Maruti Suzuki Alto K10, an affordable hatchback car manufactured by Maruti Suzuki, is an upgraded version of the Maruti Suzuki Alto, which was introduced in the Indian market in 2000. The Alto K10 was launched in 2010, and it became popular among car buyers in India due to its fuel efficiency, low maintenance costs, and compact size.
Maruti Suzuki Alto K10: Top Competitors
The top rivals of the Maruti Suzuki Alto K10 are the Renault Kwid and Maruti Suzuki S-Presso, but it is also considered a cost-effective alternative to larger cars like the Tata Tiago, Maruti Suzuki Celerio and Wagon R.
Maruti Suzuki Alto K10 Variants
The Maruti Suzuki Alto K10 comes in 7 variants, which are listed below along with their prices (ex-showroom, Delhi):
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| Variant | Price |
| Alto K10 Std | Rs 3.99 lakhs |
| Alto K10 LXi | Rs 4.82 lakhs |
| Alto K10 VXi | Rs 5.04 lakhs |
| Alto K10 VXi Plus | Rs 5.33 lakhs |
| Alto K10 VXi AT | Rs 5.59 lakhs |
| Alto K10 VXi Plus AT | Rs 5.88 lakhs |
| Alto K10 VXi S-CNG | Rs 5.95 lakhs |
Maruti Suzuki Alto K10: Quick Review
Design and features: The Maruti Suzuki Alto K10 has a simple and functional design, with compact and streamlined shape. At the front, the car has a distinctive grille that is flanked by headlights. The bumper houses the fog lamps on the higher trims. The side profile of the car is simple, with small wheel arches, and alloy wheels in higher variants.
The rear of the car features a high-mounted stop lamp, a small spoiler, and a neatly integrated bumper. The taillights are compact and wrap around the side of the car. The Alto K10 comes with an infotainment system with a touchscreen display, Bluetooth connectivity, and USB ports. The higher variants also have steering-mounted audio controls and speakers.
The Maruti Suzuki Alto K10’s cabin has features like power windows, central locking, and a tilt-adjustable steering wheel, rear parking sensors, rear defogger, and electrically adjustable ORVMs available in higher variants. The car has body-colored bumpers, chrome grille, and front fog lamps, and it is available in white, silver, grey, and red colours.
Engine and performance: The Maruti Suzuki Alto K10 is powered by a 1.0-liter three-cylinder petrol engine, which produces a maximum power of 65.71 BHP and a peak torque of 89 Nm. The engine is paired with a 5-speed manual transmission or an optional 5-speed automatic transmission. The car is quick to accelerate from a standstill, and the engine is responsive to throttle inputs.
The engine’s low-end torque is also impressive, which means that the car can easily climb steep inclines or overtake slow-moving traffic without any fuss. Overall, the engine is sufficient for city driving, but the car’s performance may dip if there’s too much load on the engine.
Ride and handling: The Maruti Suzuki Alto K10’s is impressive, given its compact size. The car’s front suspension is a MacPherson strut, while the rear suspension is a torsion beam, and the ride feels comfortable at city speeds. However, larger potholes can be felt in the cabin, and the car’s ride quality can be a bit bumpy on rough road surfaces, especially at high speeds.
That said, the Alto K10’s compact size and light weight make it easy to manoeuvre in city traffic and park in tight spaces. The car’s steering is light and responsive, which makes it easy to drive, especially for first-time drivers.
Comfort and space: The car’s seats are comfortable and supportive, and offer decent legroom and headroom for front passengers. The rear seats, however, are a bit cramped, especially for taller passengers, and offer limited legroom and headroom. That said, the car can comfortably seat four adults. In terms of storage, the car has a decent boot space of 214 liters. The rear seatback can also be folded down to create additional storage space.
Safety: The Maruti Suzuki Alto K10 is equipped with safety features such as dual airbags, Anti-lock braking system (ABS), Electronic brakeforce distribution (EBD), seatbelts, child safety locks, and immobiliser.
Mileage: The Maruti Suzuki Alto K10 offers an impressive mileage of 24.39 km/l, which goes up to 33.85 km/l in its CNG variant.
Concluding remarks: The Maruti Suzuki Alto K10 delivers on the promises it makes for an entry level car, with hardly any pretensions. It remains an all-purpose car, especially suited for city driving, as well as appealing to first-time car buyers.
Maruti Suzuki Alto K10: Most Value for Money Variant
The most VFM variant of the Maruti Suzuki Alto K10 is the Alto K10 VXi, priced at Rs 5.04 lakhs (ex-showroom, Delhi).
Most VFM Variant in Comparison with Base Variant
The base variant of the Maruti Suzuki Alto K10 is the Alto K10 Std, which is priced at Rs 3.99 lakhs (ex-showroom, Delhi). The additional features in the value for money variant, the Alto K10 VXi, over the base variant include AC, power windows in the front, power steering, low fuel indicator, an OEM audio system with 2 speakers, SmartPlay dock, body-coloured bumpers and door handles, distance-to-empty (DTE) indicator, and average and instantaneous fuel consumption display.
Most VFM Variant in Comparison with Top-end Variant
The top-end variant of the Maruti Suzuki Alto K10 is the Alto K10 VXi S-CNG, which is priced at Rs 5.95 lakhs (ex-showroom, Delhi). The top-end variant has the same features as the VFM variant, but offers far better mileage at 33.85 km/l.
Key Take-outs from the Comparative Analysis of Base, VFM, and Top-End Variants
The VFM variant of the Maruti Suzuki Alto K10 has some additional features over the base variant, but has the same features as the top-end variant, with the top-end having an advantage over all other variants in terms of fuel efficiency.
To summarise, the Maruti Suzuki Alto K10 is an affordable, entry-level car ideal for first time buyers. Its most value for money variant, the Alto K10 VXi, is priced slightly higher than the base variant but has extra features, too. The top-end variant has the same features as the VFM variant, but it’s a CNG vehicle with better mileage, while all other variants have petrol engines.
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