Things have moved rather quickly in the automotive world over the last half decade or so. Which is about as long as Tata Motors’ premium hatchback Altroz has been in the market. Over this period car companies went into the Covid funk and came out of it. And while fundamentally a car remains something to transport people in, how it does so and what driver and passengers enjoy along the way have changed quite significantly.

Inherently, cars have become way more feature-loaded and gadgety. Touchscreen infotainment systems have almost undergone a generational change in terms of what one can control through them and the possibilities opened up by connectivity with Android Auto, Apple Car Play or Alexa. The push to cut back emissions or increase range has made cars more slippery through the air. To cut the long story short, the Altroz needed a serious revamp if it had to stay relevant. And it has got one now.

Tata Motors introduced it on May 22. Then, last week, it invited t2oS, among other motoring media, to Bangalore to sample it. There are currently three broad versions of the Altroz in terms of engines. They are petrol, CNG and diesel. While there is a single-fuel petrol version, that was not available. However, the CNG version, which uses the same engine and can be run on either petrol or CNG, was. Also available was the diesel version. We drove both in the manual transmission versions. Here are our first impressions of the Altroz.

ON THE OUTSIDE

The first impression when one sees the Tata Altroz in the metal is that it is a handsome vehicle. The changes on the outside are subtle but freshen up the looks substantially. The front end now gets a new 3D grille instead of the plain one earlier. The bumper, too, is new and smoother and the air intake continues the design of the grille. There are also vents in its side that let air flow. The prominent logo in the centre now also incorporates a camera for the new surround view feature. The headlamp cluster now has a brow-like daytime running light that also doubles as a turn indicator. The headlamps are now double rectangular LED units each and there is a similar fog lamp that incorporates a turning function that lights up around corners when the car steers around curves.

The flanks have smoother panels with flush front door handles. The housing of the outside rear view mirrors now gets a turn indicator as well as a camera for the surround view. Subtle wheel arches indicate muscle. The wheels are 16-inchers across the range now and the alloys have been designed to reduce drag. Also, the black surrounds of the glass area are slimmer.

Around the back, the tail light clusters are new and less chunky and the lights are slimmer too. There is also an LED strip, that Tata calls an infinity LED connecting the tail lamp clusters on either side. The rear bumper has also been redesigned in keeping with the one in front.

The rear end remains similar but the bumper is now new and so are the tail lights which incorporate a the infinity strip that goes right across the bootlid

Overall, the look now follows a more contemporary aesthetic.

ON THE INSIDE

There are significant changes in the passenger compartment as well, the most prominent being the dashboard design. Some of its reflective surfaces have been jettisoned for a mattier finish and texture. Tata Motors has dipped into its parts bin for this update. The multifunction flat-bottom steering wheel is familiar from the Nexon and the Curvv. So is the central 10.25-inch infotainment touchscreen that houses a whole bunch of functions. The HVAC control panel is similar as well. The instrument cluster is now a seven- or 10-inch affair depending on which spec one chooses. The ones we drove came with the 7-inch option. Most of it is a far cry from the earlier model.

As for passenger comfort and amenities, the seats are newly designed and have added under-thigh support both at the front and the rear. That should make longer journeys less of a strain. There are also USB-C sockets both in front and at the back, plus a USB-A and a 12V socket. The latest version has a wireless phone charger as well. Storage spaces for all smaller items and water bottles and cup holders abound and the glove box is cooled to boot.

The car probably needs weight sensors in the rear seats. Right now, even if there are no passengers at the back, unless the rear seat belts are buckled the car sounds the seat belt warning for a bit of time and then, thankfully, stops.

The legroom is good with standard height adults both in the front and at the back and the flat floor makes it comfortable for the middle passenger as well. When that seat is vacant, one can use the arm rest, which now comes with a couple of cupholders.

The glass area is fairly large and gives a sense of airiness, more so with the sunroof open. The view out of the rear windscreen is good too, even though the car has a rising beltline leading up to it.

And while the boot space is adequate in the diesel, in the CNG version it is quite limited unless one decides to jettison the parcel shelf. On the whole, this is a good comfortable space to be in, whether the journey is short or long.

ON THE ROAD

This is where the Tata Altroz shines brightest. The ride quality is very, very good and it doesn’t feel like a hatchback at all. It has got a big car vibe in the way it handles bad roads and undulations and cossets passengers. This is additionally helped by the seats, which are very well contoured and supportive. The wheels, too, are now 16-inchers and that also helps smooth out bad surfaces.

On the highway, the Altroz is poised and lane changes are handled with aplomb at expressway speeds. The new blind spot assist on the central infotainment screen that comes on when the turn indicator is on is a very useful thing to have.

The steering gives good feedback and it was fun chucking it around switchbacks on hill roads, the diesel more than the CNG. In fact, we think the CNG is good if one is chasing economy and in the city. Otherwise, it makes sense to just plump for the diesel. It has about double the torque of the CNG and all of that comes in at fairly low engine revs and is, therefore, very available and useful in most situations.

We drove only the manual versions and while an AMT option was on show it was not available to drive. The shift slots in nicely and is good to use, which is a good thing because the CNG version needs the driver to play around with it to keep the car in the power band.

The controls are light in CNG and a bit heavier in the diesel but nothing to complain about. On the road the engine noise does come into the passenger compartment in both versions when revved up. The diesel thrum is also present but unless one is spinning up the engine a lot all the time, living with it is not going to be a problem.

In terms of creature comforts both the air conditioner as well as the audio system work well and there are a zillion settings that one can play with through the infotainment touchscreen.

THE CALL

If one has to pick one reason for buying the Tata Altroz, it has to be its ride and comfort. We think it would be quite difficult to better it on this front in this segment. Then there is the economy. Both the models we drove, powered by CNG and diesel, are aimed to be frugal. And if one is looking for a diesel in this segment, the Altroz is the only option. For performance, the diesel is the one to go for although the CNG aquits itself well in city conditions. Then, Tata has finally given the model the features update that it had come to need. So it is now ready to take on its rivals in the segment head on.