car had black ORVMs and was fitted with sporty black alloy wheels.

Keeping with the sporty theme, the Altroz Racer had an all-black interior with red accents and a larger 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment system. It was equipped with features like ventilated front seats, a voice-activated electric sunroof, a wireless charger, an air purifier and a digital instrument cluster. It will be interesting to see which was these make it onto the production version.

The Altroz Racer uses the 1.2-litre turbocharged petrol engine from the Nexon. It puts out 120 BHP and 170 Nm and is mated to a 6-speed manual gearbox.

Hyundai offers the i20 N Line with a 7-speed dual-clutch automatic. It’s unclear if the Altroz Racer will get the 7-speed DCA transmission as an option.

The 6-speed manual transmission from the Nexon should give it an edge over the Hyundai i20 N Line.

Tata Motors is reportedly working on a new hot hatchback based on the Altroz to take on the Hyundai i20 N Line. The new variant, dubbed Altroz Sport, is rumoured to debut at the upcoming Auto Expo 2023.

Currently, the Tata Altroz is available with two engine options. These include a 1.2-litre naturally aspirated petrol and a 1.2-litre turbo-petrol engine, the latter being the sportier of the two. Latest reports suggest that Tata could plonk a 1.2-litre turbo-petrol tuned to produce 118 BHP and 170 Nm in the Altroz Sport.

It is also said that the engine could be paired with a 6-speed manual gearbox from the Nexon. While the manual transmissions aren’t Tata’s forte, it should give the Altroz Sport an edge over the i20 N Line, which is only available with a clutchless iMT and a 7-speed DCT.

The Altroz Sport could also receive subtle styling changes to differentiate it from the i-Turbo variant. A few tweaks to the bumpers and a sporty set of alloy wheels should do the trick.

Source: Zigwheels

Between Altroz 1.2 DCA & Ignis 1.2 AMT, the latter felt more exciting to drive.

BHPian PrassanaDhana recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

We went to the Tata dealership for the PDI of our Safari XZA+ Dark yesterday. I test drove the Altroz DCA.

I have no experience of driving AT cars, except for a few occasions (some premium cars like 370z & V40), regular ones like Polo GT 1.2 TSI & Ignis 1.2 AMT. So I don't want to share the entirety of what I felt driving the Altroz DCA.

It definitely was smoother than the Ignis AMT. But it is only for the sedate drivers. It makes a lot of sense for metropolitan dwellers and senior citizens/women who want a stress free driving experience in B2B traffic.

On the open roads, when you floor the pedal, you can only hear the RPM build up (it went upto 5000 rpm), but there is absolutely no progress for 1-1.5 seconds after the accelerator is applied. And then, there is progress which isn't anything to talk about.

Altroz DCA will be a peaceful car for those who don't have a heavy right foot. Sedate drivers will appreciate the driving experience.

I never thought I would say this, but given the choice between 1.2 N/A MT & DCA, I would rather pick the 1.2 MT Altroz over the DCA. But then, it's my usage requirements, being 70% highways and the rest - tier 2 city traffic. Between Altroz 1.2 DCA & Ignis 1.2 AMT, the latter felt more exciting to drive.

Tata should have given the DCT in turbo petrol or turbo diesel engine combinations. The 1.2 N/A DCA retails at 11.7 lakhs OTR for the top end XZ+(exactly same as diesel). It's a good 2 lakhs over their N/A variant.

I was wondering what was special in the 1.2 GT TSI when compared to our 1.6 GT TDI MT a few years back. The Polo GT TSI didn't feel much better or faster than the 1.6 GT TDI. But now, after experiencing the 1.2 Altroz DCA, I can clearly feel the importance of a powerful engine + fast AT. A Polo 1.2 GT TSI owner will absolutely loathe the Altroz DCA. The DCA deserves a more powerful engine.

Read BHPian comments for more insights and information.

The transmission is entirely new & I don't intend to keep going to the service centre again & again.

Thanks to Deepak Dahiya for sending in the information & images. Heartfelt gratitude for sharing it with other enthusiasts via this Team-BHP share page!

With great disbelief and frustration, I want to report a serious issue in my newly purchased Altroz DCA. I took delivery of the car last Thursday (7 April 2022) with an odometer reading of around 90 km from the Autovikas dealer in Faridabad. From Day 1, I noticed a spot below my parked car, I thought it may be AC water, but on Wednesday morning I checked and confirmed it was oil, not water. I am attaching all relevant snaps with this mail.

Today, I visited the Autovikas service centre (odometer reading 202 km). They also confirmed oil leakage from the axle ring coming out of the transmission. I am really concerned about this leakage as this is the first batch of Altroz DCA and the first batch of customers are used by Tata Motors as Beta Testers of their half baked product.

This transmission is entirely new and I don't want to go to the Tata service centre, again and again, to rectify serious design or manufacturing defects leftover by Tata Motors during the product launch.

My faith in this new Altroz DCA is completely lost and I want some other automatic car without this DCA gearbox.

Here's what BHPian vishy76 had to say on the matter:

Frankly speaking, I think everyone buying this car would be knowing what they are signing up for. It's the first batch of Tata with a type of automatic transmission that doesn't have the best reliability record. No DCT to this day has set very high standards for reliability. Something or the other has gone wrong with it.

Secondly, I believe this is more of a QC lapse at Tata's end. The driveshaft O-ring was either faulty itself or was not seated correctly (must have been misaligned or pinched during assembly). Regardless, I don't understand how such a major slip up can happen on an assembly line belonging to a manufacturer like Tata.

Lastly, please be very careful while remedying this issue. Fixing the driveshaft seal back is no big deal. This is something that is present on manual transaxles too and is easy to remedy. What is tricky is refilling fluid. Typically, most older ATs had dipsticks and fill holes and drain holes. Refilling oil was as simple as draining from the drain hole, and filling it up from the fill hole. Then checking it via dipstick and calling it a day.

These modern-day ATs have added another angle of complexity to it. No dipsticks exist. You either measure how much has come out of the transmission and put the exact same back in through the fill hole, or you fill up slightly more than the designated capacity on paper, warm the GB up and then again open the drain hole to let the excess oil out. The former is not an option for you since your GB has leaked oil out. The latter is the only way out. I am not sure how easy or difficult Punch Powerglide has made changing the oil on this unit. Last I read, they were very keen on saying it's a "maintenance free" GB, which in my books gives them the licence to make oil changes a nightmare. I am sure Tata ASCs haven't dealt with a GB like this before.

Talk to the SA, see how confident he is about setting things right and then take a call. If they aren't confident, I suggest you demand engineers higher up in the chain come down and fix this.

Here's what BHPian Shreyans_Jain had to say on the matter:

Before the DCA/DCT bashing gets out of hand, let’s take a step back and realise that the leak has nothing to do with the transmission itself. It’s a faulty seal issue. As correctly mentioned above, replacing the said seal is no big deal. Refilling the lost oil is. This gearbox is different from the AMTs these workshops are used to handling. Its oil refilling/changing system is akin to Hexa’s, meaning it is super complicated.

Take the car over to Multitech Tata and meet Gopal. They will be replacing the gearbox oil on my Hexa the next time it goes to service. I had quizzed him in detail about how he would do it, after doing the research and homework on my end. Gopal knew in detail how it would be done. They have to warm up the engine, warm up the gear oil, bring them both up to the same temperature and then drain the excess oil out. It is quite a process, and it is better to get it done by someone who has some idea about what he is doing. Keep Tata Motors involved directly as well.

Here's what BHPian nathanjdias had to say on the matter:

It is amusing how the owner knew that he should expect niggles from a 1st batch Tata product, that too with the well known unreliable nature of the DCT gearbox but still seems to be surprised by the problems (moreover this isn't an actual DCT issue).

As for replacing the car solely because of the DCT gearbox, hold off on it. Get the gearbox thoroughly inspected for damage due to the leakage of oil and opt for any extended warranty available. Since the gearbox is new, replacing the oil with a new one also shouldn't be an issue. Insist that Tata Engineers are online via video conferencing to ensure proper procedures are followed.

Here's what BHPian kutts had to say on the matter:

Gone through this last year on my Tiago. Details here.

My experience tells me that Tata Motors will go all the way to resolve this.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

Tata knows the 1.2L NA engine is weak and has smartly tuned the transmission to extract maximum performance out of it. In that sense, the dual-clutch AT is well-integrated.

Driving the Tata Altroz 1.2L Petrol Dual-Clutch AT

1.2L naturally-aspirated petrol motor puts out 85 BHP & 113 Nm and is mated to a 6-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. Given that the NA engine constitutes about 85% of total Altroz sales (as claimed by Tata), Tata has chosen this engine and not the turbo-petrol for the dual-clutch automatic. Of course, it's also down to the price; the turbo-petrol would've made it more expensive:

There's been a lot of fuss about why Tata chose the dual-clutch automatic over an AMT (thank God!) or a torque converter. Well, Tata understands that the Indian market is now mature enough to prioritize a smoother driving experience for an additional premium over a jerky AMT. Additionally, dual-clutch ATs are comparatively more fuel-efficient than torque converters and more suitable for cars with low torque. This dual-clutch automatic is the first on a Tata car and comes from a Belgian company named 'Punch Powertrain'. It has been specifically developed for the compact vehicle segment. The 'DT1' gearbox is designed to be cost-effective, compact, fuel-efficient and focuses on smoothness. It is made for vehicles with max engine torque of up to 200 Nm, so we surely hope to see it on the 1.2L turbo-petrol engine in the days to come.

This is a brand new gearbox that has been in development for over 10 years with over 45 patents, it is claimed to be the world’s first dual-clutch AT with a planetary gear system. Most dual-clutch transmissions are essentially two manual gearboxes packed together that are operated by two sets of clutch packs. One operates the odd gears and the other operates the even gears. Hence, this kind of gearbox needs two input shafts and can be seen in Volkswagen DSG gearboxes such as the DQ200. The DT1 gearbox in the Altroz utilises two clutches, but gets a planetary gear system that uses just one shaft. The design is therefore pretty compact and it uses lesser shifting components (35% less claimed). It uses 13 gears with this planetary system instead of 20 gears in conventional dual-clutch transmissions. Furthermore, shift-by-wire eliminates the use of shifter cables.

Instead of opting for a dry clutch pack that's more suited for cars with low torque, Tata has gone for a wet clutch pack. For India's varying climate conditions, a wet clutch pack makes a lot more sense. The DT1 gearbox also has machine learning software that optimises transmission behaviour based on its diagnostics and analysis of thousands of parameters (almost 100 times per second). And while wet clutch dual-clutch ATs sap more power than dry clutch packs, Tata claims that it has managed to have no oil between friction surfaces, which avoids the drop in engine power. Another clever feature of this transmission is self-healing technology. Wet clutch gearboxes usually have a filter that keeps out debris and dust. The DT1 prevents such a build-up through an automatic vibration system, which reduces the need for active maintenance.

Now, let's see how the transmission performs on the road. Slot into D, take your foot off the brake pedal and the car crawls forward at ~9 km/h without any throttle input. With a light foot on the accelerator, the transmission moves up the ratios smoothly in a way that the competitors' AMTs can only dream of. In stop and go traffic, you will appreciate the smoothness of shifts and the one-foot operation. While throttle response is satisfactory, downshift response time is acceptable at most times...and slow during a few others. Overall though, it’s just fine for a commuter hatchback. The engine's low power and gearbox's not-so-quick response might get irritating if you want to suddenly close a gap in traffic. On the move, while doing 40 - 70 km/h, you'll notice that the gearbox isn't upshift-happy (moving up the gears quickly for higher fuel efficiency) like we've seen in many automatic transmissions. It does its part to keep the engine in its powerband, which makes city performance more acceptable. Tata knows the 1.2L NA engine is weak and has smartly tuned the transmission to extract maximum performance out of it. In that sense, the dual-clutch AT is well-integrated. With the super light steering, smooth dual-clutch AT and agreeable ergonomics, the Altroz DCA is a great hatchback for the city.

The Altroz DCA is more of a cruiser on the expressway than an outright performer. It can cruise at 100 km/h in 6th gear with the tachometer reading ~2,500 rpm and at 120 km/h, the engine spins at just under 3,000 rpm. You will keep up with 100 km/h traffic on the expressway, although you will be working the engine hard. Straight line performance till 100 - 110 km/h is still acceptable. But if you drop speeds down to say 80 km/h (in case of a slow truck, as an example), getting back up to 120 km/h takes time. Over 100 km/h, you can feel the lack of muscle in this engine. The not-so-strong mid-range means overtaking at speed requires planning & effort too. Floor the pedal and the DCT willingly takes the engine to 6,000 rpm (although we wish there were more revs to play with). Compared to the MT in which you have to vigorously work the shifter & clutch, here, the dual-clutch AT does all the hard work for you.

From a relaxed driver's perspective, the AT is well-matched to the engine. It's smooth & the response times are acceptable in most driving conditions. Sure, there are some conditions where it might take long (up to 1.5 seconds), but this isn't a car to be driven like a Polo 1.2L TSI DSG. There were times on the highway when the transmission downshifted even though there was no need for it to, and sometimes it shifted up when we wanted it to hold the gear.

Manual mode is available, although we didn't find much use for it. In our opinion, it's best to simply let the electronics do all the work for you as Tata has tuned the AT well for the engine.

Noise, Vibration & Harshness (NVH)

The 1.2L naturally-aspirated engine is the weakest link in the Altroz's package. This is a 3-cylinder engine and there's no hiding that fact. You can feel vibrations seeping into the cabin when you start the engine and at idle. These vibrations are felt in some areas even after the engine is warm. On the open road, to get any kind of performance from the motor, you have got to floor the accelerator. When you do floor it, at higher revs, the engine does make a racket!

Mileage & Fuel Economy

The Altroz DCA has an ARAI certified rating of 18.18 km/l (MT = 19.05 km/l). Dual-clutch ATs offer more acceptable fuel economy than torque-converter petrols, so we expect real world FE to be fair. We're surprised there is no 'ECO' mode or an 'Idle Start Stop' feature for the FE lovers.

Transversely mounted 6-speed dual-clutch transmission can be seen from the bottom:

If the car comes to a halt on an incline, the driver takes off his seatbelt, the gear shifter is in "N" position, the brake pedal is not pressed and the driver's door is opened, the car will sense that the handbrake is not engaged and to prevent the car from rolling backwards, the transmission will engage "park lock", which stops the car in its tracks. The MID will display "Auto Park Activated" and will ask you to engage the handbrake. Could save a careless driver from a bad crash:

MID asks you to shift to "P" when you turn off the vehicle in other gears:

In manual mode, if you try to downshift when the revs are too high or try to upshift when the revs are too low, the MID tells you clearly that your command is rejected! We didn't find the conservatively-tuned manual mode to be of much use here and preferred driving in full-auto mode only:

Suspension

Ride Comfort

The Altroz is equipped with an independent McPherson strut dual-path front suspension and twist-beam rear. The dual-path strut has two separate paths for energy to be transferred from the springs & dampers, allowing it to be better tuned (it's a 2-cup system).

The Altroz's suspension has a mature tune and is kind of European car-like in nature. At low speeds, the ride has a firm edge to it. It's not all soft & plush, yet compliant nevertheless. Big potholes will be felt inside though. Another contributor is the 16" wheel size of the DCA. Unlike the MT, there are no variants with smaller wheels & taller tyres. As speeds increase, that mature suspension results in good ride quality. On the expressway, there is no bounciness - she rides quite flat. Firmer suspension tunes also recover well from road undulations. On the highway, the Altroz handles broken roads decently and dismisses smaller potholes with aplomb. Most of the time, the suspension goes about its job silently and isn't clunky or loud.

Handling & Dynamics

Straight-line stability is exceptional and the Altroz drives like a "big car" on the expressway. There is no floatiness or nervousness at all. The car is well-planted with superb high-speed manners. The 185/60 R16 Goodyear Assurance tyres provide fair grip levels for an average Joe. Enthusiastic drivers might want to swap to grippier tyre models. The Altroz holds onto its line well and doesn't understeer easily. Body roll is controlled and the car never gets unnerving. But again, we felt that the Altroz 1.2L NA lacks the sort of power to unsettle it in corners. Hope to see this DCA in the more powerful motors soon.

Steering

The electric power steering is one of the nicer units around. That thick steering wheel is a delight to hold. It is light at city speeds (one-finger-light at parking speeds) and weighs up sufficiently well as the speedometer needle climbs. The EPS isn't dead and does give you some feel of what the front wheels are up to.

Braking

We found the brakes to be progressive and doing the job as expected. They have cornering stability control too (Tata says "CSC supports / stabilizes the vehicle during partial braking in curves by reducing pressure at the required inner wheel. This helps to reduce the probability of vehicle oversteer during cornering + braking"). From high speeds, the car stops in a straight line sans any drama.

Niggles & Problems

This dual-clutch transmission in the Altroz seems impressive in terms of technology. However, there's no denying the fact that it's a complex gearbox & DCTs have never proven reliable in India, whether from VW-Skoda, Ford or even Hyundai-Kia. We sure hope this gearbox doesn't face any of the problems that some of the other DCTs in India have seen. The standard warranty is of 2 years / 75,000 km. Extended warranty is available for up to 3 years / unlimited km and we strongly recommend getting it.

Continue reading the discussion on the 2022 Tata Altroz DCA on our forum.

The Altroz DCA is a great urban commuter. Its smooth dual-clutch transmission is refreshing in a sea of jerky and slow AMTs and it's well priced too.

Tata Altroz DCA Pros

• A smooth dual-clutch AT in a segment full of slow & jerky AMTs
• We find the Altroz DCA to be well-priced for what it offers
• Looks absolutely stunning! Solid build too
• Nice interior with good quality parts & adequate space
• Accommodating 345-litre boot is among the biggest in the segment
• Mature on-road behaviour, including at highway speeds. Expressway stability is exceptional
• 5-star NCAP safety rating! Safety package includes dual airbags, CSC, break reminder etc.
• Enjoyable Harman 6-speaker ICE. One of the better systems in this segment
• Impressive kit (auto park lock, auto headlamps & wipers, cruise control, ambient lighting, adjustable armrest...)
• Factory-fitted customisation packs available

Tata Altroz DCA Cons

• The long-term reliability of dual-clutch ATs has generally been poor in India
• 1.2L NA motor is weak & noisy. Better in the city than the highway. Don't expect a "Polo TSI DSG" experience at all
• DCA isn't offered on the 1.2L turbo-petrol or 1.5L diesel variants. Period
• 118 BHP Hyundai i20 turbo-petrol DCT is noticeably faster & offers superior performance
• Mature suspension does have a firm edge at low speeds (16" rim variants)
• Service visit every 6 months / 7,500 km (1 year / 10,000 km is the norm today)
• Some missing features (Eco & Sport modes, paddle shifters, idling start / stop, auto-dimming IRVM, thinner spare tyre on top trims, split-folding rear seat...)
• Tata's after-sales service quality is a hit or miss. Remains a gamble

Read Team-BHP's detailed Tata Altroz DCA Review.

The Tata Altroz Automatic is available in seven variants, including two Dark Edition trims.

Tata Motors has launched the Altroz DCA (Dual Clutch Automatic) in the Indian market. The hatchback is available in seven variants - XMA+, XTA, XZA, XZA (O), XZA+, XTA Dark and XZA+ Dark, with prices starting at Rs. 8.09 lakh (ex-showroom).

The Altroz Automatic is powered by a 1.2-litre naturally aspirated petrol engine that produces 85 BHP and 113 Nm. The engine is mated to a 7-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission.

The dual-clutch unit in the Altroz is said to use 35% fewer components than a conventional DCT. It has a single layshaft and 13 gears with a Planetary Gear System instead of 20 gears. While dry clutches packed together may overheat, the DCA uses wet clutches.

The Altroz DCA comes with Auto Park Lock, which automatically engages and prevents the vehicle from moving if the driver has forgotten to put the car in P mode and is leaving the car. The system monitors the seatbelt and pedal positions.

The Altroz DCA is available in six colour options - Opera Blue (New), Downtown Red, Avenue White, Arcade Grey, Harbour Blue and Cosmo Dark.

Tata Altroz DCA ex-showroom prices:

• XMA+ - Rs. 8,09,900
• XTA - Rs. 8,59,900
• XZA - Rs. 9,09,900
• XZA (O) - Rs. 9,21,900
• XZA+ - Rs. 9,59,900
• XTA Dark - Rs. 9,05,900
• XZA+ Dark - Rs. 9,89,900