Alto is the only car on Indian roads to pull 800 down , infact on all counts with justification for extra price included too.
Very reliable engine as M800 has been here since ages and we all know it delivers goods. Same block with MPFI and Multi valve head adds some horses and bumps the max to 45 from former 38. Torquey enough for hauling itself and occupants along from low speeds in high gears. 3rd gear is very flexible and good enough from 20 – 80 kmph. A/C is good but noisy blower at high speeds and power drops by a great margin.
Higher profile tyres pose trouble in high speed cornering and rear end almost loses balance, gives you a sense of thrill if you are a good driver. Earlier Alto with 1100 engine was nothing but an extra cylinder added to the already reliable M800 engine. Spares are very cheap and easy on pocket. Always ready for a trip and pulled out of garage on occasions when a long distance trip was planned instantaneously, so read reliability here. Truly badged as “Let’s Go”
Seating is fairly comfortable in front and good in the rear if there are four occupants. I’m 182 cms and have no hassles with driving position or gear lever. Good job by Maruti er Suzuki here. Suspension is good and soaks up potholes and uneven surfaces well. Overall you get a supple ride. Brakes are good but fade after continuous usage and heats up fast, so gotta keep a watch if you are coming down the ghats in a hurry. I remember once smoking up fronts pads coming down Ooty ghats, Inspite of holding the car always in lower gears to utilize engine braking to max it strained the brakes. So keep a watch!
Fuel efficiency is best and any amount of abuse won’t give you startling low figures. I have achieved 22kmpl Bangalore to Tirupati and ghats of Tirumala. Constant speed of 100 kmph didn’t hamper the comfort much, but dicey in bad roads may be better tyres will iron out this. Regular trips to Bandipur, Nagarhole returns 18-20 kmpl and that is a good average considering 30% bad roads. When I make a mention of bad roads I’m talking about driving in 1st or 2nd gear. Best average of 23 kmpl was achieved on a trip to Dharmasthala, Subramanya and Udupi .
Front suspension is prone to get weak if driven on bad roads continuously and you get to hear creaking noises. Rear coils do their job. Good for 4 occupants, but uncomfortable for 5 adults except for malnutritioned specimens. Adding 165 radials will help cornering and high speed driving safe at the cost of 1-1.5 kmpl in highway and difference hardly noticeable in city conditions.
Maruti could do with a better dash board, 13 inch wheels , brakes with progressive bite and some fresh look added to interiors. Apart from these it’s still a fantastic car and best Value for Money.
Who should buy :
Anyone who prefers ease of driving in city, highway and expects most out of every litre of petrol squeezed out. Good for beginners and who travel often with not many on board. Best for buyers who are not too finicky about additional features.
Who shouldn’t buy :
Hmm a tough one but I will answer this…. Buyers who prefer good comfort, punchy engine, additional features, good performance with A/C and finally if someone can pay more they have more options, but at the bottom Alto is the best choice( or are there any apart from Maruti 800 .. Tata and Hyundai are you listening )
Now to my review on Swift