Tata Altroz Racer Review: Spicing Things Up!

Despite being a nation of automotive customers and enthusiasts, I think we’ve largely been deprived of hot hatchbacks. Globally, particularly in developed markets like Europe, Japan, and even the USA, hot hatchbacks have always been a thing. If you’ve ever driven on the country roads of, say, England, Germany, or France, you would understand the appeal of a small hatchback with a powerful engine. On narrow country roads, the small form factor of the hatchback works well, and given their relatively light weight, they are also quite fun to drive. Additionally, their compact size makes them easy to park in tight spaces and very practical.

The trend of hot hatchbacks was started by icons such as the Golf GTI and the Mini Cooper and was taken further by numerous other models over the decades. In India, we did get a taste of the hot hatch, albeit briefly, with the Polo GT and GTI models. 

Tata Altroz Racer Review: Indigenous efforts

That’s where the Altroz Racer comes in, which is Tata Motors’ effort to offer Indian customers the hot hatch experience. However, this isn’t their first foray into this segment; a few years ago, Tata introduced the Tiago JTP, a hot hatch with a tuned engine and custom suspension, but it was only available for a short period. The Altroz Racer picks up from where the JTP left off, offering a new and exciting version of the Altroz to Indian customers.

One look at the Altroz Racer, and you can immediately tell that it’s a more purposeful version of the hatchback we have come to know. The bright orange paint job – it’s also offered in white and grey colour options – paired with a two-tone finish, with the top half in black, gives it a distinctive look. It also gets racing stripes on the bonnet and roof, along with blacked-out alloy wheels and a large rear spoiler. While the changes, along with the bright colour options, make the car stand out, a more purposeful front and rear bumper combo would have made the Altroz Racer look a bit more aggressive and appealing to its target audience.

Inside, the Altroz Racer gets some upgrades, such as the orange and white detailing on the seats and dashboard – this is what our test car had – along with the orange outlining around the vents and gear console. Overall, the orange theme is quite well executed, adding a nice pop of colour to the otherwise all-black interior. Also, the Altroz gets ventilated front seats for the first time, which works quite well. Another new feature is a new 7-inch digital instrument cluster, with sporty graphics, various menu items and dial views. The design and functioning of the cluster are quite slick and effective.

Tata Altroz Racer Review: Under the hood

However, the most significant changes to the Altroz Racer – those that hot hatch fans will be most excited about – are found under the hood and in other key components. For starters, the Altroz Racer gets the 1.2-litre turbocharged petrol engine for the first time. We are quite familiar with this unit, which, in the Altroz Racer, is paired exclusively with a 6-speed manual transmission. So, if you were looking for an automatic hot hatch, well, you’d be disappointed.

In this setup, the 1.2-litre turbo engine produces 118bhp and 170Nm of torque, providing plenty of power. While you might expect a sporty car such as this to offer various driving modes, the Racer is specifically targeted at enthusiasts and, therefore, only gets one mode – Sport.

Other upgrades over the standard Altroz include stiffened suspension, a tuned exhaust note to make it sound sportier, a quicker steering setup, and a new hydraulic clutch control system.

To test its newfound abilities, Tata invited us to Coimbatore to drive the car on the road and on the new CoASTT racetrack.

The first thing I noticed as I entered the car was how comfortable the interior felt, thanks to the excellent seats and an overall spacious cabin. You immediately realise that you’re driving a hyped-up Altroz because the moment you start the car, the revised exhaust makes its presence known. On the road, the Altroz Racer drives quite well – the engine’s power delivery is well-tuned, and the car pulls really well beyond 1,700 – 1,800 rpm. Plus, there is hardly any sense of turbo lag, and the strong mid-range really delivers power effortlessly. The clutch action is also quite light, but the pedal travel is a bit long. While driving on mixed road surfaces – both at high and slow speeds – we realised that the ride setup is stiffer than the standard Altroz, but it still maintains a very good balance between body control and ride quality. And once you hit the highways, the engine’s power makes it easy to achieve and comfortably maintain three-digit speeds all day.

Driving on the CoASTT racetrack gave us a new perspective on the Altroz Racer. The flowing, fast corners and elevation changes of the track revealed the immense potential of the car’s chassis and handling capabilities. You can easily adjust the dynamic balance of the car by modulating the throttle input and weight transfer. The Altroz Racer feels good to throw around the racetrack, and it responds remarkably well, making it quite fun to drive.

However, there were two things that stood out for potential improvement. Firstly, the tyres – the Altroz comes with low-rolling resistance tyres, which means their on-track grip is not as much as one would expect from a hot hatch. Secondly, during quick shifts, the gear changes feel a bit notchy.

Also Read: Tata Altroz XZ LUX, XZ+S LUX Variants Launched in India; XZ+ OS Updated with Connected Car Tech and More

On the road, particularly at high speeds, the steering’s noticeable loading can feel somewhat intrusive, almost as if it’s trying to resist your inputs. I know that Tata has intentionally put in the extra weight, but I personally find it slightly excessive and believe that it could benefit from a more linear feel.

Tata Altroz Racer Review: Spicy Fun Served Hot?

Considering its pricing and positioning, the Altroz Racer seems to be a nice refreshing offering in the Indian market. It will appeal to both enthusiasts and younger buyers alike, for it offers enough substance to be worth their time and money. So, if you’re looking for a hot hatch experience, the Altroz Racer is an excellent starting point.