I am myself a proud owner of Alto LXi, and have clocked the wonderful limit of 1000Kms in just 2 weeks. Thanks to a highway trip to Hassan, Belur and Halebid. Lets look at what this car has to offer and then the performance and then the pros and cons.
As a car its a beautiful car, the shape and looks are great. For a small family, a bachelor, or congested city driving and parking in extremely small perimeter its a perfect car. Has good leg space for the driver(average height not above 6 feet). The driver wont have any problem if he is taller the guy sitting behind would definitely have. Alto’s power steering which I feel after driving the vehicle for 1K around is necessary. Although I was a staunch disapprover of power steering not exactly understanding what it really did (my only worry was that power steering added to the cost when I just wanted a car). I think all cars (all vehicles) must have a power steering. Being a small car it has power steering, it helps the maneouverability even better. Certainly a positive thing.
Mileage, the one and also the most important thing, buying a car is easy, paying for the petrol bills is certainly not easy if you are a road romeo. The only plus that I can say with Alto is that you get a good mileage (theres a catch) and on highways you will be surprised. It you keep the baby in 5th gear it will give you a astounding mileage of around 24 kms. I got that on my trip to Hasan, probably becoz of the smooth road, not much traffic in the day time after crossing the tumkur highway and getting on the Mangalore highway. And also becoz I tried speed, had heard a lot and it prooved also. It definitely gives you a better mileage. Within city I have not checked the mileage much but it gives 16kmpl. Now for the catch, the catch is that please forget that car has an AC.
Although the Alto has a powerful AC which I think the maruti guys took from the Zen its of absolutley no use. I would rather say that in a 796cc engine who could think of fitting that type of an AC. I mean I am not an automobile engineer but within the first week I came to know that the choice of an 796cc Alto with an AC was a wrong one. The engine moans, groans and you can feel the pain. I dont know how many people use the AC in an Alto for a long drive but believe me on the highway the vehicle would just not pull in the 5th gear. The speedometer showed the drop from 70kmpl to 30kmpl and I had to shift to 4th gear, not much help, shifted again to 3rd gear(kept revving like a lunatic) and then it came to around 50 and then I shifted to 4th gear but the car wont just pick up until you press the petal right to the lowest most point. There was no pick up at all and all the lovely performace went for a perfect toss. I was shocked with the 796cc engine. Why did the Maruti guys have to compromise on the engine when the actual alto has a 1000cc engine. Couldnt help it 796cc and 47bhp and a powerful AC just wont go altogether.
It was clear the Alto LXi was a poorly underpowered car. Being just a second cousin to the Maruti 800 certainly didnt meant the parents stripping it of its 1000cc engine. Also take note that LXi doesnot hace a company fitted tinted glass. They do say its tinted but on a hot sunny afternoon when the car is under the sun for quite some time you will feel hot as the suns ray penetrate the windows and the front and back windscreen. The idea of putting a black film is the most ridiculous thing. Maruti must provide with dark tinted glass to the LXi. I strongly beleive that 800cc engines are too small and compared to the Indian roads, terrain, climate and the performance requirements (incase you have an AC)definitely calls for a little more power under the bonnet. Being such a big company understanding the minutest details of its consumers, the Indian market and also the significance of its competitors it should’nt have cheated (yes cheated on the innocent budget customers on the Alto which is also their best seller literally bread and butter) who shell out money hoping to get a decent car with a little bit of everything.
Finally the body coloured bumpers. I mean if they really want to sell they must sell a car inclusive of all the cost of body coloured bumpers. They show an ad (* accessories shown here are not part of the standard equiptment) and the highest model doesnt have the accessories. BTW the maufacturer should understand that shelling out 3, 500 more for the body coloured bumpers can as well be adjust with the invoice price raising it by 3, 500. After a customer who is shelling out all the money for the highest model he can surely take that into account. I would conclude by saying. You can certainly go for this car as an update to the Maruti 800 but only get the basic version with power steering. They should have Li model instead of LXi. If you really start driving you will realise that all these things come in useful at some point of time.
My judgement they must immediately provide a 1000cc engine to all the Alto models and also have a model VXi that has body coloured bumbers, dark tinted glass, a 1000cc engine, rear view side mirror on the left hand side too, defogger and rear wipers.