Following much anticipation, Tata Motors will finally launch the Altroz hatchback on January 22, 2020. The all-new model will be available in five variants and two engine options – an 86hp, 1.2-litre petrol and a 90hp, 1.5-litre turbo-diesel – to choose from.
Being a premium hatchback, the Altroz comes with a lengthy equipment list, much like its rivals, the Hyundai Elite i20, the Maruti Suzuki Baleno, the Honda Jazz and the Toyota Glanza. Read on to see how the top-spec trims of each hatchback compare in terms of the features they offer.
Exterior features
Features on the outside common to all hatchbacks include front fog lamps, a rear washer and wiper and alloy wheels. The Baleno and Glanza one-up the others by offering LED headlights while the Altroz and i20 get projector units with halogen lamps. The Jazz, however, falls short in the category, missing out on projector headlamps and daytime running lights; and getting smaller, 15-inch alloy wheels.
| Exterior features | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Altroz | Elite i20 | Baleno | Jazz | Glanza | |
| Headlamps | Halogen projectors | Halogen projectors | LED | Halogen | LED |
| DRLs | LED | LED | LED | No | LED |
| Fog lamps | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Rear washer/wiper | Yes/Yes | Yes/Yes | Yes/Yes | Yes/Yes | Yes/Yes |
| Alloys | 16-inch | 16-inch | 16-inch | 15-inch | 16-inch |
Interior features
As is the norm today, all these cars feature a touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility, and voice commands. The premium hatchbacks also feature fabric seat upholstery, a front armrest and single-zone automatic climate control. The Tata Altroz trumps the competition by offering ambient lighting around the centre console and a part-digital instrument cluster with a 7.0-inch TFT screen. The Altroz (like the i20) gets rear AC vents. Furthermore, the Jazz CVT and the Altroz are the only two to get cruise control.
| Interior features | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Altroz | Elite i20 | Baleno | Jazz | Glanza | |
| Touchscreen | 7.0-inch | 7.0-inch | 7.0-inch | 7.0-inch | 7.0-inch |
| Apple CarPlay/Android Auto | Yes/Yes | Yes/Yes | Yes/Yes | Yes/Yes | Yes/Yes |
| Voice commands | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Seat upholstery | Fabric | Fabric | Fabric | Fabric | Fabric |
| Ambient light | Yes | No | No | No | No |
| Part-digital cluster | Yes | No | No | No | No |
| Front armrest | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Climate control | Auto 1-zone | Auto 1-zone | Auto 1-zone | Auto 1-zone | Auto 1-zone |
| Rear AC vents | Yes | Yes | No | No | No |
| Cruise control | Yes | No | No | Yes | No |
Safety
In terms of safety, all cars come as standard with two airbags and ABS with EBD. However, the i20 Asta(O) variant gets the added safety net of four more airbags. Isofix child seat mounts and adjustable rear head restraints are also common to all, barring the Honda Jazz. The Altroz is distinctly the only hatch here that offers a combination of both, automatic headlamps and wipers. The i20, Baleno and Glanza do get automatic headlamps but miss out on the auto wipers function. The Honda Jazz meanwhile, does not offer either. All premium hatchbacks in the comparison come equipped with rear parking sensors and a parking camera.
| Safety features | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Altroz | Elite i20 | Baleno | Jazz | Glanza | |
| Airbags | 2 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| ABS with EBD | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| ISOFIX | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
| Parking sensors/camera | Yes/Yes | Yes/Yes | Yes/Yes | Yes/Yes | Yes/Yes |
| Adjustable rear head rests | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
| Auto headlamps/wipers | Yes/Yes | Yes/No | Yes/No | No/No | Yes/No |
Price
Tata is expected to price the Altroz in the range of Rs 5-7 lakh for the petrol versions and Rs 6-8 lakh for the diesels. At this price point, the Altroz should undercut the Jazz and i20 while being on par with the Baleno and the Glanza. However, it’s worth noting that the Altroz range will soon expand with automatic gearbox options, which means that prices will be up on the manual variants.
| Price | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Altroz | Elite i20 | Baleno | Jazz | Glanza | |
| Petrol | Rs 5-7 lakh (est.) | Rs 5.59-9.21 lakh | Rs 5.58-8.90 lakh | Rs 7.45-9.28 lakh | Rs 6.98-8.90 lakh |
| Diesel | Rs 6-8 lakh (est.) | Rs 6.97-9.41 lakh | Rs 6.68-8.68 lakh | Rs 8.16-9.40 lakh | NA |
In our review of the Altroz, the hatchback made an impression with its driving dynamics and the space and comfort it offers inside.
What other features would you have liked to see on the Altroz? Let us know in the comments below.