Tata Altroz DCA performance, ride and handling
The 1.2-litre engine of the Altroz continues to produce 85bhp of power and 113Nm, so don’t expect it to be a firecracker of a hatchback off the line. You can’t launch it hard off the line in any case, as the ‘box holds the revs at 2,200rpm when attempting a full bore start. This petrol engine isn’t as smooth or eager as its rivals and if you drive the Altroz like an enthu-cutlet, you do sense that it would prefer you to take things at a more relaxed pace. The six-speed DCT isn’t the quickest to shift, and while using the manual mode does give a bit more control over the engine, but you are still left wanting for more. I am still confused as to why Tata offered the DCT with the nat-asp engine and not the sportier i-Turbo variant, though fingers are crossed for a sportier variant in the future.
In any case, most Altroz owners won’t be doing track days with their cars and where the DCA actually shines is commuting in the city. My daily commute to evo India HQ isn’t the longest one but it does pack in a fair share of traffic and bad roads, and here the Altroz truly shines. The low-speed ride quality of the Altroz is really good and the way it just flattens bumps and speed breakers is sublime. And when you’re stuck in bumper to bumper traffic, you really appreciate the smoothness of this DCT. Unlike other DCTs, the Altroz’s gearbox never juddered at low speeds, although the creep function doesn’t have the strongest pull in stop-and-go traffic. But when you are driving it less enthusiastically, the Altroz DCA makes for a great city car.
The flat-bottomed steering is very light at city speeds, and while it doesn’t really weigh up or offer much feel as the speeds rise, the handling of the Altroz actually feels stable and secure. The brakes have a strong bite when you drop the anchors and when you chuck the Altroz into a corner, it eggs you on to push harder with its surefootedness. That it also gets a 5 Star Global NCAP crash test rating makes the Altroz a very secure and solid car to drive around town.
