Tata Altroz Racer review, First Drive

Tata Altroz Racer review: Design

From the moment it enters the frame the Tata Altroz Racer wears its intent on its sleeve, the blacked-out roof and hood with the twin racing stripes down the centre instantly scream ‘Go faster’ hatch. Now Tata does offer the racer in a white and almost nardo grey paint schemes, but the Atomic Orange you see on this page declares its boy racer affiliations right as you look at it. Another visual change is the addition of a roof-mounted spoiler adds to the Altroz’s visual appeal. There is also a twin port muffler at the back which not only adds to the sporty aesthetic but is also responsible for the Altroz’ throaty exhaust note. One does tend to feel that a few more tweaks like some skirting or reprofiled bumpers would’ve made a stronger overall impact but overall, the Altroz Racer isn’t a vast departure from the standard Altroz but it does enough to stand out distinctively from the rest of the lineup.

Tata Altroz Racer review: Cabin and features

Inside the cabin though, the Altroz Racer debuts a smorgasbord of changes, some are specific to the Racer range, and some will make it to the rest of the Altroz lineup as well. The biggest change though on the inside is the new 10.25-inch infotainment system by Harman, which gets a completely revamped UX. Positioned floating on the dash, one of the things I like is how slim and proportioned it is. The new UX and the touchscreen itself are quite an improvement over the existing touchscreen on the existing Altroz. As always the 8-speaker sound is rich and adds to the aural experience in the cabin. The system is compatible with wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay.

Also debuting on the Racer are ventilated front seats and while the button on the body of the seat is a little odd, the system itself is impressively effective, even on a sultry summer day in Tamil Nadu. Racer-exclusive body-coloured accents on the inside around the AC vents, the gear selector and bespoke leatherette upholstery are a subtle reminder of the Racer’s sporty intent. The quality of materials used has significantly improved although some of the plastics could have been slightly better. There’s also a new 360-degree