Production-spec Tata Altroz Spied Ahead Of December Unveil

The Baleno rival is almost ready for launch

• Spied Altroz seems launch-ready, probably in final phase of testing.

• India-spec model’s unveil scheduled for December but launch could be in January 2020.

• Altroz will offer three engines: two petrol and one diesel. Should be BS6 at launch.

• Looks almost the same as the Geneva-spec model inside and out.

• expected to be priced between Rs 5.5 lakh to 8.5 lakh.

The Tata Altroz premium hatchback has been spied once again, likely in its final phase of testing. It is scheduled for an Indian unveil in December while the launch could be pushed to January 2020.

The Altroz has been spied numerous times and even been teased online by Tata. It looks nearly identical to the international model showcased at the 2019 Geneva Motor Show in March. While most of the exterior design is still a mystery, we know what to expect inside thanks to some spy images. The Altroz was first expected to launch around August and September but has been postponed. The delay was likely caused by the slump being experienced by the car industry at the time along with BS6 regulations.

Tata will be offering the Altroz with three engine options - two petrol and one diesel. These will likely be in BS6-compliant form from day one. The petrol choices would include a 1.2-litre naturally aspirated engine from the Tiago that makes 85PS and 114Nm, and the 1.2-litre turbocharged engine from the Nexon which produces 102PS and 140Nm in the SUV.

The 1.5-litre diesel engine is also borrowed from the Nexon but expect it to be offered in a lower state of tune. In the sub-4m SUV, it produces 110PS and 260Nm. Tata is expected to offer the Altroz with both manual and automatic transmission (AMT) options.

The interior spy shots revealed the India-spec model to have a dual-tone dashboard with a floating touchscreen infotainment system (estimated to be a 7-inch display) and some of the physical controls positioned under the central AC vents. It also gets a semi-digital driver’s instrument cluster, similar to the Tata Harrier, with an analogue speedometer and digital MID for everything else.

The Tata Altroz will be taking on the likes of the Hyundai Elite i20, Maruti Baleno/ Toyota Glanza and Honda Jazz. It is expected to be priced between Rs 5.5 lakh and 8.5 lakh (ex-showroom).