There much buzz around Tata’s new premium hatchback, the Tata Altroz. It competes with the Hyundai i20, Maruti Baleno, Volkswagen Polo, and Honda Jazz, with the first two being tough rivals to beat.
The Maruti Suzuki Baleno is the segment leader clocking 16,237 units in October, while the Hyundai i20 sold 14,683 units. With that kind of numbers on the board, is the Tata Altroz up to the task?
The Altroz has some things going for it such as its space and styling and if rumours are to be believed it will significantly undercut its rivals on price. So here’s a quick head-to-head between the Tata Altroz and its top two rivals – the Maruti Suzuki Baleno and Hyundai Elite i20.
Tata Altroz: To Buy Or Not?
Prices are yet to be announced for the Tata Altroz, but it is speculated that it could be about Rs 50,000 cheaper than its key rivals, variant for variant. It’s biggest selling point is the interior space it offers. A spacious cabin that can seat five in comfort.
It also gets a pretty large boot that is second-best in the segment after the Honda Jazz. From our recent drive of the Altroz, another selling point is going to be its ride quality and comfort.
As far as features go the Tata Altroz is par for the course. It has cruise control, power-folding mirrors, keyless ignition, automatic lights, rain-sensing wipers, automatic climate control, Android Auto, CarPlay, and a reverse camera among others.
That said what’s going to be a bit of a let down for buyers is the lacklustre petrol motor and no automatic transmission on offer just yet. The diesel is fairly peppy and the car to go for.
Maruti Suzuki Baleno: To Buy Or Not?
The Maruti Suzuki Baleno has overtaken the Hyundai Elite i20 a while ago to become the leading premium hatchback. It’s easy to see why. It is backed by a large service network and shares parts across models.
The car comes with all the features one would want in the segment. The 1.2 litre K-Series petrol motor is the peppiest in its segment and with the car being really light, it is a fairly sprightly machine. The 1.3-litre diesel, which will soon be discontinued, is really frugal.
The perceived resale value of Maruti Suzuki vehicles and the peace of mind of the service network are what really get this car out of showrooms. Of course, the features it offers are a bonus, especially things like HID headlamps.
Hyundai Elite i20: To Buy Or Not?
The Hyundai Elite i20 had a good run of the premium segment, being the leader for a while until the Maruti Suzuki Baleno came along to spoil the party. It offered a long list of features and was the first to introduce things like daytime running lamps and rear AC vents in earlier versions.
The car has continued to enjoy a good fan following. The petrol motor is refined and the cabin feels plush and quiet. The diesel i20 now comes with a six-speed manual transmission and offers a load of torque. Hyundai also offers a CVT transmission with the petrol version.
The Hyundai i20 is due for an update, which will be interesting to see, as the company is known for adding many segment-first features.
From the looks of it, Tata has a tough battle on its hands. The Altroz is an interesting car overall, but it really depends on the pricing. Since it falls short a bit on its petrol version compared to the competition, it will have to rely on the diesel to keep sales ticking. With no automatic on offer, it’s only those who are keen on manual transmissions that would have this on the consideration list.
(At The Quint, we are answerable only to our audience. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member. Because the truth is worth it.)