2021 Maruti Alto Review: What Makes This Small Hatchback So Popular?

Maruti Alto Overview

Maruti Alto is one of the longest-running products in Maruti Suzuki’s line-up. Last year, the car achieved a milestone of 20 years on sales. In the same year, the hatchback also crossed the significant 40-lakh sales mark. These wonderful achievements show how the popular and well-loved this model is in the Indian market over the course of two decades.

Maruti Alto is the only car in India to reach the 40 lakh unit sales milestone 

This car has been on sale for over 2 decades now. Indian customers must be familiar to this nameplate and the Alto has also become somewhat a no-brainer for the entry-level and first-time buyers. However, in today’s market where there are plenty of options for every budget range, it is highly recommended that car buyers should do careful research before making any buying decision instead of going with whatever is popular in the market. With that in mind, in the following, IndianAuto will give you a comprehensive and subjective Maruti Alto review.

Maruti Alto Exterior

Being a car of the budget segment, the Maruti Alto has never well-appreciated for its design or appearance. However, along the way, Maruti Suzuki has found ways to evolve and enhance the look of this small hatchback to keep its relevance and fit the taste of the current customers. Back in 2019, the Alto was given a comprehensive facelift which added some refreshing styling elements to the current-generation model.

Front end

On the front end, Maruti Alto now comes with a revised rear bumper, larger air dam, along with a honeycomb style plastic mesh design for the grille. There is also a black surround for the front grille as well. The rest of the design including headlights and bonnet remains the same. It also comes with foglights as optional accessories. However, for the stock version, the Alto is missing out on fog lights. These updates deliver a fresh design for the Alto while keeping its essential signature look.

Side profile

Looking from the side, you will barely notice any difference on the new Alto. Compared to the previous model, the new model gets minor update of new OVRMs which is borrowed from the now-discontinued K10. The 2019 Alto facelift continues to sport the clean and straight-forward design with sharp characteristic lines running across the side body.  It comes with the same 12-inch steel wheels shod in 145/80 R12 tyre.

Rear end

The rear end design remains identical to the previous version. There is a slight update for taillights. Nevertheless, the rear end continues to foster a simple looking and roundish design.

Maruti Alto Dimension

Maruti Alto measures 3445 mm in length, 1515 mm in width and 1475 mm in height. Except for the extended length, other dimensions are similar to those of the previous model. The wheelbase of the Alto stands at 2,360 mm.

With the boot room of 177 litres, the Maruti Alto actually lags behind other rivals in the segment. To put things in perspective, Renault Kwid and Maruti S-Presso have a boot space of 270 litres and 300 litres respective

Maruti Alto 800 Interior

The existing interior design of the Maruti Alto has seen a big leap from the previous version. The dashboard of the Altroz is carried forward from the old Alto K10. The new black-white dual-tone makes the interior look bright but still modern and sporty, which is surely an upgrade from the old monotone greyish interior color scheme. 

On the facelift model, Maruti Suzuki rearranged the centre console with the music console system sitting below the AC vents and above the AC control knobs. More than just a relocation, these elements are also refreshed with new styling elements that are in line with the temporary design trend in the market. However, the new Alto keeps the same steering wheel and instrument cluster.

Seating capacity

Maruti Suzuki is a small hatchback that can hold up to five occupants. For a budget car like Alto, you could not expect to get a super spacious interior room. And even compared to other cars in its class, the Alto does not stand out in terms of interior space. Still, it manages to offer a pretty decent and comfortable space to sit in. On the rear row, Maruti Alto provides good headroom and sufficient shoulder room. However, it will be much better if there is more room for the knees. On the front row, there are not much to complain about the seating room. The Alto offers generous headroom and sufficient knee room.

Safety Features

On the standard variant, Maruti Alto is offering features like drive-side airbags, rear parking sensors, ABS and EBD. On the higher variants, there will be dual-front airbags on offer. Other features on the Alto include seatbelt reminder for the front seats and high speed alert system.

Comfort Features

Even though the Alto has undergone some significant updates to improve the interior comfort, it is, at heart, still a budget car. That’s why there aren’t many wow features and functions on the existing Alto. The standard Std even misses out on features like power steering wheel, front power window, and air condition. For the top-spec model, you can expect to get these features along with other goodies like central lock with keyless entry, SmartPlay Dock 2-DIN audio system with Bluetooth connectivity, USB and AUX, AM/FM radio. There is no infotainment touchscreen system on any variant of the Alto. It can be considered a big letdown in a market where almost every vehicle is equipped with smart touchscreen system, at least for the top-spec model.

Maruti Alto Performance

Maruti Alto was among the first vehicles in the market to get the BSVI updates. The old 800cc petrol engine was updated to meet the new emission standards. After receiving the updates, the engine still manages to keep the same power output of 48PS and 69Nm. However, the downside of this update is the reduced fuel economy. The previous model was claimed to return a mileage of 24.7kmpl while on the updated version, the fuel mileage is lowered to 22.05kmpl. This engine is mated to a 5-speed MT. There is no automatic gearbox on offer.

The Alto also comes with factory-fitted CNG kit that offers good fuel efficiency of 31.59 km/kg. Even though the CNG version’s running cost is significantly lower than the regular version, it will cost you a higher initial price, and the CNG tanks will also consume a majority of the limited boot space of the Alto. Moreover, the added weight of the CNG tanks will take a toll on the performance of the car.

Maruti Alto Prices

Maruti Alto is now priced from Rs 2.94 lakh to Rs 4.36 lakh (ex-showroom). It is available in three variants, Std, L, and V. The low-end variant L is the most affordable variant. At Rs 2.94 lakh, the base variant of the Alto undercuts the Renault Kwid. However, it is not as low-cost as the Datsun redi-GO. The CNG variants of the Alto will cost a premium over the standard counterparts, ranging from Rs 4.32 lakh to Rs 4.36 lakh.

If you want a Alto for an even lower price, there are a wide range of used Maruti Alto out there for your consideration. 

Maruti Alto Colours

Maruti Alto is available in six colour options as follow:

• Silky Silver

• Uptown Red

• Mojito Green

• Granite Grey

• Cerulean Blue

• Superior White

Maruti Alto Verdict

After the updates given in 2019, the Maruti Alto has seen a noticeable improvement in terms of styling. However, for a car of its budget, the car is still a frugal car with limited comfort and convenience features. Compared to other rivals, the Alto does not offer the best-in-segment interior room and features. However, Alto is still a worthy option for a budget car, especially for first-time buyers. Maruti Suzuki’s excellent and comprehensive after-sales service is an undeniable strong point for the Alto.