2015 Maruti Alto 800 Review

Maruti is one of the most trusted automobile enterprises in India. People prefer Tata for salt and Maruti for cars. The company over all these years has given people of India what they always wanted post Ambassador, Fiat Padmini era. When it comes to selecting a car which is high on mileage, low on maintenance, affordable and stylish, comfortable then no other car could match the automaker. Another factor that goes well with cars from this manufacturer is the resale value and easy availability of service stations.

Maruti Alto 800 has won more hearts than any other vehicle from any automobile manufacturer in India. The Alto has been one of the most widely selling vehicles in India. The car is known to sell more than 10 million units in span of a decade.

Overall Demeanor

Maruti is now a trademark in the country; people buy and sell the cars from this auto maker with closed eyes. The company has invested a lot of time, energy and engineering talent into developing this kind of trust throughout these years. Now Maruti hardly advertises for its low end cars as they are primarily sold by its brand name. It is one of the most chosen entry level car in India much ahead of its competitors Hyundai Eon, Tata Nano & others. Alto was aging and Maruti knew about the diminishing interest and thus it launched its new Alto 800.

Under the hood everything is same from engine to suspension mounting, wheelbase and track lengths. The design is however new and is miles better than its old model.

Engine

The three cylinder refined 796 cc engine is here to leverage the drivers with the best of power on the undulating roads in India nonetheless quieter too. The good about the car is that it can go to 100 km/hr from 0 km/hr in just 16.86 seconds, which is really an amazing for a 800cc engine. The amazing speed grabbing results show how well engineered car it is. It gives out maximum power of 48PS at 6000rpm and peak torque of 69Nm @ 3500rpm. With these specifications you might not like to compare it with high range cars. Apart from all these one thing that for sure is going to motivate Indian buyers to buy this car is the amazing mileage. It gives an overall mileage of 17.72kmpl which is one of the best in the segment.

Alto 800 is one of the heaviest car in its segment with kerb weight of 725kg. Despite it being heavier and engine being not the most powerful, the power distribution a all speed ranges is even and that makes it one of the best small car to drive. The F8 series engine which is almost 3 decades old is still one of the best and most reliable. In terms of acceleration too Alto takes the prize for being the best. The quickest 0 to 100kmph time is 16.92 seconds which is way ahead than its competition Kwid and Eon. The 0 to 60 kmph is reached in just under 6.13 seconds. One of the drawback of the car is its engine noise. While it is the best car to drive on Indian roads, you have to live with the slight noise from motor which also seeps into the cabin. But again you get the slickest gearbox which further boosts the driver’s confidence in the car. The top speed of the car is 136.7kmph.

Interior

Alto 800’s interior is far superior when compared to Alto. Maruti has done marvelous job and the end result is fantastic. The finish is great and the plastics used are of high quality. Although the interiors are even better than K10 but when compared to one of its nearest competitors Hyundai Eon, it lacks the punch. The inside is spacious with tall roof which makes sitting comfortable even for tall people. Music system in the car is exquisite and it satisfies the needs of the small families in India.

The people here in India are always looking for a car that allows them to go round the town with complete family in the same car. This, it is important for the cars to have enough space to adjust a small family of 4-5 with great ease and grace nut that is where the car lacks. Three people siting in the back seat will not be comfortable and the feet would touch the front seat. The seats are firm but the sitting posture is very low which sometimes feels awkward.

Pricing

A car that satisfies almost all the necessities of a small Indian family needs to be low on budget as well. Maruti Alto 800 VXi price is Rs 3.72 Lakhs Ex-Delhi and people in India grab it with lot of support and enthusiasm.

Mileage

The claimed mileage for the car is 22.7kmpl. In actual Indian conditions it gives a mileage of 15.2kmpl on city roads and 25.4kmpl on highways.

Verdict

At 90kmph this car works best. If you try to zoom past 100 than you the car might get unstable or some vibrations might not be ruled out. In city drive where the car usually goes at 40-60, this would prove to be an amazing piece of machine. While AC is on, one could feel the engine gasping while going uphill. Even though the tyres are small, going around the corners is a breeze. The cabin noise might be annoying for few. Buy it as your first car but have a look at Hyundai Eon and Kwid too before making your decision. In most of the features other than the ride quality it lacks the punch that Kwid has. You must drive and see Kwid before buying this car.

2015 Maruti Alto 800 Specifications and Prices

Prices (Metallic INR)

[tabs]
[tab title=”Technical Specifications”]
Make: Maruti Alto 800
Model: STD
Displacement: 796cc
Cylinders: 3
Max Power (ps): 48
Max Torque (Nm): 69
Gears: 5M
Layout: FWD
[/tab]
[tab title=”Performance & Mileage”]
Acceleration 0-100kmph (sec): 18.6
Acceleration 0-400m (sec): 20.73
Top Speed (kmph): 136.7
Braking 100-0 kmph (meters): 55.4
Mileage(City): 15.2
Mileage(Highway): 25.4
Mileage(Claimed): 22.74
[/tab]
[tab title=”Dimensions & Safety”]
Length: 3395
Width: 1490
Height: 1475
Wheelbase: 2360
Ground Clearance: 160
Kerb Weight: 725
Boot Space: –
Seat: 5
Airbags: No
ABS: No
TC: No
ESP: No
[/tab]
[/tabs]