Facelift Done Right?

The Tata Altroz gets a long overdue mid-life refresh. Are the additions enough to enhance the premium hatchback's appeal? We took it around the outskirts of Bengaluru to find out

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THE TATA ALTROZ HAS BEEN WELL KNOWN for being a decently packaged premium hatchback since its launch in 2020. While it has received additions in terms of features and variants over the years, there has never been a proper update and the car had begun to show its age. Five years later that wait is finally over as Tata Motors have given a facelift to this premium hatchback. What difference do the changes make in the hatchback's appeal? We got to sample it around the outskirts of Bengaluru.

I've always liked the way the Tata Altroz looks; its elegant design makes for good eye candy. Following the facelift, the overall silhouette has remained unchanged, but Tata Motors have made it sharper and meaner-looking. This is clear especially at the front with a sportier bumper, particularly around the fog-lamp housing where there is an air curtain that Tata Motors claim is not just for form but also meant to aid aero efficiency. There are a lot of black elements around the grille which, I feel, would have benefited from a matching body-colour. Above it, the panel gets glossy black accents, complemented by a sleeker set of LED headlights, with the LED daytime running lights (DRL) now in a better position compared to before.

Move on over to the side and there are flush-fitting door-handles to add to the sleekness of the design; although it would've been nice to have an automatic pop-out function because accessing the handles can be a little tedious. The 16-inch wheels get a new design that is aimed to add a sportier flair but, I feel, it is more suited to electric vehicles. To finish off the exterior touch-ups are the tail-lights which are now connected and nicely integrated, complementing the gloss black finish around them.