Maruti Suzuki Alto 800: One Car you just can’t get it wrong with! A perennial bestseller of a no-brainer, none of the other makes and models can quite compete with the time-honored appeal of the Maruti Suzuki Alto 800.
Small, fuel efficient and low on maintenance, the Alto 800 has been the first car for several small families for over two decades.
It’s Indian Motorola, good but not spectacular, but suits local humble sober kip.
Launched in 2000, the Maruti Suzuki Alto 800 has not only been around for close to two decades now, but will compete with the new range of cars in the entry-level segment; It still offers best in class practicality for those on a budget, even now.
Compact Yet Friendly Design
Alto 800- drive like never before! And its compact form factor is ideal for squeezing into tight city parking spots and narrow streets.
It’s not showy, but it’s functional and attractive in an understated way.
At the front, the Alto 800 gets the cute looking grille with a bit of chrome strip, the stylish headlamps and kind of neat bumper design.
The profile has a clean design with slightly flared wheel arches and body-color mirrors on higher trims.
In the rear it appears in a simple guise with very small tail lamps and short overhangs.
It’s a tiny, light bike, though, and can be almost zippy around town, which is a good thing.
As a daily driver, the cabinacious nature of this ute is solid.
The Alto 800 is not really the most pleasant place to be in for extended periods, the interiors are as bare as they come.
The dash is clean with a center console that holds infotainment (in top trims) and AC controls.
The interior feels less cheap than the car’s footprint might suggest: it’s rendered in a two-tone color scheme to give the cramped cabin an airier feeling.
Comfortable seats for short - medium drive. There’s still room for four adults, with another sitting on the rear bench in a useful five-seat configuration, but in truth, the rear seat is best for two in the hope of some leg room.
Boot space is tight at 177 litres but will swallow daily shopping or a medium-sized case.
Top-end trims provide those necessary features such as front power windows with auto-up/down power window, manual AC, digital trip meter and mobile docking system while at lower trims even those don’t get provided and EON is nothing but basic.
But everything wears like iron and maybe that’s were the Alto should suit long term owners.
Engine and Performance
It’s an 796cc, 3-cylinder engine that makes 47.3 bhp and 69 Nm and comes with a 5-speed manual gearbox.
They’re all modest numbers, oddly enough, offered with an engine that’s pretty zippy and useful for trawling across a city.
With a featherweight clutch and a snicky gearbox, it’s the sort of car that makes driving that much easier – especially when the traffic builds.
The biggest plus point of the Alto 800 is the fuel efficiency, the manufacturer claims the mileage to hover around 22-24 km/l depending on the conditions of the road you are riding and your driving.
And there’s also a CNG version, which somehow gets mileage in excess of 31 kilometers per kilogram and turns it into one of the cheapest cars to drive in the country.
It’s not freeway or high-speed oriented, but for those daily grinds, there’s plenty of grunt on tap.
It’s predictable to drive for beginners and what is considered “good driving” becomes intuitive once you get some experience; It’s also smooth at low and moderate speeds.
Ride Quality and Handling
The alto 800 gets a basic suspension package – McPherson struts at the front and a three-link rigid axle in the rear.
The ride is supple at city speeds and takes small bumps in stride. But it may bounce you up and down on bumps or under a heavy load.
It has light steering and a tiny turning radius (4.6 meters), so it’s easy to squeeze down crowded streets.
It is not especially stable at high speeds, but around the city the Alto feels light and responsive.
Safety and Reliability
In compliance with the new safety norms, the Alto 800 now gets driver-side airbag, ABS with EBD, rear parking sensors, seat belt reminders and strong body structure.
It doesn’t have fancy safety equipment, but its basics are done right at the price of a base car.
Maruti’s wide spread service network and low cost of ownership are added bonanza and the VFM Alto remains a staple for many Indian households.
Pros:
Super fuel and pocket friendly.
Doesn’t handle like a bus; quite nimble maneuvering and parking, in tight spaces.
Cheap to run, reliable motor
Trusted Maruti Suzuki After Sales Support
Optional CNG variant to save even more money
Cons:
Tight second-row seating and cargo space
Some tech features for being on the leading edge
Not great for motorways or long haul cruising
No modern features
Design looks a little tired next to some newer rivals
Maruti Suzuki Alto 800: Final Verdict
Maruti Suzuki’s Alto 800 It might not be the most cutting-edge modern or tech-stuffed or the coolest looking car around but it’s got three things going for it that trump any of that – it’s cheap, reliable and practical.
It remains an excellent choice for students, small families or anyone in the market for a wallet-friendly vehicle that won’t break the bank but is full of value.
For those looking for a no-frills, no-fancy, no-hassle city runabout, the Alto 800 still exists, and for those people there is still no better option, for the price, brand name, space and convenience together failure of much in the face of fuel-guzzling monster that we just can not seem to be able to shake.