The Tata Altroz Racer has just arrived in the Indian market to take on the only other sporty mass-market hatchback, the Hyundai i20 N Line. The Altroz Racer will also face some competition from the turbo-petrol variants of the Maruti Suzuki Fronx. Let’s look at how the three cars compare in terms of size, powertrain and price.

Tata Altroz Racer vs Hyundai i20 N Line vs Maruti Fronx Turbo: dimensions

The Tata Altroz Racer measures 3,990mm in length, 1,755mm in width and 1,523mm in height, and has a 2,501mm long wheelbase. This means that the i20 N Line and Fronx Turbo are 5mm longer, as well as 20mm and 10mm wider, respectively, than the Altroz Racer. Being a crossover SUV, the Fronx, at 1,550mm, is the tallest among the three. The i20 N Line has the longest wheelbase of 2,580mm. All three cars sit on 16-inch alloy wheels.

Tata Altroz Racer vs Hyundai i20 N Line vs Maruti Fronx Turbo: engine, gearbox

Powering the Tata Altroz Racer is a 1.2-litre, three-cylinder turbo-petrol engine that puts out 120hp and 170Nm of peak torque. It comes with a 6-speed manual gearbox as standard, without the choice of an automatic transmission. Tata has said that Racer gets a sportier exhaust setup, but there aren’t any other mechanical upgrades over the standard Altroz.

The Hyundai i20 N Line makes use of a 1.0-litre, three-cylinder turbo-petrol motor making 120hp and 172Nm, mated to a 6-speed manual transmission. The 7-speed dual-clutch automatic is optional. The N Line version gets a Hyundai retuned suspension setup, a sportier exhaust note and reworked steering dynamics for a sportier drive over the standard i20. 

The Fronx’s Turbo variants are powered by a 1.0-litre, three-cylinder unit that produces 100hp and 148Nm. It is offered with a 5-speed manual gearbox or an optional 6-speed torque converter automatic.

Tata Altroz Racer vs Hyundai i20 N Line vs Maruti Fronx turbo: visual changes

The Tata Altroz Racer features a dual-tone paint scheme with blacked-out bonnet, roof, and wing mirrors. The bonnet and roof also sport white racing stripes. A new rear spoiler has been added, too. The colour options include Atomic Orange, Avenue White and Pure Grey.

The i20 N Line has restyled bumpers, a new grille and red accents all around. The car also gets a twin-tip exhaust, a fresh spoiler, chrome delete and new alloys over the standard i20. The dual-tone colour options cost Rs 15,000 more. 

Tata Altroz Racer vs Hyundai i20 N Line vs Maruti Fronx turbo: price

The price range is Rs 9.99 lakh to Rs 11.42 lakh for the Hyundai i20 N Line’s manual variants and Rs 11.15 lakh to Rs 12.52 lakh for automatic variants. Since the Fronx belongs to a segment above it, it is slightly more expensive. The Turbo variants have a tag of Rs 9.72 lakh to Rs 13.04 lakh. The Altroz Racer undercuts the i20 N Line and the Fronx by a significant margin, with prices between Rs 9.49 lakh and Rs 10.99 lakh.

All prices, ex-showroom, India