Tata Altroz i-Turbo v Volkswagen Polo TSI
Tata Motors aims to woo enthusiasts with the turbo-petrol Altroz but first it has to deal with the Polo TSI
TATA MOTORS SURE KNOWS how to get people excited. Soon after the Altroz launched, we heard rumours of a turbo-petrol version, an Altroz JTP possibly. Alas, that was before they pulled the plug on the JTP division. But that didn't stop them cleaning up the JTP's turbo-petrol engines' emissions, which has now found its way into the Altroz i-Turbo. Now, the Altroz was the winner of our premium hatchback comparo a few months ago and it was found wanting in the #ThrillOfDriving from the lack of an exciting powertrain. So can the i-Turbo be the answer to our petrolhead prayers? To benchmark it, we got the tastiest slice in the warm hatch pie, the Polo TSI — this particular car being the GT with the auto 'box because we thought Tata Motors would finally get their rumoured automatic. No such luck though, guess we have to wait a bit longer to rest our left foot in an Altroz. But first, let's dive into what is new on these cars.
And the answer is, not much. Neither have changed much from when you last read up on them. The Altroz i-Turbo gets a few updates, most of which will carry over to the rest of the Altroz range. The most obvious one is the new Harbour Blue colour which shimmers wonderfully under the sun, accentuating the stunning lines of the Altroz's bodywork. There's an i-Turbo badge on the tailgate and that's about it for the outside. On the inside, the Altroz gets leatherette seats and a leatherette covered armrest, both of which significantly turn up the feeling of premiumness. It also has a lighter finish for the plastics and an ‘Xpress Cool' button — which ramps up the air conditioning and lowers the driver window to let hot air out so as to chill the cabin as fast as possible. There's also connected car tech, powered by the iRA app, to remotely lock and unlock the car, set up geofences, turn on (or off) the lights and a lot more. The Altroz also gets support for Hinglish voice commands, like we saw with the MG Hector 2021, but Tata's AI system takes
The i-Turbo engine is quite refined at low speeds although it starts to get audible past 3000rpm
considerable time to respond to your query and the commands aren't extensive enough to feel natural. It's easier to perform the task yourself, especially considering there is no dearth of physical buttons, unlike the Hector. So, as far as updates go, Tata has taken a leaf out of VW's book for this one — evolution, not revolution.
Talking of which, the Polo GT isn't new, we all know that. But it still manages to look good, even in this plain-jane white! While it hasn't changed too much on the inside either, it isn't spartan. It gets kit like Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, climate control and cruise control. However, in the 10 years since the Polo has been around, the game has moved significantly forward in terms of the equipment and layout of the interiors and that is where the Polo feels dated. There isn't a ten thousand-inch floating display and there are quite a lot of scratchy plastics around the cabin. The Polo also lacks the kit when compared to the competition — no wireless charging, no air purifier, no ambient lighting either. But it does attempt to make up for it with a better driving experience.
Now, it wouldn't be fair to call the Altroz i-Turbo the ‘new' kid on the block because the biggest change on it is, well, the i-Turbo engine. And before you ask — no, it isn't called that because Tim Cook was part of the marketing meetings — the ‘i' stands for intelligent. This is because the 1.2-litre turbo-petrol may be
mechanically (almost) identical to the one in the Nexon, but the map on it has been designed specifically for use in a hatchback. It makes 108bhp and 140Nm of torque, about 10bhp and 30Nm less than the Nexon. And while the Nexon delivers its torque at 1750rpm and tops out at 4000rpm, the Altroz delivers its torque lower in the rev range, at 1500rpm and it stays in the foreground all the way to 5500rpm. But we'll talk more about that later.
The i-Turbo engine is mated exclusively to a five-speed manual transmission (not the Nexon's six-speeder), there's still no automatic option which is a big miss. Rumours, though, are of a twin-clutch automatic in the works, sourced from another manufacturer like how the Harrier's automatic is Hyundai-sourced.
Which brings us to the Polo. Whether manual or automatic this car has been featured a million times in the pages of evo India magazine. In fact a certain rally-prepped Polo was one of the reasons that this magazine came to be, though I'll save that tale for the Ed to share. What I will tell you is that the Polo has been featured here because it is one of the most pocket-friendly ways to have a lot of fun behind the wheel. The new 1-litre TSI engine is more powerful than the 1.2 unit it replaces, produces 108.5bhp and 175Nm of torque, and with the manual it can accelerate to 100kmph in just under 10 seconds.
Now, to answer the question I asked at the start. Well, it definitely helps you explore more of the chassis' capabilities. It has got enough power and torque to pull you along rather briskly and it revs smoothly all the way to the redline without a significant drop in power at the top end. Tata Motors claims a 0 to 100kmph time of ‘under 12 seconds' but when we put it to the test on the runway we got a time of 12.9 seconds which isn't quick in this day and age.
The power builds fairly linearly and there's minimal turbo lag, allowing you to get up to speed from a crawl in second gear. It is a playful engine too, pushing you to rev it out to get the most out of it and it is responsive enough to help you catch the revs perfectly after a heeland-toe downshift — a technique I suggest you master, to enjoy the manual 'box to the fullest. And the gearbox ratios are well calibrated. The i-Turbo also gets a Sport mode, which sharpens up throttle responses and makes the engine tug on the leash a little bit more — it works well but don't expect a night and day difference from the normal City driving mode.
The i-Turbo engine is quite refined at low rpms and although it starts to get quite audible
past the 3000rpm mark, it is a rather nice note and adds to the experience. The subtle pops and crackles of the JTP twins aren't here, and it doesn't sound as sweet as a four-cylinder, but the husky exhaust note is complemented by subtle induction noises. With some music on though, you would barely hear the engine unless you were gunning it.
In terms of the ride and handling, the Altroz i-Turbo is unchanged from the standard car, which is no bad thing. We've driven the Altroz quite extensively, having taken it to Chennai for a few laps around the MMRT and, in terms of handling, the Altroz is stable, responsive and neutral. It doesn't do anything unexpected when pushed to the limit and it grips rather well staying very planted and confident. Body roll is noticeable but the upshot of that is fantastic ride quality, one of the Altroz's USPs. It doesn't float or wallow at speed either. However the steering is fairly light and while that helps manoeuvrability around town, it doesn't make you feel at one with the car when you're sending it into a corner. This is a stark difference compared to the Polo.
The Polo's 1-litre TSI engine definitely delivers a stronger punch and the extra 30Nm make a big difference to how effortlessly it can get a move on regardless of the gear you're in. Unlike the Altroz, the Polo does have a bit of turbo lag and it doesn't try to hide the fact that it is turbocharged, delivering quite a powerful kick when the turbo starts singing. Sure, this does mean that you will need to shift more often in the Polo to keep the turbo singing. Think of the Altroz' torque spread as an even layer of fun, but the Polo's grunt is like that last bite of a sandwich you cannot wait to indulge in. Yes, it means that the other bits are not as tasty, but when you do get to the middle and then rush to the top, you wouldn't want it any other way.
It certainly feels faster than the Altroz, and the tighter suspension setup helps it carry that speed with more confidence around corners too. The steering is a bit heavy at low speeds, and it isn't brimming with feel, but comes into its own as the speed picks up, plugging you into the experience. The Polo is satisfying to drive and immensely fulfilling when driven hard.
The verdict is rather straightforward — the
The Polo's grunt is like that last bite of a sandwich you cannot wait to indulge in
Polo might be too cramped, not loaded with enough equipment and now in its 11th year but for pure driving thrills, for sheer fun to drive, it remains the benchmark. However it is the Altroz that is the better all-rounder. It is more practical, has more equipment, is just as good looking — if not better! — and is an easier car to live with owing to its lighter controls. And we must mention the full five stars it scored in the Global NCAP crash test. This i-Turbo engine gives it the shot in the arm that was missing from the earlier petrol powertrain, and it would be my recommendation to anyone in the market for a premium, fun to drive hatchback. But truth also is this engine doesn't strike an emotional chord like the Polo does. We fear Tata Motors has erred too much on the side of fuel efficiency, because this very same engine was quite a cracker in the JTP. It is all but clear that Tata Motors is targeting customers who were buying the regular, nat-asp petrols, instead of hunting for us enthusiasts. And they've priced it accordingly, the XT priced at `7.73 lakh undercutting the Polo TSI by `60,000. There's also the XZ+ variant which is `50,000 more than the Polo but gets significantly more equipment. What it doesn't have though is the automatic transmission, which means the hype can continue… on the rumoured DCT wetclutch auto, on a higher horsepower tune for the motor, maybe even a go-faster body kit. It'll ensure the buzz will continue around the Altroz and that is no bad thing at all. ⌧
TATA ALTROZ i-TURBO
Engine In-line 3-cyl, 1199cc, turbo-petrol
Power: 108bhp @ 5500rpm Torque: 140Nm @ 15005500rpm (manual) 0-100kmph: 12.9 seconds (tested) Top speed: NA
Price: `8.85 lakh (ex-showroom)
+ Well packaged, safety
- Not inspiring to drive evo rating ★★★★2
VOLKSWAGEN POLO TSI
Engine In-line 3-cyl, 999cc, turbo-petrol
Power: 108bhp @ 5000-5500rpm Torque: 175Nm @ 17504000rpm 0-100kmph: 11.2 seconds (tested)
Top speed: NA
Price: `8.34 lakh (ex-showroom)
+ Fun to drive, still looks stunning
- Lacks creature comforts evo rating ★★★★2