What’s new?
When maruti launched the more powerful Alto K10 in 2009, the peppy little performer had no real rivals. Using basically a Maruti Swift petrol engine with one less cylinder, it was fast, fun and quite unique. The new Alto K10 comes into a slightly more crowded market this time around. Already in the market are the 67bhp Eon 1.0 and the 68bhp Datsun Go. Now, Maruti has finally launched the heavily upgraded K10 and at first glance, it looks like it was well worth the wait. The more rounded design looks attractive and the cabin design and material quality seem to have taken a huge leap forward. The competition, however, is quite stiff. The Hyundai Eon, for example, got a much needed boost in the form of a much more powerful and efficient 1.0-litre engine. That it looks and feels more premium than the others just adds to its value quotient. Datsun, on the other hand, set about its journey in India by redefining the entry budget car segment in India. Its advantage lies in the fact that the Go is a size bigger than the other two and has a larger 1.2-litre heart.
What are they like drive?
While All three cars here make within 1bhp of each other, the way they perform on the road are quite different. The Alto K10 has decent power at low engine speeds. The motor is responsive and quiet enough till 3,000rpm too. Part-throttle responses are good, and overtaking doesn’t take too much effort either. The gearbox also feels quite precise and you rarely miss a slot. Like all K-series engines, this motor also loves to be revved, but this considerably increases the noise levels. The engine sounds increasingly harsh when you approach its 6,100rpm rev limiter, and it’s best to shift up at around 4,500rpm. Still, the Alto K10 manages to reach 100kph in 15.46 seconds, which is plenty quick for a car of this price. Like the Alto K10, the Hyundai Eon 1.0-litre is powered by a 998cc three-cylinder engine. Compared to the Alto, engine idle is a lot smoother and overall refinement is the best over here. This engine makes an even bigger impression once you ease off the clutch and get moving. There’s none of that low-rpm jerkiness of the Alto and power delivery is crisp and it pulls well too. It’s not as peppy as the Datsun Go, but it’s more than up to the job of comfortably propelling the Eon to speed. A light clutch and reasonably smooth-shifting five-speed gearbox round this off as a car well suited to urban driving. Performance is better than the Alto with the Eon taking 15.01 seconds to reach 100kph. Fire up the Go and you will be surprised by the smoothness this three-pot unit offers. Compared to the Alto, which is also a three-cylinder engine, the Go’s motor is much smoother and the idle is as quiet as a four-cylinder unit. Depress the light clutch, slot the gearlever into first with a positive click, pat the throttle and the Go gives you little cause to complain. Throttle response at low revs is surprisingly good – we found ourselves comfortably driving in fifth gear at speeds as low as 50kph and these strong responses are mainly down to the larger 1.2-litre engine size. The best way to drive this car is to keep the engine spinning at low to moderate engine speeds, as after 4,500rpm, the engine starts to get a bit gruff. The Go managed to post the fastest times in this test with a figure of 14.54 seconds to reach 100kph. In-gear times are quite impressive too.
What are they like inside?
On the inside, the Alto K10’s dashboard is completely new. The design is curvy, the dials look upmarket and are easy to read. The vibrant seat fabric is modern and that lifts the cabin’s overall ambience. Despite these changes, the Alto K10’s cabin still doesn’t have the same air of quality that the Hyundai Eon displays. You sit pretty low in the Alto and due to the low stance of the car, getting in and out needs you to bend a lot. The front seat itself is comfortable but lacks enough under-thigh support. Seat bolstering is also not the best and you tend to get thrown around on enthusiastic drives. Although Maruti has tried to carve out more knee room for rear passengers with slim front seats, it’s still cramped, and headroom isn’t good either. Storage spaces aren’t abundant but the big cubby and bottle holder ahead of the gearlever are quite good, and the shelf above the glovebox is pretty useful too.
Slip past the Eon’s wide-opening front door and you’ll be convinced you’ve got more than your money’s worth. The quality of plastics is good enough to belong on the bigger and pricier i10. Fit and finish are impressive for a budget car and there is nothing visibly low-rent about the cabin; except for the old-fashioned door locks on top of the sill. This is a thoroughly modern interior and the beige plastics on the lower portion of the cabin enhance the upmarket feeling. The dashboard itself is smartly styled too, with the centre console following the hexagonal theme of the Eon’s frontal styling. The dull silver trim also adds a touch of class here. The simple instruments that include a speedometer, fuel gauge and temperature gauge (there’s no rev counter) are easy to read on the move. A small digital readout also indicates ideal gears for best fuel economy. Drivers will appreciate the good visibility out the front and finding a good driving position is simple, made easier still by the tilt-adjust steering. Back support from the slender, single-piece front seats is also quite good, but their tapering shape means your shoulders are left unsupported, and the fixed headrests are a tad short too. Space at the back is comparable to the Alto but is slightly less than in the Go. Rear knee room is adequate so long as the front occupant doesn’t push his seat all the way back. But headroom is not great and the narrow rear windows make the Eon feel smaller than it is in the back. Passengers in the rear will also have to make do with a slightly short seat squab and limited width. Boot space, at 215 litres however, is quite good for a car of this size. You can even fold the rear seats when more space is needed. Moving on to the third contender, the Go’s cabin is the most spacious but it feels cheap compared to the other two. The shiny, hard dashboard plastics are poor and even the grain is not what you’d expect on a car of this class. However, the deep glovebox, four cupholders and the storage recesses on the dashboard top all come together to make the interiors of the Go practical. But on the downside, there are no covers to any of these storage spaces. The back seat of the Go is the best in this test with ample support. But the large front bench makes you feel claustrophobic in the back. The Datsun has the biggest boot too and the low loading lip makes loading luggage very easy.
What’s new?
When maruti launched the more powerful Alto K10 in 2009, the peppy little performer had no real rivals. Using basically a Maruti Swift petrol engine with one less cylinder, it was fast, fun and quite unique. The new Alto K10 comes into a slightly more crowded market this time around. Already in the market are the 67bhp Eon 1.0 and the 68bhp Datsun Go. Now, Maruti has finally launched the heavily upgraded K10 and at first glance, it looks like it was well worth the wait. The more rounded design looks attractive and the cabin design and material quality seem to have taken a huge leap forward. The competition, however, is quite stiff. The Hyundai Eon, for example, got a much needed boost in the form of a much more powerful and efficient 1.0-litre engine. That it looks and feels more premium than the others just adds to its value quotient. Datsun, on the other hand, set about its journey in India by redefining the entry budget car segment in India. Its advantage lies in the fact that the Go is a size bigger than the other two and has a larger 1.2-litre heart.
What are they like drive?
While All three cars here make within 1bhp of each other, the way they perform on the road are quite different. The Alto K10 has decent power at low engine speeds. The motor is responsive and quiet enough till 3,000rpm too. Part-throttle responses are good, and overtaking doesn’t take too much effort either. The gearbox also feels quite precise and you rarely miss a slot. Like all K-series engines, this motor also loves to be revved, but this considerably increases the noise levels. The engine sounds increasingly harsh when you approach its 6,100rpm rev limiter, and it’s best to shift up at around 4,500rpm. Still, the Alto K10 manages to reach 100kph in 15.46 seconds, which is plenty quick for a car of this price. Like the Alto K10, the Hyundai Eon 1.0-litre is powered by a 998cc three-cylinder engine. Compared to the Alto, engine idle is a lot smoother and overall refinement is the best over here. This engine makes an even bigger impression once you ease off the clutch and get moving. There’s none of that low-rpm jerkiness of the Alto and power delivery is crisp and it pulls well too. It’s not as peppy as the Datsun Go, but it’s more than up to the job of comfortably propelling the Eon to speed. A light clutch and reasonably smooth-shifting five-speed gearbox round this off as a car well suited to urban driving. Performance is better than the Alto with the Eon taking 15.01 seconds to reach 100kph. Fire up the Go and you will be surprised by the smoothness this three-pot unit offers. Compared to the Alto, which is also a three-cylinder engine, the Go’s motor is much smoother and the idle is as quiet as a four-cylinder unit. Depress the light clutch, slot the gearlever into first with a positive click, pat the throttle and the Go gives you little cause to complain. Throttle response at low revs is surprisingly good – we found ourselves comfortably driving in fifth gear at speeds as low as 50kph and these strong responses are mainly down to the larger 1.2-litre engine size. The best way to drive this car is to keep the engine spinning at low to moderate engine speeds, as after 4,500rpm, the engine starts to get a bit gruff. The Go managed to post the fastest times in this test with a figure of 14.54 seconds to reach 100kph. In-gear times are quite impressive too.
What are they like inside?
On the inside, the Alto K10’s dashboard is completely new. The design is curvy, the dials look upmarket and are easy to read. The vibrant seat fabric is modern and that lifts the cabin’s overall ambience. Despite these changes, the Alto K10’s cabin still doesn’t have the same air of quality that the Hyundai Eon displays. You sit pretty low in the Alto and due to the low stance of the car, getting in and out needs you to bend a lot. The front seat itself is comfortable but lacks enough under-thigh support. Seat bolstering is also not the best and you tend to get thrown around on enthusiastic drives. Although Maruti has tried to carve out more knee room for rear passengers with slim front seats, it’s still cramped, and headroom isn’t good either. Storage spaces aren’t abundant but the big cubby and bottle holder ahead of the gearlever are quite good, and the shelf above the glovebox is pretty useful too.
Slip past the Eon’s wide-opening front door and you’ll be convinced you’ve got more than your money’s worth. The quality of plastics is good enough to belong on the bigger and pricier i10. Fit and finish are impressive for a budget car and there is nothing visibly low-rent about the cabin; except for the old-fashioned door locks on top of the sill. This is a thoroughly modern interior and the beige plastics on the lower portion of the cabin enhance the upmarket feeling. The dashboard itself is smartly styled too, with the centre console following the hexagonal theme of the Eon’s frontal styling. The dull silver trim also adds a touch of class here. The simple instruments that include a speedometer, fuel gauge and temperature gauge (there’s no rev counter) are easy to read on the move. A small digital readout also indicates ideal gears for best fuel economy. Drivers will appreciate the good visibility out the front and finding a good driving position is simple, made easier still by the tilt-adjust steering. Back support from the slender, single-piece front seats is also quite good, but their tapering shape means your shoulders are left unsupported, and the fixed headrests are a tad short too. Space at the back is comparable to the Alto but is slightly less than in the Go. Rear knee room is adequate so long as the front occupant doesn’t push his seat all the way back. But headroom is not great and the narrow rear windows make the Eon feel smaller than it is in the back. Passengers in the rear will also have to make do with a slightly short seat squab and limited width. Boot space, at 215 litres however, is quite good for a car of this size. You can even fold the rear seats when more space is needed. Moving on to the third contender, the Go’s cabin is the most spacious but it feels cheap compared to the other two. The shiny, hard dashboard plastics are poor and even the grain is not what you’d expect on a car of this class. However, the deep glovebox, four cupholders and the storage recesses on the dashboard top all come together to make the interiors of the Go practical. But on the downside, there are no covers to any of these storage spaces. The back seat of the Go is the best in this test with ample support. But the large front bench makes you feel claustrophobic in the back. The Datsun has the biggest boot too and the low loading lip makes loading luggage very easy.
What’s new?
When maruti launched the more powerful Alto K10 in 2009, the peppy little performer had no real rivals. Using basically a Maruti Swift petrol engine with one less cylinder, it was fast, fun and quite unique. The new Alto K10 comes into a slightly more crowded market this time around. Already in the market are the 67bhp Eon 1.0 and the 68bhp Datsun Go. Now, Maruti has finally launched the heavily upgraded K10 and at first glance, it looks like it was well worth the wait. The more rounded design looks attractive and the cabin design and material quality seem to have taken a huge leap forward. The competition, however, is quite stiff. The Hyundai Eon, for example, got a much needed boost in the form of a much more powerful and efficient 1.0-litre engine. That it looks and feels more premium than the others just adds to its value quotient. Datsun, on the other hand, set about its journey in India by redefining the entry budget car segment in India. Its advantage lies in the fact that the Go is a size bigger than the other two and has a larger 1.2-litre heart.
What are they like drive?
While All three cars here make within 1bhp of each other, the way they perform on the road are quite different. The Alto K10 has decent power at low engine speeds. The motor is responsive and quiet enough till 3,000rpm too. Part-throttle responses are good, and overtaking doesn’t take too much effort either. The gearbox also feels quite precise and you rarely miss a slot. Like all K-series engines, this motor also loves to be revved, but this considerably increases the noise levels. The engine sounds increasingly harsh when you approach its 6,100rpm rev limiter, and it’s best to shift up at around 4,500rpm. Still, the Alto K10 manages to reach 100kph in 15.46 seconds, which is plenty quick for a car of this price. Like the Alto K10, the Hyundai Eon 1.0-litre is powered by a 998cc three-cylinder engine. Compared to the Alto, engine idle is a lot smoother and overall refinement is the best over here. This engine makes an even bigger impression once you ease off the clutch and get moving. There’s none of that low-rpm jerkiness of the Alto and power delivery is crisp and it pulls well too. It’s not as peppy as the Datsun Go, but it’s more than up to the job of comfortably propelling the Eon to speed. A light clutch and reasonably smooth-shifting five-speed gearbox round this off as a car well suited to urban driving. Performance is better than the Alto with the Eon taking 15.01 seconds to reach 100kph. Fire up the Go and you will be surprised by the smoothness this three-pot unit offers. Compared to the Alto, which is also a three-cylinder engine, the Go’s motor is much smoother and the idle is as quiet as a four-cylinder unit. Depress the light clutch, slot the gearlever into first with a positive click, pat the throttle and the Go gives you little cause to complain. Throttle response at low revs is surprisingly good – we found ourselves comfortably driving in fifth gear at speeds as low as 50kph and these strong responses are mainly down to the larger 1.2-litre engine size. The best way to drive this car is to keep the engine spinning at low to moderate engine speeds, as after 4,500rpm, the engine starts to get a bit gruff. The Go managed to post the fastest times in this test with a figure of 14.54 seconds to reach 100kph. In-gear times are quite impressive too.
What are they like inside?
On the inside, the Alto K10’s dashboard is completely new. The design is curvy, the dials look upmarket and are easy to read. The vibrant seat fabric is modern and that lifts the cabin’s overall ambience. Despite these changes, the Alto K10’s cabin still doesn’t have the same air of quality that the Hyundai Eon displays. You sit pretty low in the Alto and due to the low stance of the car, getting in and out needs you to bend a lot. The front seat itself is comfortable but lacks enough under-thigh support. Seat bolstering is also not the best and you tend to get thrown around on enthusiastic drives. Although Maruti has tried to carve out more knee room for rear passengers with slim front seats, it’s still cramped, and headroom isn’t good either. Storage spaces aren’t abundant but the big cubby and bottle holder ahead of the gearlever are quite good, and the shelf above the glovebox is pretty useful too.
Slip past the Eon’s wide-opening front door and you’ll be convinced you’ve got more than your money’s worth. The quality of plastics is good enough to belong on the bigger and pricier i10. Fit and finish are impressive for a budget car and there is nothing visibly low-rent about the cabin; except for the old-fashioned door locks on top of the sill. This is a thoroughly modern interior and the beige plastics on the lower portion of the cabin enhance the upmarket feeling. The dashboard itself is smartly styled too, with the centre console following the hexagonal theme of the Eon’s frontal styling. The dull silver trim also adds a touch of class here. The simple instruments that include a speedometer, fuel gauge and temperature gauge (there’s no rev counter) are easy to read on the move. A small digital readout also indicates ideal gears for best fuel economy. Drivers will appreciate the good visibility out the front and finding a good driving position is simple, made easier still by the tilt-adjust steering. Back support from the slender, single-piece front seats is also quite good, but their tapering shape means your shoulders are left unsupported, and the fixed headrests are a tad short too. Space at the back is comparable to the Alto but is slightly less than in the Go. Rear knee room is adequate so long as the front occupant doesn’t push his seat all the way back. But headroom is not great and the narrow rear windows make the Eon feel smaller than it is in the back. Passengers in the rear will also have to make do with a slightly short seat squab and limited width. Boot space, at 215 litres however, is quite good for a car of this size. You can even fold the rear seats when more space is needed. Moving on to the third contender, the Go’s cabin is the most spacious but it feels cheap compared to the other two. The shiny, hard dashboard plastics are poor and even the grain is not what you’d expect on a car of this class. However, the deep glovebox, four cupholders and the storage recesses on the dashboard top all come together to make the interiors of the Go practical. But on the downside, there are no covers to any of these storage spaces. The back seat of the Go is the best in this test with ample support. But the large front bench makes you feel claustrophobic in the back. The Datsun has the biggest boot too and the low loading lip makes loading luggage very easy.