Production-Ready Tata Altroz Spied Ahead Of Mid-2019 Launch

The Maruti Suzuki Baleno and Hyundai Elite i20 rival will get powerful engine options

• Tata’s upcoming premium hatch, the Altroz, looks ready for launch.

• Production model looks pretty similar to the Altroz Geneva Edition.

• Earlier, Tata had confirmed a mid-2019 launch; could go on sale in June.

• Likely to be priced in the range of Rs 5.5 lakh to Rs 8.5 lakh (ex-showroom).

• Will offer three engine options - two petrols and a diesel unit.

• Will rival the Maruti Suzuki Baleno, Hyundai Elite i20, Honda Jazz and VW Polo.

A couple of months since its global unveil at the 2019 Geneva Motor Show, the Tata Altroz premium hatchback has been spotted in its production-spec form. Originally showcased as the 45X concept at the 2018 Auto Expo, the Altroz is expected to be launched by mid-2019, possibly in June.

Spied without camouflage at what appears to be a Tata Motors’ facility, the production-spec Altroz looks near identical to the model seen at its international debut. In fact, the spied car features a similar colour too. The sharp features along the front end, including the honeycomb front grille, the blacked out headlights and the LED DRLs coupled with the fog lamps, are easy to spot. The only key difference between the production model spied here and the Altroz Geneva Edition are the wheels. The launch-ready version appears to have smaller units than the ones spotted in Geneva. The alloy wheels get a silver finish unlike the dual-tone machine-cut wheels seen on the show car in Geneva.

Also read: Tata Altroz vs Maruti Baleno vs Hyundai Elite i20 vs VW Polo vs Honda Jazz: Spec Comparison

The Altroz gets various blacked out elements for a more premium look, which is quite common in other Tata models based on the Impact 2.0 design language. This includes the contrast-black ORVMs, the lower window line and even the lip above the front grille.

The Altroz marks Tata’s entry in the premium hatchback segment and is the first car based on the brand’s new modular ‘ALFA ARC’ architecture. It’s dimensions are as follows:

Under the bonnet, expect the same engine options as the Nexon - a 1.2-litre turbo-petrol and a 1.5-litre diesel unit. It will also feature the Tiago’s naturally-aspirated 1.2-litre petrol engine. While the turbocharged petrol engine has been confirmed, the details of the diesel and the naturally aspirated petrol units are yet to be announced.

The Geneva-spec hatchback was powered by the 1.2-litre turbo-petrol engine tuned to produce 102PS and 140Nm, mated to a 5-speed manual. The same engine in the Nexon is tuned to produce an extra 8PS of power and 30Nm of torque while mated to a 6-speed manual.

The naturally-aspirated petrol engine is likely to feature the same tune as the Tiago where it has an output of 85PS and 114Nm. Transmission options for this engine include a 5-speed manual as well as a 5-speed AMT. As for the diesel engine, the 1.5-litre diesel (110PS/260Nm) unit too is expected to be offered in detuned state. Expected an AMT option with both petrol and diesel engines of the Altroz.

In terms of features, the Altroz is expected to come equipped with a 7-inch floating touchscreen display, rear AC vents, cruise control and a TFT display in the instrument cluster. It is also likely to offer safety features such as dual front airbags, front occupant seatbelt reminder, rear parking sensors, ABS with EBD, ISOFIX child seat mounts and a speed alert system as standard. The Altroz Geneva Edition was seen with an all-black interior, which may be offered on certain variants here. However, we expect Tata to offer it with a dual-tone interior scheme on most variants considering the segment that the Altroz is set to compete in.

The Tata Altroz is expected to launch in June 2019. Likely to be priced between Rs 5.5 lakh and Rs 8.5 lakh, it will be locking horns with the Maruti Suzuki Baleno and Hyundai Elite i20 as well as the Volkswagen Polo and the Honda Jazz.

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