Maruti Suzuki Baleno [2019-2022] vs Tata Altroz

The Tata Altroz Racer, as the name suggests, is a racier version of the standard hatchback with a more powerful engine, cosmetic changes, and additional features. Here is our first drive review of it.

If a car is priced under Rs 10 lakh and wears a Maruti Suzuki badge it is destined to be successful. But the Baleno is very important to Maruti for very different reasons. It is their first foray into the premium hatchback segment which is dominated by Hyundai’s classy i20. The Baleno is also the second model to be sold out of the more premium Nexa group of dealerships. After Nexa took a big hit with the unenthusiastic response for the overpriced S-Cross, the pressure is on Baleno’s small car shoulders to justify Maruti’s premium marketing tactics.

This is the new CNG variant of the Tata Altroz. It joins the CNG portfolio of the carmaker, alongside the Tiago and Tigor. Its prime competitors are the Maruti Suzuki Baleno and the Toyota Glanza which are also offered in CNG versions but fewer variants; the Altroz CNG can be had in as many as six variants. Does this and the new segment-first features make it any good? We find out in this review.