Maruti Suzuki Alto

The evergreen Maruti Suzuki Alto 800 received a significant update and has dropped the ‘800’ from i...

The evergreen Maruti Suzuki Alto 800 received a significant update and has dropped the ‘800’ from its name in the process. In addition to the exterior and interior revisions, the refreshed Maruti Alto is now compliant with India’s latest safety standards. Its 796cc engine has also been made BS-VI emission norms-ready, ensuring the Alto will remain on sale for a good few more years to come. The diminutive Alto is available in petrol and CNG versions but there's no automatic gearbox option. One among the most affordable cars on sale in India, the Alto offers Maruti’s peace-of-mind ownership experience for relatively little money.

You might not buy an Alto for the way it looks but the cosmetic tweaks have done their bit to freshen up the lo...

You might not buy an Alto for the way it looks but the cosmetic tweaks have done their bit to freshen up the look. The Maruti Suzuki Alto’s interior gets a more comprehensive update with a new dashboard that comes from the pricier Alto K10. Given the low asking price, it is easy to gloss over the car’s lack of frills. However, there’s no getting around the Alto 800’s cramped cabin. It’s a tight fit for large adults and even luggage room is strictly limited.
The Maruti Suzuki Alto’ 796cc, BS-VI-ready petrol engine makes all of 48hp but offers performance that is actually more than sufficient for typical urban commutes. Fuel economy is also excellent and the Alto’s low running costs are sure to appeal to budget-oriented buyers. The Alto CNG is cheap-to-run but the CNG tank leaves no room for luggage and performance also takes a hit when running the engine in CNG mode.
A small footprint makes the Alto easy to live with in town, and the low-speed ride quality is also surprisingly good. Unfortunately, you will not be at ease on the highway in the feather-light Alto.