Maruti Alto 800: Best Value for Money Small Car

The Maruti Alto 800 is compact and cheaper for city drives, offering great combinations of efficiency, practicality, and reliability. Mated to a 796 cc engine, it provides fairly good performance, with impressive fuel efficiency.

The Alto 800 shall be a perfect choice for those who are in need of an inexpensive car without compromising on the availability of necessary features.

Price Starting from ₹3.32 lakh and going all the way to ₹5.86 lakh, the Alto 800 is one of the top picks among the budget-conscious buyer segment of the Indian market, rivaling other cars in the segment like the Renault Kwid and Tata Tiago. 

Engine and Performance 

Maruti Alto 800 draws its power from a 3-cylinder, 796 cc MPFI-Multi-Point Fuel Injection engine producing 48 PS of power at 6,000 rpm along with 69 Nm of torque at 3,500 rpm.

Paired to this engine is a 5-speed manual gearbox that always manages to conduct smooth shifts with good control. Overall, its fuel economy considered quite remarkable considering an alleged return of 22.05 kmpl.

Indeed, that makes it one of the most fuel economic cars within its class. Thanks to its 35-litre fuel tank, the Alto is easily capable of long drives where one gets exemplary range on a single tank of fuel.

Safety Features

When it comes to safety, the Maruti Alto 800 is loaded with a driver-side airbag and ABS with EBD. The safety systems provide upgraded braking efficiency and avoid locking up of wheels at quick stops, especially on slippery surfaces.

While being very basic in nature, the features provide a good amount of protection for their class and price range, making the Alto 800 a safe option in city driving conditions.

Comfort and convenience

Despite compactness, the Maruti Alto 800 is designed to be a car of comfort. The cabin gets an air conditioning system with a 12V power outlet to keep the device batteries charged.

Then there are adjustable headrests and Distance-to-Empty display added to the convenience of everyday driving.

It also houses an analogue + digital instrument console, offering clear visibility to the essential driving information while always keeping the driver informed.

Interior Design and Space

Inside, the Maruti Alto 800 boasts a workaday and uncomplicated interior that accommodates five passengers. Its small body does not say much, but the Alto does the best thing it can to whatever space is available-ergo, the seats are comfortable, and the legroom reasonable for passengers.

The 177-litre boot space is respectable enough to carry small luggage or groceries, making the interior design practical.

The interior is designed with a combination of hard-wearing materials that resist day-to-day scratches and scuffs, making it a dependable option for first buyers or small sets of families.

Exterior Design and Build

Outside, the Alto 800 presents a rather plain but practical design. Its overall compact dimensions-length is 3445 mm, width 1515 mm, and height 1475 mm-make it ideal to negotiate congested city roads and tight parking spaces.

The front wheels are fitted with disc brakes, and the rear wheels are fitted with drum brakes for a well-balanced braking performance.

In its suspension system, it uses McPherson struts up front and a 3-link rigid axle at the back to ensure that every ride is smooth, even through uneven roads.

Dimensions and Weight

Compact

made, the Maruti Alto 800 turns agile and easy to handle. It has a wheelbase of 2360 mm along with ground clearance of 160 mm, assuring a stable ride over uneven patches. The unladen kerb weight is 730 kg, and hence, the car is quite light and easy to handle.

Besides this, the Alto 800 provides a fuel tank capacity of 35 litres that will surely promise longer drives, not stopping frequently at fuel stops.

Price and Variants
From the base variant STD (O), which was priced at ₹3.32 lakh, to the top-end LXI Opt S-CNG for ₹5.86 lakh, the price bracket of Maruti Alto 800 is very wide. This wide range of pricing allows the buyers to choose from most basic to a full-spec variant with CNG options.

Competitors and Alternatives

The Maruti Alto 800 falls under the very competitive hatchback category and faces strong competition from other models such as Renault Kwid, Maruti Celerio, Maruti Alto K10, Tata Tiago, and Maruti Wagon R.

While each one of them is different in their own respects, the Alto is mostly ahead due to its affordability factor coupled with fuel and maintenance efficiency.

You can also consider transitioning to an electric vehicle option with the Strom Motors R3 or PMV EaS-E.