MUMBAI :

With their latest offering, the Altroz Racer, Tata Motors, wants to bring back all the fun associated with driving a hot hatch, and considering there is only the Hyundai i20 N Line to rival it in the market currently, it definitely seems like a right move from the carmaker. We drove the Altroz Racer R3 recently and here’s what we think of it…

For starters, the Altroz Racer looks the part. The blacked-out roof, bonnet, and pillars give it the sporty look which is further accentuated by those racing stripes. Slightly wider racing stripes on the bonnet and the roof of the hot hatch would have looked more proportionate, we felt… but hey, that’s just an observation and something that Tata Motors can fix at any time. The projector headlamps and the tail lamps were non-LED (The DRLs were LED) but that did not take away from the beautiful front fascia of the Altroz, which for the most part (like the rest of the hatch) has remained unchanged over the years. The R16 diamond cut alloys added to the Altroz Racer’s appeal, and at the rear, a roof spoiler was an important addition to the exterior of the Altroz Racer for its aerodynamics as well as for completing the hot hatch look.

Inside, we were greeted with orange and white racing stripes on the black seats as well as the carpet mats, not to mention orange accents on the dash, orange stitching on the steering, as well as leather stripes on the seats… all of which blended beautifully together with the black colour inside the cabin, giving it quite the sporty look. The 7.0-inch touchscreen is gone, and now a larger 10.25-inch touchscreen replaces it doing a very good job when it comes to your Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, or even just the FM radio – all thanks to Harman. There is also a 360-degree surround view camera on the Altroz Racer and it did an excellent job of displaying a very crisp and clear picture of whatever was around the hot hatch.

The part-analogue, part-digital instrument cluster looks good, we just wished that the font sizes were slightly larger. The front seats as well as the rear seats of the Altroz have always been very comfortable and overall, the feel inside the cabin is that of spaciousness thanks to the 2501mm wheelbase and the Altroz Racer is no different.

The Altroz Racer gets a 3-cylinder 1.2-L (1199cc) turbocharged petrol engine which puts out 120PS@5500 rpm and 170Nm of torque @1750-4000rpm. Get into the Sport mode and with that the 6-Speed manual gearbox (which can be a bit notchy at times, especially when you’re trying to slot gears very fast), watch the Altroz Racer just comes into its own. Initial response of the Altroz Racer is quick and as you continue accelerating, it shows no abruptness or hesitation and continues with its linear power delivery making this a really good choice especially for driving enthusiasts. And the steering besides offering a precise and accurate feel while responding very well to our inputs, further adds to the fun quotient. Diving into corners at high speeds or driving in a straight line… this hot hatch only seems eager for more. The brakes (Disc (Front) and Drum (Rear)) on this hot hatch are very good and that can be really reassuring especially if like us, you also drive a lot in the rain. All in all, after you’ve figured out your way around that notchy gearbox, the Altroz Racer offers a very involving driving experience and makes for a very good choice for both city as well as highway drivers.

In terms of safety, the Altroz was the first hatch to receive a 5-Star safety rating and so that should allay all fears. Furthermore, with 6 airbags, ESC, and 3-point rear seatbelts, you can be sure that you’re safe inside the Altroz Racer. Besides, there is also the E-Call/B-Call system in case of an emergency.

The Altroz Racer is available in three trims R1, R2, and R3. Besides, the Atomic Orange which we drove, there are two other options – Avenue White and Pure Grey.

To read our review of the Tata Altroz, click here:

https://www.turnofspeed.in/review/absolute-altroz.html

To read our review of the Tata Altroz iTurbo, click here:

https://www.turnofspeed.in/review/tata-altroz-iturbo-is-phat.html