Maruti Suzuki Alto has had the unique distinction of being India’s highest selling car for more than a decade. Owing to BS6 emission norms that came into effect in April 2020, sales of the more powerful K10 version of the car were stopped late in 2019, and that is when the baby hatch had to relinquish is numero uno tag in the car bazaar. Now the company has launched a brand-new generation of the car in the market, one that looks quite different from earlier and packs in a lot more features than before.
The new Alto K10 comes in warm grey coloured seats with beige accents.
LOOKS
The entire shape of the new Alto K10 is curvier than earlier, keeping in tune with the modern times. It’s a well-designed car that appeals from all angles including the front fascia with new peppy headlamps and dynamic honeycomb pattern grille. Though lack of chrome here could irk a few prospective buyers. The car gets 13-inch wheels with honeycomb pattern wheel covers which look proportionate to the overall look. The new rear combination lamps on the also add to the appeal of the hatch. The good thing is that new K10 now looks much different from the Alto 800 which on sale currently and therefore creates a space of its own. The car is available in 6 colours with 3 new options- Sizzling Red, Speedy Blue and Earth Gold. Buyers can also personalise the overall design of their car with two accessory themes called “Impacto” and “Glinto”. The former focuses on highlighting sporty elements with accents. Accessories include front and rear skid plates, colour accents, wheel arch cladding ORVM cover and more. Glinto on the other hand gets a front grille garnish, head lamp garnish and tail lamp garnish amongst other things.
INTERIORS
Its surely a more welcoming cabin in the Alto K10 now. The center focused dashboard design, floating audio unit and premium accentuation all make the car look more premium than earlier. Wraparound and seamless flow from the Instrument Panel to door, adds width and roominess to the overall interiors. According to Maruti, the cabin has been designed to maximize front row knee space and second row leg room for comfortable seating and easy ingress and egress. Warm grey colored seats with beige accents also add to the spacious feel of the cabin. On to the features and the biggest one here is the 17.78cm (7-inch) SmartPlay studio infotainment system that features smartphone navigation and smartphone connectivity with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and other SmartPlay Studio apps. The car also gets steering mounted audio & voice controls for the first time; however, both these features are only available on the top VXi+ version of the car. The car also gets a digital speedometer display, which adds to the premium experience. You do get front power windows but they’re absent on the 2nd row. But you do get a better audio experience than earlier with front and rear door speakers. Ergonomically the cabin scores well as gets many storage options. The car gets a boot space of 214 liters.
ENGINE
The new Alto K10 is powered by the next-Gen K-Series 1.0L Dual Jet, Dual VVT Petrol engine. It delivers 66 bhp @5500rpm and 89Nm @3500rpm. This engine does feel peppier than the earlier gen, especially on the manual version of the car. This works with a 5-speed Manual gearbox that has short throws and is easy to use. An Automatic Gear Shift (AGS) transmission option is also on offer unlike the Alto 800 which gets just a manual version. The AGS or AMT is fast becoming the preferred option of many consumers in the cities as it offers a great mix of fuel efficiency and convenience. Maruti is claiming a figure of 24.90 kmpl on AGS and 24.39 kmpl on the manual version.
SAFETY
The new Alto K10 is built on Suzuki’s HEARTECT platform, offering enhanced crash, strength and NVH performance, according to the brand. The car is equipped with more than 15 safety features including dual Airbags, Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) with Electronic Brake Force Distribution (EBD), Reverse parking sensors and Speed sensing auto door lock and high-speed alert among others.
PRICES
The New Alto K10 starts at Rs 3.99 lakh and goes up to Rs 5.33 lakh for the manual 4 variants. In comparison the Alto 800 for its 4 trims is priced between Rs. 3.39 lakh and Rs. 4.41 lakh, ex-showroom. The AGS is being offered only in the top two trims–Vxi and VXi+ which are priced at Rs. 5.49 lakh and 5.83 lakh, Ex-showroom Delhi.
The author is a senior editor at carandbike.com