Tata Altroz (2025 Facelift) first drive review

The 2025 edition of the Tata Altroz doesn’t change too much when it comes to the core stuff. The general size and dimensions are retained, and the design is largely similar without too much adventurous redesign at play. That said, it is a proper facelift and there are noticeable changes all around the car, especially at the front. The grille and angles are visibly sharper, particularly in the zone right below the logo.

A neat touch that I particularly like is the vents in the bumper directing air straight through to the wheels, rather than forcing a way around. It’s a small but neat aerodynamic touch that has some effect in the car’s handling, and it’s helped by the new alloy wheels with aero inserts - similar to those on the Tata Curvv EV.

At the back, you’ll see some more big changes, including the thin light bar bridging the two tail LEDs for a continuous look, a nice dual-tone finish for the bumper, and a more subtle ‘Altroz’ logo sitting below the Tata logo. The front doors get new flush door handles, while the rear door handles are still mounted next to the window. The hand action to unlock flush door handles takes a bit of getting used to, but it isn’t difficult once you’ve gotten the hang of it.

 

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A post shared by Stuff Magazine India (@stuffindia)

ALSO SEE: Tata Curvv ICE (Petrol and Diesel) review

If you’re buying the pure petrol or diesel variants, you’ll get a useful 345L of boot space in the new Tata Altroz. If you get the petrol + CNG option, the two CNG tanks will take up some of that space and leave you with 215L of usable boot space - not bad, but not too much either. The cabin gets comfortable seating with additional under-thigh support for four seats (save for the rear middle spot), although I found rear legroom a bit less with the front seats pushed back. 

Depending on the variant you pick, you can also get rear AC vents, a sunroof, and either a full-digital instrument cluster or a part-digital, part-analogue one. Higher variants also get a touch control panel for the AC and other functions, a touch panel on the steering wheel, and the 10.25-inch infotainment system powered by Harman.

The infotainment display on the new Tata Altroz has a wide aspect ratio, which makes it appear small at first glance. However, this is actually a rather useful way to put it, since the height is usually wasted; this allows for more information to be displayed in a row, as well as giving the driver better access to the touch-screen display. The user interface is also geared to line up tiles in a row, and connecting to Android Auto gave me good map visibility along with easy access to music playback or any other tiles that got placed alongside. 

 

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A post shared by Stuff Magazine India (@stuffindia)

Usefully, the screen only manages features that are non-critical to the drive experience; core functions such as wipers, headlights, CNG-petrol mode selection, and climate control are accessible through stalks behind the wheel or dedicated buttons under the display. The digital instrument cluster itself provides easy access to various info, including tire pressure monitoring, real-time power, torque, and fuel economy figures, CNG vs petrol consumption figures, and navigation prompts.

Depending on the variant you pick, you also get a few other useful features such as the illuminated Tata logo on the wheel, auto wipers, auto headlights with daytime running lights, touch controls for much of the steering wheel and AC panel, and physical controls for certain functions on the wheel including volume and playback controls, or navigation for the instrument cluster UI. 

There’s also Qi wireless charging, 65W USB Type-C charging, an additional USB Type-A port for connectivity, and the standard 12V car charging port - plenty of options. It sounds like a lot, but everything on the Tata Altroz is well laid out and not at all fiddly - you’ll get used to the cabin and find your way around it very quickly.

Certain variants also get the 360-degree camera system, and the Tata Altroz gets a particularly good set of cameras at that. You get an impressive and clear view around the car from the display, which activates as needed. You can turn it on with a tap of the button on the AC panel or through the UI on the screen, and switch between standard camera views or the 3D view, which renders the Altroz in its surroundings rather nicely. This helps when navigating in narrow or rough spots, letting you view the road with much more visibility than usual.

ALSO SEE: Tata Motors wants to make it easy for you to charge your EV

The cameras also activate as needed when in reverse, or when indicating to turn - useful for when you want to change lanes since this gives you a view of the blind spots on either side. Again, it’s all uncomplicated and works as expected, without confusing or distracting you in any way.

The Tata Altroz (2025 Facelift) takes on some strong competitors in the 4m hatchback segment, but benefits heavily from the sheer variety of engine and transmission options on offer. While much of the competition does petrol, petrol + CNG, and automatic transmission options, the Altroz also gives buyers the option of diesel, along with the option to pick between AMT and dual-clutch transmission in the petrol models. Automatic transmission isn’t available on diesel and CNG variants, though.

I spent most of my time with the petrol + CNG variant (with manual transmission) on the media drive, which has understandably lower power and torque figures than the pure petrol and diesel variants. With 72bhp and 103Nm, it might sound a bit sluggish for the size of the car, but actual performance was surprisingly decent, and you also get the benefits of longer driving range and the affordability of CNG. 

ALSO SEE: Buying Guides: Best cars for tech

I’m not downplaying this and the Altroz CNG does take a bit longer to respond to throttle than I’d like, but it’s actually rather well tuned for a CNG car. Performance is available if you want it - putting some throttle down will give you some amount of overtaking capability and available power even at high speeds. Obviously, you need more space and will have to downshift often, but on the smooth road between Bengaluru and Hyderabad, this wasn’t a problem.

Obviously, higher speeds and more liberal throttle will affect the fuel efficiency, especially so when you’re running on CNG. I got about 130km of running before the CNG dropped to reserves, but efficient driving can extend this considerably. Petrol will give you another 400km of running as per my estimates, so expect the new Altroz to go long distances before needing to be refuelled.

The drive itself is smooth and rather secure even at high speeds, with the Tata Altroz feeling planted and firm on the move. The steering wheel offers an impressive level of feedback, firming up at high speeds to give you a better feel of lane changes and quick moves. Cruising at around 80km/h feels effortless, and even going up to around 100km/h on faster expressways is comfortable.

The new Tata Altroz gets a much needed facelift and a few added tweaks in the cabin, but at its heart it’s very much the same reliable hatchback from Tata. This is a comfortable and capable family car, benefiting from premium features and design, along with giving buyers more options in terms of fuel, transmission, and features.

This isn’t a glamorous car, but it delivers on its promises. It’s easy to drive, comfortable to be in for hours at a stretch, and ticks the boxes for a car in this price segment. Give this particular consideration if you’re looking for a diesel hatchback, but it’s definitely worth looking at if you’re shopping for a decent family car under Rs. 10,00,000.