Tata Altroz Racer review

The Altroz has been one of the best-designed hatchbacks on Indian roads, and the Racer carries forward the same exterior design except for the colour and branding. It rides on 16-inch diamond-cut alloy wheels and the dual-tone finish gives it a mysteriously complex look, especially from the side profile. Like most Tata cars, the doors open 90 degrees for easy ingress and egress. The rear door handles are mounted on the C-pillar and it takes a while getting used to.

The interiors have a sporty styling with a premium feel enhanced further by orange trim elements. The leatherette seats have an ergonomic design with Racer badging on the headrest and orange and white strips embroidered on to match the exteriors. The stitchings are in orange, which further connects the interior to the exterior style. The front seats are ventilated in the top variant. You also get subtle ambient lighting.

The cabin feels spacious with piano black elements adding a touch of class to the black textured hard plastic. Sure, the glossy elements are hard to keep shiny and scratchless, but let’s keep that discussion for another day. The standard flat-bottom steering wheel comes leather-wrapped. Most of the plastics look and feel premium, except for a few elements like the rear AC vents and the storage spaces that still have a cheap plastic feel.

The Altroz was the first car in the Tata family to get a tech-heavy treatment and the Racer takes this further. The display and tech inside will remind you of the latest generation of Tata cars. You get a 10-inch floating Harman infotainment system, complemented by a 7-inch digital instrument cluster. The top variant that we got to drive came with 360-degree cameras with blindspot assist. Tatas don’t skimp on the camera quality, and you get perfect situation awareness driving with the cameras on. An 8-speaker audio system keeps you entertained with brilliant output with rich bass and satisfying treble, though you don‘t get the JBL surround modes we got to see in the Nexon onwards. You get an air purifier with AQI display and Xpress Cool feature for AC.

Connectivity options in the front include USB-A, 15W USB-C and standard 12V sockets along with a wireless charging mat. All variants come with wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay via the iRA connectivity suite. The rear passengers get a 12W USB-A socket below the AC vents. You will also get a voice-activated electric sunroof unless you go for the base variant. Voice control is available via the ‘Hey Tata’ keyword and is a great help when you want to control the aircon and other features while driving.

The Altroz came with 5-star safety rating from Global NCAP, and the Racer further reinforces this with six airbags, electronic stability control, and three-point seatbelts. Cruise control is standard, and you get steering-mounted cluster control in the top two variants. Unfortunately, the rear seatbelts do not have load sensors and hence the alarm keeps beeping annoyingly for quite a while if the seatbelts aren’t buckled in.

At the core of the Racer is the 1.2-litre 3-cylinder turbocharged Revotron engine that powers the Nexon. The engine generates 120PS of power and 170Nm of torque and is mated with a 6-speed manual transmission for a true racing character. You don’t get an automatic transmission option. 

The pairing of a hydraulic clutch with the torquey engine is a little tricky to manage at first, requiring a longer learning curve than usual. Hence you need to be a little careful the first time you are out with the car in traffic with the torquey drivetrain being jerky and tricky to control at lower speeds especially with the clutch having a flat biting point. However, once you master the art of launching the car, it’s a pleasure to drive, and once you hit the 2000 rpm range, you will thoroughly enjoy the ride. The vehicle doesn’t have drive modes, however, the display indicates ‘Sports’ mode, which made me go on a hunt for that elusive drive mode button the first time I climbed into the driver seat.

The lower centre of gravity ensures a planted drive throughout even while cornering at high speeds. The steering is light but provides enough damping for comfortable manoeuvring. The cabin has good sound insulation, and the rear passengers feel comfortable with a flat floor and great suspension.

The Altroz Racer competes with the likes of the Hyundai i20 N Line and is a capable performance version of the popular hatchback, and it offers excellent handling with a comfortable ride even for the rear passengers. 

The car is loaded with tech if you consider the price and the segment, and comes with segment-first ventilated seats along with 360-degree camera, air purifier and electric sunroof. Ample connectivity options, a brilliant audio system and wireless charging enhance its appeal for tech buffs.

On the other side, the manual transmission is not too smooth with a jerky clutch, taking some fun away from driving a manual.