[sourav21]

Originally Posted by sidindica

if you want a FTD kei-car, nothing can still beat the santro (shod with reputed tyres).

Having owned a Santro Xing for 6 years, I never enjoyed driving that car. It's short gearing, coarse engine, tractor like suspension is just not my cup of tea. I owned an Alto 800 for one and a half years and that was one delightful car to drive. The only thing Alto could not do was climb an incline as easily as the Santro.

[carwatcher]

I read somewhere on T-Bhp that "Hyundai i20 is well designed good looking car with excellent interiors, that's all." Same goes for EON. Infact all Hyundai cars (incl Verna) lack power and driving pleasure. It seems the target customers for Hyundai are:-
1. Ladies (Ohhhh so beautiful car! I can show this off to my neighbor, what is meant by driving pleasure I don't know)
2. Middle Level Executives (show off to their colleagues)
3. People who don't prefer driving pleasure over looks (In reality, in city traffic conditions you don't get much of driving pleasure you are looking for so atleast spend time in luxurious interiors)
That is why we saw ads like Santro waale and Ubercool, urban landscapes, etc.
EON - Yet another "Great" car by Hyundai catering to their target customers.

[Surprise]

Its almost a year since this launch of Alto xplore. Many have not appreciated the move from Maruti. How the market has received it? Did EON managed to pull the sales chart of ALTO down?

[rajeev k]

Alto sales have dropped considerably over the months and is no wonder because, factors are many like competition from the likes of Hyundai, prospective car buying public's purchasing power, availability of wide choices coupled with showrooms even at rural areas, perception etc.
Look at the house construction activity even at villages' level, all are quite big and over the years the sizes of individual houses are getting much bigger and this is directly proportional to the car they own.
It appears that Alto xplore, being a special edition, is not being marketed now.
These apart, Alto 800 is a car which is relished by those who own it. In my opinion as a daily commute Alto is still the best available if only a maximum of two are on board, decent cooling, decent dynamics, decent fuel efficiency et al. Further, even in crowded highways at peak hours one can scoot past and can outrun many a cars notches above.

[Surprise]

Originally Posted by rajeev k

It appears that Alto xplore, being a special edition, is not being marketed now.

Yeah, what you say is right. I was never told about this edition by any of the salesman. Only when we refer about this edition being displayed on the homepage of ALTO site, they open their mouth about this product. Is it because of they not offering any discounts on this Xplore?

Originally Posted by rajeev k

Alto is still the best available if only a maximum of two are on board, decent cooling, decent dynamics, decent fuel efficiency et al. Further, even in crowded highways at peak hours one can scoot past and can outrun many a cars notches above.

+1

[blue_pulsar]

Originally Posted by Surprise

Its almost a year since this launch of Alto xplore. Many have not appreciated the move from Maruti. How the market has received it? Did EON managed to pull the sales chart of ALTO down?

Not sure about xplore, but Eon hasn't managed to pull Alto sales down. Whole of small car market is down now because of petrol prices and lack of diesel options. Only thing what Eon has achieved is to pull sales from its sibling, Santro and possibly i10 1.1.
We need better looking cars at this price point. On one hand, Eon has tooo many curves and creases. So much that probably a dent or two wouldn't be noticed. On the other hand, Alto is too plain Jane.

[CARDEEP]

I agree that auto industry slowdown has particularly affected the sales of Alto & other petrol only models (i10 included), & Eon's success has little to do with Alto's falling numbers. In fact, it definitely has affected Santro's numbers instead.

But, Alto Xplore is actually a failure unlike HH's sticker-worked bike versions & I am yet to see someone falling for the same, despite having seen scores of Alto800s & K10s on road.

[apachelongbow]

Auto industry slowdown is seen mainly in the small hatchback and to some extent the entry level large hatchback/small saloon segment. This segment is the most price consious and huge petrol hikes coupled with high inflation and no annual hikes have pared the purchasing power. People who would want to buy a small hatch are now postponing their purchase or buying a second hand diesel burner perhaps.

The D segment and the SUV segment are both showing healthy growth. For people who can pay, the party seems still on.

[rajeev k]

The downtrend in Alto sales is not entirely due to Eon, but we get to see lot of newly sold Eons on the road these days than Altos.

[rajeev k]

As wew were discussing about the Alto Xplore not being marketed and all, an ad appeared in a local language paper with a special Onam festival offering at a price starting from Rs 1.96 lacs. Xplore has art leather seats, floor mats, side mouldings and JVC MP3 player with USB port as standard fare.
Most interesting is a fuel efficiency figure of 46.8 kmpl attained by some guy in a mileage rally at Trivandrum on 21-7-2012; a la Fiesta.

[paperweight]

Originally Posted by rajeev k

Most interesting is a fuel efficiency figure of 46.8 kmpl attained by some guy in a mileage rally at Trivandrum on 21-7-2012; a la Fiesta.

I wonder how they do that because I wish I could. The best I am getting from my Alto K10 in the city with AC on and the family on board is about 11.5 Km/litre. Ordinarily I would have been happy with that but I used to get more than 14 Km/litre. It dropped after the third free service at a MASS, which I did at about 9,600 Km. At 11,500 Km I decided enough is enough and I went and bought Idemitsu 5W30 oil, a new oil filter, new spark plugs and a new air filter and had them all changed over again - this time at a petrol pump under my watchful eye. Car feels much better but I am unsure. I have ordered a Elm327 based scanner - I intend to be a bit more aware. 46.8Km/L may be obtainable if I get back to 14Km/L first.
Eon does not look better than the Alto in my view. In fact the rear seat seems to have skylights rather than windows. The Alto does have more shopping space (boot space) than the Eon and the Beat. None of these cars was designed to hold even a single decent sized suitcase. The options in Xplore are on the 800cc Alto - and they feel like the kind of thing MS does from time to time. Ofcourse, it is nice to have a good music system but it can't really be a shield against a better car at a similar price. Luckily for MS, most people come away from the Eon saying its cute but that does not quite justify the extra 50K.

[CARDEEP]

Originally Posted by paperweight

Eon does not look better than the Alto in my view. In fact the rear seat seems to have skylights rather than windows. The Alto does have more shopping space (boot space) than the Eon and the Beat. None of these cars was designed to hold even a single decent sized suitcase. The options in Xplore are on the 800cc Alto - and they feel like the kind of thing MS does from time to time. Ofcourse, it is nice to have a good music system but it can't really be a shield against a better car at a similar price. Luckily for MS, most people come away from the Eon saying its cute but that does not quite justify the extra 50K.

Wonder how does Eon's 215L & Beat's 170L boots are smaller than Alto's 170L boot .

And, the interiors of both these cars are slightly bigger & much better than Alto. Please refer TBHP's own reviews for reference.

[paperweight]

Originally Posted by CARDEEP

Wonder how does Eon's 215L & Beat's 170L boots are smaller than Alto's 170L boot .

And, the interiors of both these cars are slightly bigger & much better than Alto. Please refer TBHP's own reviews for reference.

I stand corrected on the boot space. I was misled by my expectations of more from both the Eon and the Beat and when shown the boot space it seemed less. Whereas on the Alto is seemed more of the car.
The interiors are definitely better and more roomy than the Alto but I still felt a bit claustrophobic at the back - I'm afraid I am a bit old fashioned and cars like the old Maruti 800 and the Esteem appeal to me more because of nearly 360 degree views from inside with plenty of light. Getting used to the new designs is like an acquired taste - takes a bit of time.

[Aroy]

Originally Posted by CARDEEP

Wonder how does Eon's 215L & Beat's 170L boots are smaller than Alto's 170L boot .

And, the interiors of both these cars are slightly bigger & much better than Alto. Please refer TBHP's own reviews for reference.

I think that "Volume" and "Space" are not same as far as luggage goes. You may have a very narrow and long space having same volume as a wide and not so tall space. In the later you can fit more luggage than in the former.

If the car is a Tall Boy design the boot space can be extremely shallow, but because of a wider and taller body you have more volume compared to a narrower, shorter but deeper boot. The shallow tall space is excellent for a lot of small packages, but insufficient for a suitcase.

[CARDEEP]

Originally Posted by Aroy

I think that "Volume" and "Space" are not same as far as luggage goes. You may have a very narrow and long space having same volume as a wide and not so tall space. In the later you can fit more luggage than in the former.

If the car is a Tall Boy design the boot space can be extremely shallow, but because of a wider and taller body you have more volume compared to a narrower, shorter but deeper boot. The shallow tall space is excellent for a lot of small packages, but insufficient for a suitcase.

Mr. Roy, I have seen all three cars courtesy relatives & friends, that too on outstation trips &/or with CNG fitments. It the loading bay in these modern cars that's high & gives impression of smaller boot as compared to what it actually is. Many people, myself included, at the time of Swift launch were surprised how its boot is bigger than Santro/ WagonR, but, I guess now people have realised the reason why it appears smaller.