Maruti, the leading carmaker of India, is a master when it comes to building small cars that appeal to the masses. As a result, these cars always manage to get a lot of popularity and backing from the average buyers in India. If there is an area that the rivals of Maruti have not been able to catch up, it is the unparalleled popularity enjoyed by the brand. There are several reasons for this unmatched popularity, like affordability, good performance, better fuel efficiency and excellent after sales service network. Of the several Maruti cars, which have emerged as top sellers, the Alto 800 merits a closer look.
Alto is one of the most successful models of Maruti. It is invariably ranked number one or two in almost all lists of top selling cars in India. The Alto 800, belonging to the Alto series, was launched as a replacement for the most sold model, Maruti 800. This was one of the cars, which had maintained its top position during its entire period of existence. The New Alto 800 was to step into its shoes and fill the gap left by this iconic model.
Surprisingly, that is exactly what the Alto 800 did in the very short span since its launch. The very first hurdle was crossed when the makers priced the Alto 800 between 2.37 to 3.49 lakh rupees. This was an ideal price tag for a car like Alto 800. It rendered the car affordable and hence, appealing to the common man of India. Therefore, the Alto 800 started its journey on a strong footing.
The Alto 800 is powered by a three-cylinder, 0.8-liter F8D engine of 48 PS power and 69 Nm torque. As evident from the figures, the engine is not a highly potent machine, but reasonably powerful to navigate the average Indian roads. The gearshift is a smooth process and the car offers wonderful ride, provided you do not cross the 100 kmph speed. At such high speeds, the engine starts to show some strain and the occupants will feel the difference in ride quality. However, since most of the urban roads do not offer an opportunity to drive at such high speeds, it should not be worrisome factor.
As it is the case with most Maruti cars, the Alto 800 also offers basic and not so high quality material interiors. Most of the rivals like Hyundai i10, Hyundai Eon or Chevrolet Spark offer better quality interiors and comfort features than an Alto 800 do.
However, best in class fuel economy, unmatched after sales services, low cost spares and minimal running costs tip the balance heavily in the favor of Alto 800.