Page 36 - Motoring World (January 2020)

to be done right — and the Altroz controls for infotainment, a rear you’re likely to accidentally turn it
is done right, to a large extent. A/C vent, ambient lighting, four on when you’re adjusting the vent.
You hear a lot of talk of ‘fighter- colour schemes for the infotainment The doors need more than a firm
plane-inspired cabin’ these days at system, cruise control, Eco/ push to close properly — I lost count
car launches, and a similar spiel City driving modes, a flat-bottom of the number of times I thought I’d
was made with regard to this car; steering wheel that’s tilt-adjustable, shut them, only for the warning light
setting aside the marketing talk, let a front sliding armrest (with (and voice) to come on. The boot,
me tell you about what works and storage) and a rear central armrest, which is a quite capacious 345-litre
what doesn’t. This is an undeniably a reverse parking camera, ISOFIX one, is a little hard to load because
spacious cabin, with entry and exits child seat mounts and, frankly, a its lip is on the higher side, meaning
made simple by the fact that all four host of other features that are too that you have to lift your bags and
doors open out to 90-degree angles. numerous to list here. Suffice to whatnot higher.
The seats are comfortable and the say that you’re unlikely to want For now, the Altroz comes with
relatively flat floor at the rear means much more in a car at this end two engines — a 1.5-litre 4-pot
that three adult human beings can of the market. diesel (with 88.7 bhp@4000 rpm
sit relatively easily on the back seat; This is not to say that there and 20.39 kgm@1250-3000 rpm)
on long drives, however, breaks will aren’t some issues, however. In and a naturally aspirated 1.2-litre
need to be taken, and the person general, fit/finish and plastic 3-pot petrol (with 84.8 bhp@6000
who draws the short straw and quality don’t quite match up to rpm and 11.5 kgm@3300 rpm);
has to sit in the middle won’t have the competition (the Baleno, Jazz, both engines are mated to 5-speed
a headrest. i20 et al). The instruments are too manual transmissions, with a dual-
The top-end models (the XZ cluttered and are therefore hard to clutch automatic in the offing for
trim) come fully loaded — twin read — for example, if you select the petrol at some point. I drove the
airbags, ABS, climate control, the real-time fuel efficiency meter, it diesel version first, in and around
7-inch touchscreen with Android simply indicates approximate spots Jaisalmer where the media drive was
Auto and Apple CarPlay, a Harman between 0 and 30 kpl, via a moving held. It’s an useable and pleasant
Kardon audio system, a massive graph; the telltale lights are also unit, offering a fuss-free driving
15-litre chilled glovebox, lots of tiny. The hazard light switch is in experience and torque through most
storage spaces, umbrella holders in the middle of the central A/C vent of the rev range; it is probably best
the front doors, steering-mounted and its construction is too light, so described as ‘unhurried’. You don’t

36 MOTORING WORLD | JANUARY 2020