The first time I saw the Alto I thought it was a sophisticated cousin of the humble Maruti 800. After driving the vehicle I found its true!
As you get in there is a feeling of Déjà vu as the interior space is similar to the 800, cramped and low but the interiors are an improvement on the Maruti 800.
hen you start the engine the sophistication comes in the form of the MPFI Engine that starts much more smoothly than the old 800.
You engage the gear and the little beast is raring to go, and leaps into action as soon as you release the clutch. The drive is smooth and it gives an impression of lots of reserve power held in check even at speeds of 100 kms plus. The accelerator is responsive and the gear shift smooth. The maneuverability and the road holding are good. The driving vision is excellent and all the thingamajigs... lol... work. But then in a Maruti all the gadgets work … Japanese technology. Over all a good little car.
The balance is good and you can zoom around the corners. The pick-up is zippy… The A/c more powerful than the 800, driving it is fun. You can also bowl along on the highways at a good nick. The Power Steering is not all that its claimed to be. For a small light car like this its not all that useful.
But… why do I not love this car like I did the Old 800 or even the Santro?
You buy a car for performance, comfort and to turn heads and get some attention and turn heads… lol. The Alto fails on all these factors.
The car simply seems to lack a character of its own. To me it felt like a cross between the 800 and the Zen. In fact the old MPFI, five geared 800 is a lot zippier and fun to drive.
The Alto is a compromise between the Zen and the 800 and it shows.
It is an adequate car but cannot compete with the Santro. It suffers from lack of space and the styling is also a bit outdated and the car gets ignored when parked. The improved A/c throws a lot of air but still the back seat suffers and is not cool enough in the heat of the afternoon.
All in all the Alto is not a good upgrade over the 800. In case you wish to upgrade, the Santro or the Wagon R is a better bet.
The car is ideal for the single person who wants to carry a passenger now and then, dump a lot of stuff in the back seat, drive mainly in the city and wants a small car to zip in out of traffic and park easily and also be fuel efficient. This is definitely not a family Car.
Kris