The Maruti Suzuki Alto 800 is over a decade-and-a-half old nameplate that remained unchanged for about 12 years. In 2012, it received a generation change and received a facelift in 2016. God bless competition. Despite its fresher styling, it's still something that could easily slip under the radar unnoticed. The most noticeable element distinguishing the 2016 facelift is its inverted trapezoidal air dam.
The interiors of the Alto 800 are what you'd expect out of an entry-level car. All the touch points feel basic but functional and built to last. There's a good number of storage spots, but the cabin space is at a premium. The front seats are still very accommodating but stuffing two six-footers behind each other is a tall task.
The 796cc 3-cylinder motor in the Alto 800 makes 48PS and 69Nm with liquid fuel. Switch to optional CNG fueling, and you lose 7.5PS and 9Nm. The performance figures don't encourage spirited driving but are enough to ferry four in acceptable comfort from point A to B given the low kerb weight of around 715kg. Fuel efficiency is rated at 24.7kmpl with petrol and 33.4kmpkg with CNG.
The Alto 800 is available in four main trims — Std, LX, LXi and VXi with a starting price of Rs 2.46 lakh. Each of those trims is further available with driver-side airbag for an extra sum of Rs 6,000. CNG option is available in LXi variant at an extra Rs 60,000. The Std variant is as basic as it gets and it misses out on child lock, air conditioning, power steering and body-coloured bumpers. The top trim with an airbag in metallic shade will set you back Rs 3.35 lakh. It features matching mirrors and door handles, internally adjustable mirrors, a 2-speaker music system, remote central locking and front power windows.
Datsun redi-GO: The redi-GO brings the tallboy design to the entry-level hatchback game. Despite its limited length, it offers usable cabin space. It makes up for the length too with good headroom. A high seating position offers a good view of the road ahead, and the healthy ground clearance of 185mm allows you to overcome larger speed bumps without scraping the belly. It's only the Datsun badge that's holding it back.
Hyundai Eon: The Eon wears Hyundai’s Fluidic design theme that's starting to show its age. Just like the Alto, it offers solid reliability and lower cost of ownership along with a styling that's more than just functional.
Renault Kwid: The Kwid has made budget hatchbacks cool, but not at the expense of practicality. It is surprisingly spacious, very well equipped and handles bad roads very well. The only critical miss is the lack of ABS, but the competition doesn't offer that either.
On the design front, the Alto 800 feels dated, but its strength lies in its reliable mechanicals, extensive sales and service network, low running costs and a strong resale value. Its USPs aren't visible to the naked eye and yet keep it at the top of its game.
