Tata Altroz iCNG Review

ThecorneroftheIndiancarmarketpoweredbyCNGhasalwaysbeenchockfullofcompromises,somegreaterthanothersbutstillcompromises...

Customershadtochoosebetweenpowerandmileage,bootspaceandmoreCNGandofcourse,theever-presentfearofhavingacompressedmetalcylinderfilledwithmethanesittingjustbehindthepassengerseats.

ButthosewerecompromisestheIndianCNGcarfollowinghadgottenusedtoaswell.ThatwasuntilTataMotorsdecidedtoupendthatsorrycartofcompromiseswithitsnewtwin-cylindertechatAutoExpo2023.

SoisthenewTataAltroziCNG,thesignofaneweraofCNGinIndiaorisitjustmorecompressedmethaneescapingintotheatmospherethatisn'tbovinelyexhausted?Wegotbehindthewheeloftheall-newTataAltroziCNGinGoatofindoutjusthowmuchthepremiumhatchbackhadchangedwithcompressedmethanerunningthroughitsveins...

TheTataAltrozisoneofthebetter-lookinghatchbackscurrentlyrunningonourroadstodayandthevisualchangesfortheCNGversionarealmostnon-existentexceptfortheiCNGbadgeonthetailgate.

Thechangesontheinsidearealsonearlynonexistentaswell,exceptforthenewCNGbuttononthecentralconsolethatletsyouknowwhichfuelyou'reusing.Thevoice-activatedsingle-paneroofisafirstforanyCNG-poweredhatchinIndia.

Otherwise,thenewAltroziCNGcomespackedwithallthebellsandwhistlesthepetrolversionofthehatchcomeswith.Top-specversionsoftheAltroziCNGcomewithfeatureslikeautomaticheadlightsandrain-sensingwipers,a7-inchtouchscreeninfotainmentsystemwithTata'siRAsmartcarsetupandsupportforAndroidAutoandAppleCarPlay.

Otherfeaturesonthetop-of-the-lineAltroziCNGincludeawirelessphonecharger,airpurifier,leatheretteseatupholsteryanddual-tonealloywheels.

Thebiggestchangeintermsofdesignandpracticalityisseenwhenyouopenthetailgateandgazeintothebowelsoftheboot.Tata'stwin30kgCNGcylinderstakeupspaceundertheflooroftheboot.

Yes,theAltroziCNG's210-litrebootissmallerthanitspetrolcounterpart's345-litreunit.However,beforeyouallstartpicketingmyofficetabletopandcomplainingaboutleadingyouonaboutthecompromisesintheintroductiontothispiece,210litresisalotmorethanhavingnospaceatallwitharegular60kgcompressedCNGtank.

SowhiletheCNGtanksmayhavegobbleduptheunderfloorstoragearea,diminishingtheavailablevolumeofspaceby135litres,theAltroziCNG's210-litrebootismorethanenoughforthegroceryandmallshoppingruns.

TheTataAltroziCNGisbasedonthefirm's1.2-litrenaturallyaspirated3-cylinderrevotronengine.Whendrinkingdownpetrol,theengineproduces87bhpand115Nmofpeaktorque.

Wheninhalinglungfulsofcompressedmethane,theengineoutputdipsfrom87bhpto72.4bhp,whiletorqueisdownby12Nmat103Nm.Powerisstillsenttothefrontwheelsviaa5-speedmanualgearbox.

Toallowtheenginetofunctionwithouthavingtocatchitsbreatheverytimeoneofthefueltanksdropslow.ThenewsmartECUautomaticallyshiftsbetweenpetrolandCNGonthefly.

ThenewECUswitchesbetweenfuelsonthegowhileensuringthebestefficiency.ThenewECUalsoallowstheAltroztostartoffthedailydriveinCNGmode.

FillingupthetanksisalsoaquickjobthankstothespecialnozzlefittedtotheAltroz.Alsoseenisasmallmicroswitchthatshutsoffthefueltotheenginewhenitdetectsthefuelfillercapopening.TheAltrozwillventtheCNGintotheatmosphereifathermalissueisdetected.

Othersafetyfeaturesincludetheusualarrayofairbags,ABSwithEBD,BrakeSwayControlandSornerStabilityControlamongmanymoresystemsthatkeepthoseinsidethecabinsafeandsecure.

TheshortanswerandtheonemostAltroziCNGownerswillsayisno.Thelossinpowerandtorqueisn'treallyfeltuntilyoustartpushingthepremiumhatchbacktoitslimits.

DespitethelargedifferenceonpaperbetweenthepetrolandCNGmodes,thehatchbackoffersmorethanadequateperformanceinthecitywhenrunningonnaturalgas.

However,ifyoufindyourselflowintherevrangewhenrunningonCNGinagearhigherthansecond,werecommendshiftingdownifyouneedtogetbackintothepowerbandurgently.

SwitchingbetweenpetrolandCNGmodeshappensautomaticallywhenfuellevelsarelow.However,driverscanswitchbetweenthemodesbyjusttappingtheCNGbuttononthedash.ThenewAltroziCNGcanstartjourneysinCNGmode,whichisquiteabigpluspointoveritsrivalsfromTataandHyundai.

ThesuspensionsetupoftheiCNGhasbeenstiffenedcomparedtothepetrolversionofAltroz,especiallyatthereartohandletheweightofthetwocylinders.WhilethishelpsensuretheAltroziCNGdoesnotdropdownduetotheextraweight,goingoverbumpsandrutscanbeproblematicforyourback.

Thesteeringisthesameasthepetrolmodelandprovidesmorethanadequatefeedback.Athigherspeeds,thewheelweighsupquitenicelywhichisratherreassuring.

ThebrakingperformancefromthediscbrakesatthefrontandthereardrumsismorethanadequatefortheAltroziCNG.However,usingthebrakepedalitselfcanbeabitcumbersomethankstoitscloseproximitytotheclutch.

NVHlevelsinsidethecabinarequitemanageableforthemostpart.Theonlyannoyancecomeswhenthethree-cylinderrunshigherintotherevrange.

TheTataAltroziCNGbringsaboutthesavingsofswitchingtoCNGtotheAltrozpremiumhatchback.Itsinnovativetwin-cylindersetupensuresthatownerscanstillusethebootwhiletheonboardsafetysystemsensurethatyoucanrunoncompressedmethanewithoutworryingyourheadoff.

AddinthefactthattheAltroziCNG'sin-cityperformanceisquitesimilartothepetrolversion,andtheonlywayyou'llfeeltheneedforpetrol-poweredspeedisonthehighway.

Overall,theTataAltroziCNGistheleastcompromisedCNG-poweredcarwe'vedriveninawhileandthatiswhatmakesitsuchanattractiveoption,especiallywithastartingpriceofRs7.55lakh(ex-showroom).