“I think there's always going to be a market for a hatchback,” says Martin Uhlarik, VP and Head of Global Design, Tata Motors

Tata Motors recently launched the facelifted version of the Tata Altroz hatchback, and it gets a number of updates to the design as well as the interiors, while being equipped with more kit than before. We have always maintained that the Altroz is one of the nicest looking hatchbacks on sale in India, and to understand what went into designing the facelifted version, we had a conversation with Martin Uhlarik, VP and Head of Global Design, Tata Motors and Executive Director of Tata Motors Design Tech Centre, on the sidelines of the Tata Altroz facelift launch in Mumbai.

When asked about the core design brief for the Altroz facelift, Uhlarik said, “The Altroz was already a unique offering, a premium hatch. So when we were doing the facelift, we looked at all the areas where we wanted to improve the car and for me one of the main areas was the perceived quality. I wanted to add more technology, more high-tech features like the headlamps with DRLs, the fog lamps and the infotainment and then get rid of the chrome and make it look more modern and more high-tech.” While the Altroz already possessed a strong design identity from when it was first launched, Uhlarik did feel that the design could be refined even further. “I felt it (the Altroz) had a lot of areas where the quality fit and finish was being handicapped. And then we also pushed for the flush door handle on the side. So that actually unlocked a new front and rear door and made the car more aerodynamic,” Uhlarik said.

Interestingly, customer feedback also played a role in the design of the Altroz facelift. Uhlarik explained that it is important to understand what a customer wants but it is ultimately the design leadership and the management who have to make a decision. When we asked Uhlarik about an example of customer feedback being integrated into the design, he referred to the seat comfort on the Tata Altroz. “We got a lot of criticism in terms of it (the seat comfort) could be better. It was not as supportive, especially thigh support and things like that. So we did a lot of ergonomic studies, analysis, and a lot of trial and error in terms of developing a seat that obviously looks comfortable and looks nice, but also actually serves the purpose in terms of support and comfort for maybe a longer trip,” said Uhlarik.

In their latest iterations, Tata Motors vehicles such as the Nexon, Curvv, Harrier and Safari have been sporting futuristic designs, and when we asked Uhlarik about what lies in store for the future of Tata hatchbacks, the designer said, “The next phase of Tata is to actually create a completely new portfolio, which will really push the limit from ground up on every level. So, that's the first element. And the second element is the hatchbacks.” Uhlarik went on to add that, saying, “I think the Tiago and the Altroz, these two models combined, offer customers a segment that people are still genuinely interested in. So, I think there's always going to be a market for a hatchback. We might just see a next generation version of that.”