Tata Altroz ​​DCA Review: Better Late Than Never – carandbike

Tata Motors introduced Tata Altroz 2020 is loaded with premium hatchbacks, a huge features list, some segment-first custom packs and an exciting design. The car brought a lot in the premium hatchback space, even though it missed out on an automatic version and a turbo-petrol unit. Then in 2021, the company addressed one of those topics and added a turbo petrol unit to the range. Nevertheless, many enthusiasts, as well as yours, genuinely regret the fact that there was still no automatic gearbox on offer. Still, better than ever, as the company finally introduced an automatic transmission for its ultra-popular Tata Altroz, which was till now only offered with a 5-speed manual gearbox for all three of its engine options. The latest addition is a dual-clutch unit or DCA, as the company likes to call it, which is paired with the petrol engine.

Tata Altroz ​​DCA: Gets a new automatic gearbox

Let’s go straight to Tata’s pice-de-resistance. The new 6-speed DCT box has been developed in-house by Tata, and is only offered with the naturally aspirated unit and not the turbo-petrol engine, as the former accounts for most of the sales for the company. And so is the intention of the audience. But that doesn’t rule out the possibility of adding the feature of an automatic gearbox to the more powerful petrol unit. Our test vehicle is a 3-cylinder, 1.2L Revotron unit that develops 85 bhp @ 6,000 rpm and 113 Nm of peak torque @ 3,300 rpm. The company claims a fuel efficiency figure of 18.11 kmpl on the Altroz ​​DCA.

Tata will offer a DCA unit option on the XM+, XT, XZ, XZ(O), and XZ+ variants.

photo credit: apoorva chaudhary

Tata Altroz ​​DCA: How does it feel to drive?

As soon as you start driving the car, immediately the engine is surprisingly energized but feels lack of enough power. Now, this may or may not be due to the 20-22 kg added in the manual versions, but still, it is certainly not a dealbreaker and is sufficient – ​​especially for city use. The engine, as we know it, is quite sophisticated, and is decently soundproof. But it is the new 6-speed dual-clutch unit that certainly adds a lot of character to the overall performance of the car. Compare with other automatic gearboxes, this DCT is certainly far more exciting, but for driving enthusiasts, the shift is a bit sluggish at lower revs and the gearbox takes time to upshift. But once you cross the 2,000 rpm mark it becomes smooth. Part-throttle responses are good and you will love the low engine noise level in the city as well. Tata says that this unit gets a planetary gear system with fewer components to make it more efficient and faster, but if we compare it with the 7-speed DCT unit of the Hyundai i20 1.0L Turbo, the Altroz ​​has There is definitely a lack of persistence. But that doesn’t mean it’s slow either.

Our test vehicle is a 3-cylinder, 1.2L Revotron unit that develops 85 bhp @ 6,000 rpm and 113 Nm of peak torque @ 3,300 rpm.

photo credit: apoorva chaudhary

Tata Altroz ​​DCA: The Technology Behind the New Gearbox

Tata claims that with their new gearbox, the shift is 250 milliseconds faster than with a conventional DCT unit, but we will take that statement with a pinch of salt and move on. The new gearbox also gets a wetting mechanism to quickly cool the heat generated by the frequent gear shifts when you crawl over the traffic signal. Tata says it is perfect for Indian conditions, and will result in less noise, and won’t wear out quicker than a dry one resulting in better conductivity. Shift-by-wire technology helps make up for any shortfalls in power delivery, but we miss the paddle shifters here, which certainly would have made the car more exciting to drive.

The new gearbox gets a wetting mechanism to quickly cool the heat generated by the frequent gear shifts when you crawl over a traffic signal. Tata says it’s perfect for Indian conditions, and will result in less noise, and won’t wear out quicker than a dry one, resulting in better conductivity.

photo credit: apoorva chaudhary

Tata Altroz ​​DCA: How’s it for a long drive?

Driving on the highway is also enjoyable but an extra rumble at the lower end of the rev band would have helped. The taut suspension setup is clear, and it manages to smooth out road anomalies at high speeds as it works its way through rough patches of roads. Motor receptive is best between 2,500-4,500 rpm. However, the only element that seems to be out of sync is the steering as there is a slight delay in feedback and the car rolls over corners. However, the brakes provide self-assurance. One thing that this engine-gearbox combination misses out is the different driving modes, and we believe the Sport mode would have made the car more dynamic.

The taut suspension setup is clear, and it manages to smooth out road anomalies at high speeds.

photo credit: apoorva chaudhary

Tata Altroz ​​DCA: Has anything changed in the design?

In terms of design, the Altroz ​​DCA remains unchanged and that is not a bad thing at all. What’s new is the Opera Blue color which looks really nice and adds a sense of freshness to the overall look of the car. The DCT badge at the rear is the only distinguishing element here. Available on the XT and XZ+, the Altroz ​​DCA Dark Edition gets the usual dark treatment with blacked-out wheels, dark chrome all-black interior theme. The Altroz ​​remains a beautiful looking hatchback, be it the new color or the old one.

The Altroz ​​remains a beautiful looking hatchback, be it the new color or the old one.

photo credit: apoorva chaudhary

Tata Altroz ​​DCA: Cabin still tech-loaded

The cabin of the Altroz ​​DCA retains the black and gray color combination. With trimmed leather upholstery on the seats, the cabin of the Altroz ​​DCA still feels premium and attractive. Tata will offer a DCA unit option on the XM+, XT, XZ, XZ(O), and XZ+ variants, and hence the car will come with a 7.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system, 7.0-inch part-digital instrument cluster, keyless entry system, and more. With push-button start-stop, automatic climate control, iRA Connected Car Tech, rain-sensing wipers, and leatherette upholstery to name a few. A new addition to the Altroz ​​DCA is Auto Park Lock, a new safety feature that automatically engages the park mode when exiting the car, even if the driver forgets to do so.

The cabin of the Tata Altroz ​​DCA retains the black and brown color combination, continuing on its premium quotient.

photo credit: apoorva chaudhary

Tata Altroz ​​DCA Verdict: Does It Have What It Takes?

Tata Altroz ​​is available in seven trims including DCA Dark Edition with prices ranging from ₹ 8.10 Lakh to ₹ 9.90 Lakh (ex-showroom, India). Now, Altroz ​​is the only car after Hyundai i20 to offer DCT as other competitors, such as Maruti Suzuki Baleno, Toyota Glanza, and even Honda Jazz are also equipped with AMT or CVT units. The i20 1.0-litre turbo petrol unit with DCT is the only competition for the Altroz ​​here, but its price is an expensive offering with a price tag of ₹9.76 Lakh to ₹11.48 Lakh, which is offered in four trims.

Tata Altroz ​​has a more solid potential in the DCA segment and the tag of ‘Most Affordable DCT Enabled Vehicle’ is quite apt.

photo credit: apoorva chaudhary

0 notes

Still, the Tata Altroz ​​DCA has a more compelling prospect than the Hyundai i20 DCT as the base and top-spec variants are affordable by ₹1.66 lakh and ₹1.60 lakh respectively, making it the most affordable DCT capable vehicle in the Indian market. The plethora of features on offer and the 5-star crash test rating for the Altroz ​​make it a decent package, and with the increasing demand for DCT vehicles in this segment, Tata expects this trend to make the Tata Altroz ​​DCA the most preferred choice. Favorite vehicle in the market.

for the latest auto news And WaitFollow carandbike.com Twitter, Facebookand subscribe us youtube Channel.