From deserted roads to the home city, the Tata Altroz Revotorq was brought to us for a test. How does it fare against the daily challenges and struggles of urban existence?
Story: Jim Gorde
Photography: Sanjay Raikar
A new challenger that upsets the field is always a good thing. However, a competitive arena is one thing, but living with it would be a different story. First, it matters where they come from. And they don’t usually forget. However, making an impact requires a lot of effort, especially when it’s the first time a challenger has surfaced from those lands. The Tata Altroz Revotorq is the new 3.99-metre offering and they have — very evidently — gone all-out on the styling and equipment front; making sure they have an answer to every question the opposition may throw at them.
The Tata Altroz Revotorq is distinctive, and by a mile. It looks unmistakably Tata and that evolution of the face is something the company has painstakingly carved into the automotive space. The sweeping front grille, perfectly complemented by the wide headlamps, looks great and is quite a head-turner, too. The contrast black roof, on this XZ(O) trim level, looks striking and is something of a must-have in the mind of many buyers who look at the segment.
We’d already had a go at the Altroz in Jaisalmer some time ago, so here are the essentials. It’s built on the new ALFA (Agile Lightweight Flexible Advanced) architecture — a modular platform with the freedom of increasing track width and wheelbase to suit needs as well as providing for electrification. The unique front end leads to a flowing side profile and distinctively flared wheel-arches with 16-inch wheels. The blacked-out rear section and those sharp tail-lamp clusters work well with the blacked-out roof.
The interior in the Tata Altroz Revotorq has seen a more practical approach with styling elements and equipment still given a priority, but not at the cost of ergonomics and liveability. Fit-and-finish seems far better than that seen in previous models over the years. The doors open wide — 90 degrees wide — and that makes ingress and egress easier, especially when stepping in with a bunch of items — face mask, keys, a water bottle, and an umbrella — and the large door-pockets with easy access are a boon. The space is great and there’s enough room to flex and stretch as needed, even if one happens to be a large individual. The rear room, too, is commendable and four above-average sized adults can make do with relative ease. ISOFIX child-seat anchors are standard kit, too.
One point to note is that the upholstery felt quite a let-down. The quality of fabric used for the upholstery, especially the seats and the type of padding, doesn’t feel like it’s from the same league of the other appointments in the car. Perhaps, better cushioning and more supple upholstery would do the trick.
That said, once we were on the move, the Tata Altroz Revotorq more than makes up. The proportions are easy to get used to and, seated quite low, the package seems to shrink around me and there is a boost in confidence thanks to the superb steering feel. The steering response is good and it feels rather direct and, also, quite chunky to get a hold of. The steering column is adjustable and it’s easy to find a comfortable driving position. One odd bit, or rather two odd bits, are the stalks mounted on the steering column for the wipers and the turn indicators. The length is much shorter than the wheel radius so I had to sort of reach behind awkwardly to flick the right stalk ahead of making a turn. That’s something to get used to, perhaps. Nevertheless, the driving confidence that the Altroz inspires is its strength. This is possible thanks to two major reasons.
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