Introduction
The world of Indian performance turbos has a new competitor in the form of the Tata Altroz Racer. As the name suggests, it is a high-performance version of the premium hatchback and comes as a new top-spec car model. Prices start from Rs. 9.49 lakh and can be had in three colors and three variants. Tata's product looks strong, but it has a lot of work to do in terms of facing up to its major rivals - the Hyundai i20 N Line and the petrol-powered Maruti Fronx Turbo.
Pricing
We start with the newest of the lot, the Altroz, the Altroz Racer. Launched in India in June 2024, there are three variants and prices are around Rs. Rs 9.49 lakh to Rs 10.99 lakh, ex-showroom. Next up is the Maruti Fronx, which is available with the 1.0-litre turbo petrol engine in four variants and prices are in the range of Rs. 9.73 lakh to Rs. 11.64 lakh. Finally, the i20 N Line is available in four variants and prices range around Rs. 9.99 lakh to Rs. 11.42 lakh.
Design Highlights
Two of the three cars take the same route when it comes to exterior appearance with two-tone paint schemes and decals. The Altroz gets stripes on the outside. In silhouette and basic design, they retain the shape and identity of their standard siblings, letting them not only stand out but also maintain their family identity.
The Altroz's color schemes are brighter than those offered on the i20, but the latter has a greater number of design elements to make it stand out a little more. Then there's the Fronx, which looks more like a crossover with a higher stance and fewer colorful elements in the standard look.
However, you can however, dress up the Fronx with similarly sporty accessories from the extensive list that Maruti offers, but that's an extra amount you'll spend compared to what's on offer with the Altroz and i20 N Line.
Interior
Across the three cars, you can see similar layouts for the cabin. All elements are where they are supposed to be and in the same quantity as each other. However, in the i20 N line and now in the Altroz Racer, the Fronx has an analog instrument cluster with full-color MID.
Then, of the three, the Racer’s cluster is the most detailed. In terms of dimensions, there is very little separating the three cars: the i20 N Line has the longest wheelbase, while the Fronx, due to its 190mm 'SUV' nature, has the highest ground clearance.
Feature List
Since the products compete for the same segment space, the Altroz Racer, i20 N Line and Fronx Turbo come as fully equipped models with features such as a 360-degree camera, a large touchscreen, a customizable digital dashboard, a sunroof, connected car technology and a wireless charger. In the i20 N Line model, the Racer has ventilated front seats and a larger touchscreen system, while the Fronx is the only one with a HUD. All three cars are equally identical in terms of safety, with six airbags, ABS with EBD, traction control, headrests for the center rear passengers and a tyre pressure monitoring system (TPMS).
Under the hood
Then there's the same performance with the Racer's Nexon-derived 1.2-litre turbo petrol producing 118bhp/170Nm, while the Racer's 1.0-litre three-cylinder turbo petrol produces 118bhp/172Nm.
The Maruti's engine is also a 1.0-litre three-cylinder turbo that produces 99 PS/147 Nm, which is the lowest among the three in terms of overall power. A six-speed manual transmission comes standard for all three, but the i20 N Line also has a seven-speed DCT and a six-speed Fronx AT torque converter.
Conclusion
Obviously, the final choice depends on which brands appeal to you in terms of the three 'hot cars'. The Altroz Racer offers the most features, while the i20 N Line excels in performance thanks to the broad appeal of the Hyundai N brand. The Fronx, Maruti Suzuki's flagship, has much wider appeal and is the closest thing to an SUV of the three.
Also Read: India-spec Citroen C3 Aircross vs Euro-spec C3 Aircross – Major Differences
