We've got our hands on the first photographs of the soon-to-be-launched Maruti Alto 800. Here's a quick review
After 12 long years, Maruti Suzuki is finally updating the Alto, calling it the Alto 800.
The Alto 800 has no reference to the M800 and the name is to distinguish it from its elder K10 sibling.
The styling of the Alto 800 is very different from the model it replaces.
The company has taken heavy influence from the A-Star and the Japanese Alto. The length of the car has been reduced marginally.
The wheelbase of the Alto 800 is the same as its predecessor.
The height has been increased and so has the ground clearance. This makes the Alto 800 look out of proportion.
Step inside and you are greeted by an all new dashboard. Silver inserts on the dashboard look good, while plastic quality has been improved as well. There are quite a few storage spaces.
The new dashboard gives better knee room to the driver. The LXi variant gets front power windows, switches of which are placed right behind the gear knob. The front seats get integrated headrests too
The rear seat offers a marginal increase in legroom, courtesy of the scoops made on the back of the front seats. The Alto continues to remain low on space at the rear.
The instrument cluster has gone digital. There is a large speedometer, with all the tell-tale lights placed on the left. A digital readout gives fuel level, trip meter and odometer reading.
The Alto 800 has a stiffened chassis and tweaked suspension, which is done in the interest to improve driving dynamics. The Alto 800 drives marginally better than the old Alto
Riding on high profile narrow rubber, the Alto 800 is no driver’s car. The vague steering and average braking make the Alto 800 a car strictly for city usage
Powering the Alto 800 is a 3-cylinder, 796cc unit, which has many hardware changes. This results in an increased power output of 47.5 BHP at 6000 RPM and torque output of 69 Nm at 3500 RPM
The Alto 800 feels more eager than the old Alto. Low end response is good and there is enough grunt for city driving. Some amount of vibrations is still present though.
Gearshift quality has also improved on the new Alto. Mileage of the Alto 800 is now 22.7 km/l (as per ARAI), which is an improvement over the previous Alto.
Maruti Suzuki will also offer a CNG version of the Alto 800. This version of the Alto will be priced at a premium of Rs. 40,000/- over the petrol only variant
The new dashboard, improved engine, better quality are the positives of the Alto 800. The disproportionate styling, vague steering are the negatives of this car.
The new Alto 800 though a minor upgrade, offers quite a lot more to the buyer than the model it replaces. At a premium of Rs. 30,000/- over the old Alto, the new one will definitely appeal more to first time car buyers.
1 comments:
Its a mixture of Maruti's old models.A lot seems to be taken from other Maruti models like Steering wheel comes from the Zen Estilo and Center console water flow theme comes from the Maurti Swift.But it will become a gross seller as its price is the main factor.
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