Tata Altroz i-Turbo Review: First Drive

The Tata Altroz i-Turbo is not perfect – it could do with a bit more refinement, some more power, an extra gear and an automatic option, but to give credit where it's due, Tata has priced the Altroz i-Turbo quite well!

By Ishan Raghava | on February 19, 2021 Follow us on Autox Google News

The Tata Altroz has been quite successful since its launch, but the one thing lacking was a powerful petrol engine. So, to address that, Tata has now fitted it with a 1.2-litre turbocharged engine.

As far as entries by manufacturers into new segments go, Tata Motors’ investment and effort have certainly borne fruit. With a striking design, the Altroz is one stunning looking hatchback and has certainly caught the fancy of Indian customers, which is reflected quite well in Tata’s sales figures over the past few months. Needless to say, their first foray into the premium hatchback segment has been well accepted, which can often be a major challenge for brands. 

Some niggles

But, even when I had driven the Altroz about a year ago, I had mentioned that with the capability and the poise that the Altroz offered, along with the well-setup suspension, it desperately needed a more powerful petrol engine to really give it some driving appeal for enthusiastic drivers. And there were a few more niggles that Tata could do well to sort out. 

Tata Altroz i Turbo Engine

Well, with the 1.2-litre petrol engine now also offered in turbocharged form, it seems to resolve my desire for a more powerful engine. Now producing 108bhp, and the 140Nm of torque, the turbo unit produces a full 23bhp over the naturally aspirated version, a near 30% jump in power and a near 25% jump in torque. 

On the road 

The refinement of the 1.2-litre unit in the Altroz is perhaps not class-leading, but it’s not intrusive either. But, the better thing is that now when you’re out on the highway or even in urban traffic, looking for an acceleration burst, the turbo unit responds instantly and offers a good throttle response. With peak torque arriving at just 1,500rpm, getting the Altroz off the mark is quite easy. And the i-Turbo now also gets a Sport driving mode which sharpens the throttle response and is actually quite fun to use. 

Tata Altroz i Turbo Rear Quarter Motion jpg

In fact, out on the highway, the added power really adds to the Altroz’s driving appeal and with its well-setup suspension, cruising at three-digit speeds is quite effortless. The steering also offers a decent amount of feel, and the body roll is fairly well controlled despite the excellent ride quality that the Altoz offers. If there is a fly in the ointment here, it would have to be the 5-speed manual gearbox. Sure, the shift quality is fine, but the fact that Tata only offers a 5-speed ‘box on the turbo Altroz is a disappointment. Out on the highway, you get into the 5th gear way too early and if you’re out on a long trip you really feel the lack of a 6th gear. Not only would the addition of the 6th gear make driving the Altroz a bit better with more space between the gear ratios, but it would also improve fuel efficiency on long trips, so for me, that is a trick missed on the Altroz. 

Tata Altroz i Turbo Interior jpg

Old and new

Of course, the interior of the Altroz maintains its USPs, such as the 90-degree opening doors to the spacious interiors and comfortable seats. In fact, the interior now also gets a black and light grey combination with perforated leatherette seats. Another addition to the interior is the new connectivity option via Tata’s iRA connected car technology. Now, using the iRA app you can perform various functions on your Altroz such as tracking the location of the car, locking and unlocking it remotely, checking the fuel level and much more including many security features. Since some of its rivals also offer similar features, this is a good addition to the Altroz’s feature list. 

Tata Altroz i Turbo Instrument Cluster

Hits and misses

However, while the addition of a turbo engine was long due, the Altroz does still miss out on a few things. For one, I think the chassis and suspension of the Altroz can handle even more power and the same engine produces more power in the Nexon, so the tuning down of the engine for the Altroz seems a bit of a lost opportunity. Two, I would really recommend Tata to offer a 6-speed manual option with the turbo engine in the interest of both driving appeal and fuel efficiency. 

And lastly, when the Altroz was launched a year ago, Tata had promised us a dual-clutch automatic gearbox, which sadly we’re yet to see the light of. I would’ve thought that the introduction of the petrol turbo engine with the DCT would be a perfect combination, but alas it seems Tata Motors would like us to wait longer for it, which I think is another lost opportunity. 

Tata Altroz i Turbo Side View Static jpg

Sure, the Altroz i-Turbo is not perfect, it could do with a bit more refinement, some more power, an extra gear and an automatic option, but to give credit where it's due, Tata has priced the i-Turbo quite well, and compared to its rivals and seeing the practicality and space the Altroz offers, it should do quite well in the market.

  • Tata Altroz i-Turbo

Engine: 1,199cc / 3-Cylinder / Turbocharged

Fuel: Petrol

Transmission: 5-Speed Manual / Front-Wheel Drive

Power: 108bhp @ 5,500rpm

Torque: 140Nm @ 1,500-5,500rpm

Price: ₹7.74 – 8.86 Lakh (Ex-showroom)

X-Factor: The Altroz i-Turbo gets all the basics right, including the price, which makes it a very capable contender in the premium hatchback space.

Pros           
• Styling
• More power

Cons
• Only a five-speed manual option available

Read more:

Tata Altroz iTurbo launched at Rs 7.74 lakh

Limited-edition Tata Tiago launched at Rs 5.79 lakh

2021 Tata Safari launch on 22nd February; bookings open

Tags: Tata Tata Altroz Car Reviews

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