There’s no question that hatchbacks rule the roost when it comes to doing the numbers in the Indian market and with rising popularity of automatic hatchbacks, Tata Motors have launched the Altroz with a dual-clutch transmission. The Altroz DCA has been launched with prices starting Rs 8.09 lakh, going all the way up to Rs 9.89 lakh for the top-spec variant. This is the first time the Altroz is being offered with an automatic transmission and Tata Motors claims that this DCT with its sophisticated nature should fare well in our conditions.
To start off, the Altroz DCA can be had with the 1.2-litre naturally-aspirated petrol. The 6-speed DCT comes with a wet clutch and it gets a number of features to ensure that the transmission is reliable. This DCT gets active cooling technology, with the transmission control unit sending oil to cool down the transmission if a temperature rise is detected. Tata also claims a shift time of as low as 250 milliseconds a shift for this DCT. You also get Auto Park Lock, a safety feature which automatically engages and prevents unwanted movement when a driver may have forgotten to put the shifter in Park and has left the car. This transmission also uses ‘self healing’ technology – flushing out dust particles using vibration of valves and acceleration of oil – improving the longevity of the DCT. It also adapts to your driving style using machine learning, but only a road test would help us verify that claim.
In terms of design, the Altroz DCA is identical to its manual transmission counterpart. That said, there’s a new Opera Blue paint job available with DCT-equipped Altroz. You also get 16-inch dual-tone laser cut alloy wheels, along with a contrasting black roof on the Altroz DCA. The Altroz will be available in seven variants and this includes the Dark Edition range, joining the likes of the SUVs like the Nexon, the Safari and the Harrier.
On the inside, the Altroz DCA gets a dual-tone colour scheme, livened up by the serene blue ambient lighting. The Altroz continues to be packed with features, featuring a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, an 8-speaker sound system by Harman, connected car tech and rear AC vents. The Altroz also gets Xpress cooling for the climate control, which is a boon to have given our summers.
Prices for the Altroz DCA start from Rs 8.09 lakh and it can be had in seven variants, going up to Rs 9.89 lakh for the top-spec XZA+ Dark Edition variant. This translates to the Altroz DCA being priced at a premium of Rs 1.07 to 2.7 lakh, depending on the variant. The DCT-equipped Altroz will go up against the likes of the Hyundai i20, the Volkswagen Polo and the Maruti Suzuki Swift and the Baleno, which should be interesting since the Maruti Suzukis are equipped with an AMT and the Polo comes with a torque converter automatic.