This is not the first time we are writing an ownership review of any car. However, this one is slightly different as it includes the experience of a driver on a 3000 km long trip in his Tata Altroz XT petrol variant. The owner bought Tata Altroz in March prior to the nationwide lockdown. At that time, the XT variant was available with a manual Air-Condition (AC) option.
However, now, the automaker is providing automatic AC control in XT variant.
The owner shared his experience with Vinod Singh Garkhal, who owns the YouTube channel Ridiculously Amazing. Vinod recorded the video and uploaded it on his channel. Before talking about the journey, the owner of the hatchback also told why he opted for Tata Altroz XT, which is the second top model.
The owner had many options in his mind before buying his car. He said his priority was safety and fuel-efficiency. In short, he wanted a car with low maintenance and high fuel-efficiency of a Maruti Suzuki car along with high safety standards. Tata Altroz served most of his requirements.
Also read: Tata Altroz Owner Review
Tata Altroz XT Long Trip Review
The owner went from Delhi to Bhagalpur, which is about 1450km distance from one side. He traveled with his family and the car was fully loaded. Besides, the total path consisted of both good and bad roads. The driver said that road conditions near Bhagalpur and the border of UP and Bihar were especially poor. Most of the roads were muddy and potholes filled with water.
The owner explained everything, how it affected the driving, mileage, comfort, and if the ground clearance is sufficient in this car. Additionally, the driver faced some problems which we will discuss in detail.
AC Issue In Car
As the owner had to go on a long trip, he got the first service done after 700 km only. However, the technicians had not updated the AC module in the car and that led to the AC breakdown after 150 km of journey. It also adversely affected the mileage of the hatchback. The owner said the fuel tank of the car got empty just after running 250 km.
Tata Altroz has a 37 liters fuel tank, which pulls back mileage to around 7 km/l. However, that was due to the faulty AC module. When he switched the AC off, the engine performance of his Tata Altroz returned to normal.
Moreover, the owner talked about the improved service of Tata Motors.
Service Of Tata Motors Is Surprisingly Improved
Those who are familiar with the auto industry know that Tata Motors is often criticized for its after-sales service. However, in this case, Tata surprised the owner with their quality of service. As the owner reached his destination in Bhagalpur he contacted the company and explained the whole situation.
The automaker responded and got the job done properly. According to the owner, the technicians at the service center had to replace the whole AC unit.
Mileage
Although the mileage of the hatchback dipped down very much due to AC issues, it improved on its way back to Delhi. As per the owner, his car was fully loaded with his family members and their luggage. Additionally, the road conditions were not good where he traveled.
Furthermore, he said that the car was stationary for almost 30 minutes due to traffic and the AC was on for that period. After all these conditions, the car managed to churn out a mileage of around 18.5 km/l as per MID (multi-informational display).
Apart from this, we have also seen owners achieving mileage of up to 28 km/l with Altroz when travelling alone in better road conditions.
Suspension And Ground Clearance
According to the owner, the suspension of the car is neither stiff nor soft, it’s balanced. He said the rear suspension seems to be better than the front as he feels more comfortable in the rear seats.
If we talk about ground clearance, it’s 165 mm for Tata Altroz which sounds quite low. However, after traveling on roads full of potholes, the owner said Altroz managed to maneuver smoothly without any scratches or damage to its base.
Low Initial Power Delivery
Unlike the engines of Maruti Swift, which are quite punchy in performance and acceleration, Altroz lacks an initial punch, the owner said. This power lag becomes evident in situations when the car is fully loaded. Otherwise, Altroz is quite stable at high speeds.
One of the other reasons for a relatively lower acceleration of Tata Altroz when compared to Maruti Suzuki is its weight. Due to the built quality of Tata Altroz, it’s quite heavier but it keeps you safer and provides confidence at higher speeds. Furthermore, when riding with less stuff, the acceleration lag could become hard to notice.
Conclusion
Everyone researches a lot before buying a car. The final decision always depends on their most important requirement. Those who prefer fuel-efficient, low maintenance and cars with good after-sales value generally choose Maruti Suzuki.
On the other hand, if your priority is high-end performance cars without any worry for their high maintenance cost can go for Volkswagen or Ford.
If safety, build-quality and high-speed stability are your priorities, then Tata is the best choice for you.
Whichever brand you choose, you’ll have to compromise on a few things.
Anyway, do share your views on which brand you will go with?
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