Tata Motors has just introduced the 2025 Altroz facelift price from Rs 6.89 lakh and while it might come with updated styling and features, the one all-important question on the mind of every prospective customer is this: how does it compare with its rivals in terms of fuel efficiency?
The premium hatchback space has turned into a real battlefield, and Altroz enters straight into the mix against the likes of Maruti Suzuki Baleno, Toyota Glanza and Hyundai i20. But this is where it starts to get interesting – each car has its own strengths in drinking the juice.
Petrol Mileage: Maruti-Toyota Group Leads The Way
Let’s begin with the bread-and-butter petrol ones. Powering the 2025 Altroz is a 1.2-litre naturally aspirated petrol engine that belts out 90 horses and 113 Nm of torque. That said, Tata haven’t revealed the petrol economy numbers as of now but as per industry estimates, it should return about 18-20 kmpl.
That’s slightly underwhelming next to its Maruti Suzuki Baleno and Toyota Glanza twins, which are identical from an engine standpoint with a 1.2-litre K-Series mill. These figures are further translated into an eye popping mileage numbers of 22.35 kmpl (manual) and 22.95 kmpl (AMT). The Hyundai i20 is somewhere in between at 20-21 kmpl for manuals and 20 kmpl for the IVT automatic.
It should be remembered that the Baleno and Glanza are the same car under the skin – Toyota’s badge-engineering method here simply means you get the same fuel economy from your car.
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CNG: Maruti-Toyota Still The Boss, But Altroz Fights Frugal Battle
The CNG game is a tale in the same vein. The Altroz facelift’s 1.2-litre CNG system achieves a not-so-class-leading 26.90 km/kg. Finally, the Baleno and Glanza retain a tack on average of 30.61 km/kg.
What is somewhat strange in 2021 is that Hyundai seems to have foregone the CNG bandwagon altogether with the i20 – a decision that could cost it in the smaller cities, where CNG outlets are sprouting at a tremendous pace.
Diesel: Altroz Stands Alone
And this, is where the Altroz really shines – it is the only hatchback in its segment that is still available with a diesel engine option. The 1.5 liter diesel is capable of 90 hp and 200 Nm of torque and can return an Fuel Efficiency of 23.6 kmpl.
Maruti and Hyundai have to stop their diesel versions owing to the new emission norms and the stage has been set to operate space for Tata Motors. For prospective buyers who do serious highway miles, this could very well be the Altroz’s ace up the sleeve.
The Bigger Picture
The mileage figures are only part of the story. The new Altroz facelift gets some major upgrades such as dual 10.25-inch displays, 360-degree camera, air purifier, and even six airbags as standard. The car is available in five trims – Smart, Pure, Creative, Accomplished S and Accomplished+ S – and is priced at a maximum of Rs 11.49 lakh.
The Baleno’s price ranges between Rs 6.70 lakh and Rs 9.92 lakh, Rs 7.04 lakh and Rs 11.25 lakh for the i20. The Glanza arrives for Rs 6.90-10 lakh.
Bottom Line
If you just want the most frugal you can get (without getting into diesels), the Maruti Baleno and Toyota Glanza get a strong recommendation with the better petrol and CNG figures. The Hyundai i20 is a nice middle ground of reasonable efficiency and premium features.
But the Altroz has one thing that none of its competition can match – the option of a diesel engine. For purchasers who value cross-country comfort and performance over bragging rights, it is, in fact, the only game in town. What’s more, with bookings set to open from June 2nd, Tata must be confident the overall package will get buyers anyway, even if the petrol version loses some ground on the mile crunching front.
But the latter should be fine if you want the extra utility and the ability to seat five people under ‘regular’ Indian driving conditions, and the former, if you’re looking for the maximum fuel efficiency possible in a car, like ever, itty bitty hatchbacks included!!!!