[tsi_niks1989]

With all the talk about 0-100 timings, Altroz has become the fastest indian hatchback beating i20 N-line and Fronx Turbo .

https://www.rushlane.com/tata-altroz...-12499774.html

[S2!!!]

Originally Posted by tsi_niks1989

With all the talk about 0-100 timings, Altroz has become the fastest indian hatchback beating i20 N-line and Fronx Turbo .

https://www.rushlane.com/tata-altroz...-12499774.html

2 minutes 21.74 seconds at Coastt. WOW. Without any special efforts Narain managed 2 minutes 13.33 seconds at the same place during Autocar's track day in the Hyundai i20 N Line DCT

[tushky]

Just a random observation about Tata Altroz Racer.

When it was showcased at the Auto Expo, the 360-degree camera placement on the outside mirror was placed inside of the mirror assembly. Also, the gear knob is the same as the Regular Altroz.




However, at the time of launch, the 360-degree camera placement is placed more toward the outer side and the gear knob is extremely simple.

[parzival]

Did a short test drive of Altroz Racer couple of days back. The test drive was mix of short straight stretch with less traffic, city traffic roads and completely broken roads. Here are my initial impressions, coming from a stage 1 Ecosport TDCI user:

• Good low end and mid range. I hardly noticed any turbo lag.
• Suspension just eats up bad roads. It doesn't have any nervousness at high speeds as well. Though i20 Nline is a LOT more fun in terms of its handling and dynamics
• Pretty well weighted steering. I was expecting more feedback and quicker return to center. The Ecosport has me spoilt there bigtime.
• Non existent top end, its like you hit a wall post ~5k rpm. Was not expecting that.
• The engine didn't sound very refined, it sounded strained past 4k rpm. Exhaust sounded deep, more diesel like, good to listen to below 3k rpm. Exhaust tips look ugly and badly finished compared to the i20 Nline. At high rpm its just the engine noise along with a faint turbo whistle.
• Clutch has longer travel than Ecosport and has an awkward bite point. I completely disliked the clutch and gear shifts for a car named 'racer'. The shifts are very notchy especially if you drive enthusiastically.
• It has lot more space at the rear compared to Ecosport, though the rear seat is too upright for my liking.
• Didn't particularly liked how interior looked and its fit and finish. for e.g. the black fabric used on the front door pads, felt cheap. Loved the black roof liner though.
• I couldn't find a driving position of my taste. I like to sit low and set the steering wheel mostly at the lowest position, but Altroz steering rack wouldn't tilt to the point I liked. So I had to set the driver's seat little high.

Altroz Racer is a decent car in isolation, good low end and midrange, decent equipment list, but I dont think its even close to a warmed up car. I didn't enjoy driving it as much as I thought I would, probably all the marketing and YT review videos had me expecting more. But I definitely disliked the engine character as its almost similar to my remapped Ecosport, with less power and torque. Not that I dislike diesel engine, but not what I was looking from a petrol sort of 'warm hatch'. And yeah, my remapped EcoSport is LOT more fun.

I test drove the racer as we are in the market looking for a sub 15L compact car for my brother. I did test drove the i20 Nline DCT as well and I would just take the Nline any day for its suspension and handling alone. Nline definitely has more grunt than the racer, though here again, I was expecting more top end performance.

Also I wanted to know if the suspension is really retuned in the Racer. As per the initial impression video posted in YT by MotorInc, the part number of suspension components for the Racer and the regular Altroz are the same. But that shouldn't be case if Racer has retuned suspension components, right?

[PrasannaDhana]

Originally Posted by parzival

But that shouldn't be case if Racer has retuned suspension components, right?

From my experience, I found absolutely no changes to the steering as well as suspension setup of Altroz racer vs normal Altroz.

[bijims]

Originally Posted by PrasannaDhana

From my experience, I found absolutely no changes to the steering as well as suspension setup of Altroz racer vs normal Altroz.

Considering the different engine, power and torque and with the Racer branding there should have been changes to the suspension and steering to make it sportier, but maybe they have tuned it so well that there aren't any noticeable changes.

[ToThePoint]

Originally Posted by parzival

Also I wanted to know if the suspension is really retuned in the Racer. As per the initial impression video posted in YT by MotorInc, the part number of suspension components for the Racer and the regular Altroz are the same. But that shouldn't be case if Racer has retuned suspension components, right?

There is no mechanical change to the car other than the engine + gearbox combo and the corresponding ECU updates. So suspension setup is same as regular Altroz.

[SavoyWalrus]

Originally Posted by ToThePoint

There is no mechanical change to the car other than the engine + gearbox combo and the corresponding ECU updates. So suspension setup is same as regular Altroz.

The front springs are the only thing different in the Racer compared to the regular petrol Altroz. The Diesel also has different front springs due to the extra weight.

[OnTheRoadAgain]

First Post, Long Post!

Hello BHPians, In today’s sea of SUVs, pseudo SUVs, micro SUVs, and MUVs, I am in the market looking for a driver-focused hatchback which should have good driving dynamics and be a hoot to drive. It needs not to light the tarmac on fire but should be sure footed when the machine and I are at relatively high speed, inspire confidence on curves, keep vertical movements at bay, and bring a smile on the face whenever we are together on the road.

My benchmark: Yesteryear’s Ford Figo

Why Figo? Because back in the day, when I was driving a borrowed Figo on Maharashtra’s curves in monsoon, I remember the feeling when the seat side bolstering snugged me on the winding roads, the chassis shined its road manners, gunning me to go further; the minimal body roll assured me that we were within limits, and the survival instinct kicking in when I took a quick glance at the speedometer to check what speeds were we doing. I was grinning, and the car maneuverability manners were fantastic.

In search of the same experience, I took a test drive of the newly launched Altroz Racer, and this is my first impression. My showroom experience was good. I went on a lazy weekday afternoon and was promptly attended and assigned a representative. She took the details and shared a pdf with prices and features. Within 10 minutes, I was assigned a test car and we were asked to come downstairs and have a look at the vehicle.

My initial thoughts when I saw the vehicle were that I may or may not be okay with the dual paint job or the name Racer, as it will reveal and reflect on my mid-life crisis; but I am definitely not okay with those dual stripes, which I used to adore as a kid on a car poster but don’t want it on a brand-new car. I pondered upon the thought of owning this flashy paint job vehicle and could surely see myself saying “'sup” to everyone just like Joey said in the 90’s sitcom Friends while trying to be a teenager again with flashy clothes.

I touched those white lines. They turned out to be stickers, and it should be a straight-forward job for a detailing studio to remove them if I end up buying the Racer. My better half also expressed that she is not a fan of those racing stripes and they need to go if we are going ahead with the car.

Inside was a different story. Things were in place, and nothing was as gaudy as those racing stripes. I was happy to see that the fit and finish have improved in the Racer, and thankfully there were physical buttons in the console for all climate-related operations. Ergonomically, everything was falling into place, and I was acquainted with the majority of controls within no time. Me and my better half sat in the car, and as I was happily lowering the seat to its minimum setting, telling her that this car has its ergonomics sorted, when she pointed out that her side has no such seat adjustment and that she doesn’t have much headroom all thanks to the sunroof and its controls.

Why Tata? In the majority of Indian scenarios, the co-driver is as important as the driver, and they are big influencers in the decision-making process. Please pamper them too, as they don’t like the scenario where they don’t have control over something, which we have 😉.

I cranked the engine, and the dashboard lit up with cool animation. I was liking what I was seeing. There were no vibrations on the steering wheel or on the gear lever. A throaty sound from the exhaust egged me to slot the car in gear and experience the drive. The gear slot was smooth, and the gear hold was perfect. Thanks to the all-black cabin, I didn’t have to look much at that gear lever, which looked like a straight lift from my school going bus some 30 years ago. On the other hand, Tata has not given that game console-inspired, logo-illuminating steering wheel to this machine, and the eyes were treated to an functional non LED steering wheel and a readable console behind it.

I pressed the pedal, slotted the gear lever into first, released the clutch, and the car jumped to show off its low-end torque prowess like an old friend whom you meet at a reunion party who is too eager to show that his/her life is all sorted. The clutch was light, the travel was long, and the biting point was a wee bit high. It takes some time to tame that sudden surge.

This car is tractable! Very easy to nip around in city traffic. I switched on the ventilated seats with the air conditioner blower set to front and lower, and the seats got chilled in no time. I found that I am no longer bothered by mad Pune traffic, where a bike rider decided to go from extreme left to take a right U turn, just in front of me on a traffic signal. My mind was relaxed as my lower half was cooled. The ventilated seats worked fine, but I need to try this in proper hot weather, as the Pune monsoon is too forgiving and makes any air conditioner feel the best in the world.

The 10-inch screen is crisp with good UI, and my wife decided to fiddle with the controls. I was focusing myself on the drive, and the car was sure-footed with lovely handling and linear power delivery. Now the gear shifts were happening smoothly, and that sudden jerk forward on clutch release was tamed with a few minutes of drive. This steering wheel coupled with the chassis is one of the better handlers in the hatchback territory and requires a special mention. This car requires a better set of tires to shine its handling capabilities, as what is good now can be great with better wheel-wear.

The car was stable over high speeds and inspired confidence. The fond memories of Figo flashed. We took a longish test drive, on busy crossroads, over a relatively traffic-free flyover, a bit of highway, and then back again to the starting point. The wife was happy with the response of the center console touch controls, music quality, air conditioner and I was happy with the low-mid power delivery. She mentioned that on the go, she was no longer bothered with the headspace and was comfortable.

We came back to the showroom & drank a much-required coffee as the lower half was properly chilled. What I was looking for in a car, which I mentioned in the first paragraph, was getting fulfilled by this machine.

All is okay except its Racer name, those stripes, available dual colors, and that headspace-eating roof window. If only Tata releases some solid color options like they did with iturbo.

Now I need to test drive the i20 N Line manual and the Virtus Manual.

[bijims]

Nice write-up, the Altroz Racer is a good car, but in my personal opinion, I like the i20 N-Line better, I see you are getting a test drive soon, do share your feedback on it as well. The Virtus is a different beast altogether and you should love it. If you are in for a sedan, tis the Virtus/Slavia that will most suit your needs.

[parzival]

Originally Posted by OnTheRoadAgain

Now I need to test drive the i20 N Line manual and the Virtus Manual.

I had test-driven the Racer, and then the n line DCT and Slavia 1.5 MT. I couldn't get my hands on a manual i20 Nline as they didn't had a TD car.

Racer is a good car if you don't take its badge seriously. But in comparison I felt i20 Nline to be more fun. The handling is better and the 1 L TGDi engine has more grunt in the top than the Racer, though still not an exciting top end compared to some other similar engines. I found the shifts are particularly notchy in the Racer with long throw clutch, especially if you drive little enthusiastically. Again, I didn't find the DCT in Nline to be that engaging as well. But going by the review the manual box is great. Also I felt the range of steering tilt adjustability is more in i20. I could set the i20's driving seat at the lowest position, but I would get an awkward steering position if I did the same in Altroz, as the steering wouldn't tilt down further.

Coming to the Slavia, that's a different beast altogether(but then, its also a different segment and price bracket), it has an explosive engine, great top end and midrange and decent low end pull as well, great handling (i still like the I20 Nline in this regard) and the interior was so much better than i20 and Racer. I found the clutch travel longer in Slavia than my EcoSport, though with a linear clutch engagement, unlike the Altroz racer, which has an abrupt bite point like you said. But the gear box - cluthc is smooth to operate.
I would pick the Virtus 1.5 or Slavia 1.5 any day, as an upgrade to my EcoSport, if I am looking at an approx. 20L budget.

Please share the feedback once you TD the Nline MT and Virtus MT.

[G13BB]

Test drove the Altroz Racer a couple of days ago. It was the nardo grey colour which looks amazing in flesh! However I would've liked a darker shade of grey, but looks a subjective anyways. Also why not a dark edition of the racer?

Below are my quick observations from the test drive which included a couple of open stretches and bumper to bumper traffic as well:
- Push the ignition button and the engine turns on with a slight hint of the 3 cylinder-ness.
- The clutch travel is VERY VERY long, it is light, but very long.
- Shift to 1st gear and the lever slots fine, gearbox is fine for most of the people, but try to shift a little enthusiastically and the gear just refuses to slot into the gear, not a smooth shifting gearbox by any means of imagination.
- Release the clutch and the car crawls forward without any throttle input, which is a boon in bumper to bumper traffic.
- Turbo-lag is minimal and the mid range is strong enough. Not in the same league as the TSIs or the TGDIs, but more than adequate.
- Floor the accelerator pedal in gear and there is a slight delay with the engine response, even though the turbo is spooled up and the engine is in the mid range, the throttle response is just satisfactory.
- The steering is light enough and weighs up decently well with speed.
- The suspension, chassis, handling of the Altroz has always been great and things only get better with the Racer.
- The exhaust is no different on the inside, but sounds nice near the outlet.
- The steering is adjustable only for rake, not reach
- The driver seat gets the height adjust, but doesn't go low enough, being a sporty version of a hatchback I would've liked it if the seat could go really down. You do not get the feeling of sitting "in" the car or close to the ground.
- The all black interior looks very sporty, but might not be to everyone's liking and can get really hot during summer. But the airconditioner is an absolute chiller.
- The front seat ventilation button is placed in an odd position, I completely forgot to test that cause out of sight is out of mind.
- The indicator and the wiper staks are not well damped and feel a little cheap.
- Sitting in the driver seat, it felt like a much bigger car and feels safe, which is a boon on the highways.

I know I have mentioned a lot of negatives cause most of the positives have already been discussed in the forum and I truly believe the pros outweigh the cons.

The Altroz Racer might not be as fun as the nLine, but if you are in the market for a premium hatchback which is going to be the only car in the garage and you are going to use it for longs drives as well, I would definitely suggest the Altroz Racer for the 5 star build and the high speed stability.

[JunkyardHunter]

I think a #Dark edition would look really nice on the car, as it'll match well with those otherwise hideous stripes on the bonnet.

[parzival]

Originally Posted by JunkyardHunter

I think a #Dark edition would look really nice on the car, as it'll match well with those otherwise hideous stripes on the bonnet.

Those are stickers and if I am not mistaken, there is no clear coat over them. Ideally a detailing center should be able to peel them off, if you dont want them.

[mazealot]

I actually quite like how TATA has integrated the spoiler on the racer , it really flows with the lines of the car.

I've been toying with the idea of retrofitting Racer's rear spoiler on MY2021 altroz, wonder if it'll fit without any modifications or would require some sort of drilling on the rear hatch ? Failed to find oem spoiler on boodmo, any ideas where can i find one ?