Before everybody quickdraws and shoots, the Tata Altroz Racer should be looked at from a different lens. This is not a bespoke track day tool, or just a family hatchback, or just a back road barnstormer; it is a mix of all of these abilities at a very well-priced mark-up. Tata beefed up the engine output, added a tonne of electronics in the cabin, tuned the suspension and chassis for surefooted handling, and added those racing stripes to keep the hatchback-loving audience interested. This is Tata's second attempt; after the Tiago JTP launched a few years ago, which could not hit the same enthusiastic nerve, Altroz Racer has much more going for its case.
Looks The Part
The standard Altroz is already a great-looking hatchback in terms of design and proportions, but the blackened roof and bonnet, along with the racing stripes, add the necessary drama fitting the Racer name. There are three colour options available: white, grey, and orange. The options that we're driving here are great. As mentioned earlier, the Altroz Racer has perfect proportions for a great-looking hatch, and the Racer details add to its appeal not available in the segment for now.
The interior, too, carries the sporty language, and sitting in the driver's seat feels special. The black interior theme is highlighted by orange inserts across. The seat upholstery, steering wheel, and foot mats carry orange and white stitching, which looks uber cool. These seats are ventilated as well for increased comfort in Indian summers. The centre of the dashboard has a large touchscreen with great haptics and is smooth to use. The driver information system also has a central screen for all the information. But when it comes to usability, analogue needles are still way better to read when it comes to reading data on a performance car, so one might split opinions.
It Delivers A Warm Performance
The 1.2l turbocharged petrol engine puts out 118bhp of power and 170Nm of torque from 1,750 rpm. It feels beefy from the get-go, with a very tractable nature. The torque availability in the mid-band makes it a great highway cruiser, and it can easily drive at triple-digit speeds without effort. Even the 6-speed manual transmission is supported by low-end torque requiring very little gearshifts. But when it comes to acceleration, the transmission is a bit mushy. The throws are long, and the bouncy clutch is also a let-down. And please, Tata, gear knobs are spherical for a reason, as it is objectively more intuitive. However, once you get used to these niggles and understand the nature of the clutch, it is a great car to be fast in. The exhaust note further adds to the excitement, with a constant thrum at ideal, which keeps rising as the revs rise.
Handles True To Its Name; Ride Is Superb
Tata engineers have rightly worked their fingers to the bone to get the handling characteristics right for the Altroz Racer. This thing feels great while chucking into corners and holding its line all through at ridiculous speeds. It's quick, and the steering feels and responds like nothing in this segment. The suspension setup is firmer and can manage undulations on the roads excellently. We initially thought the disc and drum setup might be a let-down, but we are happy to report that the brakes work just fine. Even the MRF ECOTREAD tyres have more than adequate grip within the bounds of a normal driver's skillset. Also, the traction control system cannot be turned off for some weird reason on a performance car!
Altroz Racer has impeccable highway manners. It is very confident sitting the whole day at 100kmph, changes lanes stably, and you don't even need to downshift much to overtake other vehicles. The only annoying bit is the noise from the wheel arches; somebody at Tata Motors can work on better dampening. Or you could fix it with a quieter set of aftermarket rubber. But apart from that the cabin is decently quiet at city speeds.
Very Well Equipped; Maybe Too Well
The car is absolutely packed with electronics, 360-degree camera with blind spot monitoring, automatic headlamps, 8-speaker Harman audio, a voice-operated sunroof, connected car tech, ventilated seats, and whatnot. The infotainment itself has a plethora of connectivity options. There is a wireless charger in the centre console, the mirrors fold when you lock the car; there are ambient lights whose intensity can be changed, and the layout of the driver information can be somewhat altered as well. All these features make other cars look barren in their segment.
Kudos to Tata Motors for adding more spice to their line-up, perhaps the best. All the Altroz Racer needs is to stand the test of time, an Achilles heel for the carmaker. The wheel centre cap flew away, the clutch pedal cover came off, and the rear door handle may make the car look pretty, but it doesn't work intuitively. All we ask is just to take away some features and put them back after improving the fit and finish. This is such a great car that any niggles will spoil the image that hatchbacks so desperately need to work towards to stay relevant in this SUV-dominated market. There is no doubt that Tata has done a fantastic job with the Altroz Racer, and we hope a DCT variant is on the cards soon enough.
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