Tata Altroz premium hatchback: 10 things you DON’T know about the Maruti Baleno rival

Tata has officially unveiled the all-new Altroz, which will launch in the Indian market later this year. The all-new Altroz is based on the 45X concept, which was showcased at the 2018 Auto Expo in India. What the ten things that you should know about the upcoming Tata Altroz? Find them here.

No diesel engine

Tata revealed the official specifications of the upcoming Altroz, and according to it, the forthcoming Altroz will get only one engine option. Tata may only offer the 1.2-litre turbocharged petrol engine that also powers the Tata Nexon in the Indian market. However, the power figures are different and in Altroz, the same engine will produce a maximum power of 100 PS and a peak torque of 140 Nm of peak torque. It will get a 5-speed manual transmission as opposed to the 6-speed transmission available with the Nexon petrol.

Gets four airbags

The Tata Altroz will get four airbags in total in the top-end variant. While the lower trims are expected to get dual front airbags as standard, the top-end version will get four airbags. The Tata Nexon gets two airbags while the Tata Harrier gets six airbags. The Hyundai Elite i20 gets 6-airbags.

No drive modes

Tata’s drive modes, which was introduced with the Nexon and is also available with the Harrier is missing from the Altroz. The drive modes can change the power output of the engine to increase fuel efficiency. Both the Nexon and the Harrier get three drive modes. The Altroz only gets an Eco mode, which is similar to what we see on the Tiago and the Tigor.

Longer and wider than Baleno

The upcoming Tata Altroz remains below the 5m length mark to gain from the sub 4m tax rule in the Indian market. However, it is slightly longer and wider than the Maruti Suzuki Baleno, which is the best-selling car in the segment. However, the Baleno is slightly taller and gets a longer wheelbase. The Tata Altroz measures 3,988mm X 1,754mm X 1,505mm. In comparison, the Maruti Suzuki Baleno measures 3,995mmX1,745mmX1,510mm. The Baleno gets a wheelbase of 2,520mm which is 19mm longer than the wheelbase of the Altroz.

AC vents in the rear

Tata will offer rear AC vents in the high-end trims of the Altroz. The rear seat passengers will also get a common 12V charging socket mounted below the AC vents. The rear seat passengers also get three seatbelts, but there is no armrest.

Instrument cluster inspired by Tata Harrier

The upcoming Tata Altroz gets a semi-digital instrument cluster, which is inspired by the Tata Harrier. Tata has not revealed the official size of the screen, but it looks quite big and similar in size to the Harrier. It gets slightly angular edges compared to the Harrier’s rounded corners.

Weighs less than Tiago diesel

The Tata Altroz is based on the all-new ALFA Arc platform. It is the first car to get the all-new platform, and it is extremely lightweight. The Tata Altroz will get a kerb weight of around 965 kg, which is much lower than the Tiago diesel’s weight of 1030 kg for the base model and 1080 kg for the top-end version.

First Tata to get the window-mounted handle

The Altroz gets the sneaky window frame-mounted door handle, which has become a trend in the new cars designed in India. The handle gives a clean and sporty look to the Altroz while the upswept window line provides a very aggressive look to the premium hatchback.

Most affordable Tata to offer cruise control

Currently, Tata Harrier is the most affordable vehicle in the Tata’s line-up to get cruise control. However, the upcoming Harrier will also offer cruise control feature, making it the most affordable Tata to provide the same. Maruti Suzuki Baleno and the Hyundai Elite i20 do not offer cruise control at the moment.

Will get an electrified version soon

Tata has also showcased the electrified version of the Altroz at Geneva Motor Show. Tata has not revealed much about the upcoming EV but it will get a range between 250-300 km and will offer fast charging system, which will charge it up to 80% within 60 minutes.