[Torino]

Originally Posted by Swarit19

..Could you clarify bouncy? Do you mean it is too soft or so stiff that it bounces about on not so good roads. If that is the case then couldn't it be stiffened a bit? I've been quite interested in the power to weight ratio it has but haven't driven it.

Hi Swarit19, Thanks. By bouncy I mean stiff. With only one or two people on board, even the slightest road bump/undulation is felt clearly while driving and it unsettles the ride. The ride gets better with 4 people on board. This stiff ride can be attributed to the Alto K10's low kerb weight, narrow tires and suspension setup. But when the road is completely flat there is nothing to complain. I think switching to wider tires is the easiest way to improve the ride.

Originally Posted by Wanderlust89

...But you can give a shocker to the bigger cars on the road with its acceleration.

Rightly said. This power to weight is aided by the K10 engine's liner power delivery and free revving nature. This combination allows the engine to hit the redline in each gear without breaking a sweat and it helps in brisk acceleration and to attain impressive top speed which is appreciated by many.

Originally Posted by Wanderlust89

Hi Torino. Thanks for your insight on the ARB. By the way, the bounciness is one annoying thing for me right from the time of test driving.

Thanks Wanderlust89, Even I wish the car had better ride and handling and I have not excessively driven any other car in this segment to compare and comment. I thoroughly enjoyed driving my K10 in in the ghats section in Tamil Nadu and Kerala.

[Torino]

The Alto K10 is munching miles and nearing the 40,000kms mark, I'll soon come up with the detailed report. Meanwhile, the Alto had its share of damage from the cyclone in Chennai earlier this month. Two days after the cyclone the car was parked at its usual place in the office and a piece of branch from a tree feel on the windshield and made a crack.

Windshield replacement:

I called up Windshield Experts toll free number and they noted down my car model and my location. On the same day I received a call from Windshield Experts garage in Pallavaram (Chennai) and they quoted Rs 5300 as total cost of new windshield replacement. They said visiting them does not require any prior appointment and mentioned that the average time for windshield replacement is 2.5 hours.

Windshield Experts garage in Pallavaram is located on the GST road near the Suzuki two wheeler showroom. Upon visiting their garage the person in charge quickly reviewed my insurance policy and said the final cost after claiming insurance will be Rs1163. The total time taken for paperwork and replacement of windshield and vacuum cleaning the interior took 2 hours. The garage was adequately equipped with tools, consumables and trained men. The garage is large enough to accommodate 5 cars. The work was done in a professional manner and the entire process from start to finish was smooth and quick.

Highlights:

• Since Windshield Experts is backed by AIS they use only AIS Asahi glass.
• They have tie-ups with most insurance companies and they approve and process the claim themselves.
• The process does not require contacting the insurance company surveyor or the insurance company. So everything from claim approval to replacement happens on the spot.
• Documents required for replacing windshield by claiming insurance are Insurance policy, RC copy and ID proof.
• They use Betaseal auto glass adhesive as recommended by AIS.
• They give one year warranty against any leakage.

The cracked windshield.


Old windshield being removed.


Preparing the new windshield for install.


With windshield removed. The accumulated dust was cleaned before install.


Windshield replaced.

[frostbite911]

Sorry to hear that your car suffered damage during the cyclone. Really unfortunate :(

Did you check with Maruti Service center on how much this would cost? Any particular reason as to why you decided to do it elsewhere?

Regards

[Torino]

Originally Posted by frostbite911

Did you check with Maruti Service center on how much this would cost? Any particular reason as to why you decided to do it elsewhere?

Regards

Hi, Yes I did check with MASS and they quoted approx Rs7,000/- for new windshield and if I claim my insurance the the whole process of insurance approval and replacement will take 5 days including one full day for installation, whereas Windshield experts quoted only 3 hours for the whole process.

Quick update on the new windshield:
It has been one month after the new windshield install and there is no sign of water leak (after couple of pressure washing), misalignment.

The car has crossed 40,000kms and the report is due next week.

[sairamboko]

Hi Torino!! I have read your review and other ownership reports and I have booked the Alto K10 VIX (O) AMT - yes , i was able to book an optional variant as it was in stock here in Bangalore. I have 2 questions regarding this AMT:

1. How is the AMT's performance for parking in tight corners and in highways?
2. Hows it during inclines?


Thank you in advance!

[Torino]

Originally Posted by sairamboko

Hi Torino!! I have read your review and other ownership reports and I have booked the Alto K10 VIX (O) AMT - yes , i was able to book an optional variant as it was in stock here in Bangalore. I have 2 questions regarding this AMT:

1. How is the AMT's performance for parking in tight corners and in highways?
2. Hows it during inclines?


Thank you in advance!

Hi sriramboko,

Congrats on booking your Alto K10 AMT. Thanks for reading and to answer your questions,

1. How is the AMT's performance for parking in tight corners and in highways?
Shifting between D and R when encountering a multi point turn is easy since the gear changes are quick as long as you press the brake whenever you shift. When reversing on an incline the car tries to leap a bit with sudden accelerator input, here you need to understand the accelerator input level and move gradually.
On the highway the AMT is a great companion, the gear shifts are smooth and transition between D and M mode is seamless. When you accelerate gradually in D mode the shifts are smooth and you almost don't feel the upshifts happening. When you accelerate fast the AMT changes gears at a higher rpm and you can feel the up shifts happening from the pause in acceleration, the shift happens in a second and the pause in acceleration does not hamper the momentum. The M mode is 'fun', when you drive on fast sections and during overtakes where you need control over gear shift. The always eager and free revving K10 engine further improves the fun factor on the highway.

2. Hows it during inclines?
On my daily commute I encounter few flyovers with stop go traffic and I have done my experiments on roll back on the flyover bridge in front of IIT Madras which is fairly steep for a flyover and also on the Electronic city-Silk Board flyover which starts from Hosur road. Many have the question 'Does the Alto AMT roll back on incline?' and all I have to say is, the creep function prevents the car from rolling back when you take your foot off the brake slowly. Yes, for instance if you stop on an incline and your foot is on the brake, when you take your foot off the brake slowly the creep function kicks in and inches the car forward with almost zero roll back. If you take your foot off the brake quickly the car does roll back before the creep function kicks in and you have to move forward with the accelerator. When driving up on a very steep incline like in underground parking lots, it is advisable to slot the gear lever on M mode to prevent unwanted gear shift.

Hope I have answered your questions.

[sairamboko]

Originally Posted by Torino

Hi sriramboko,

Congrats on booking your Alto K10 AMT. Thanks for reading and to answer your questions,--

---Hope I have answered your questions.

Thanks a lot Torino for answering all my queries! That clears my doubts! I just checked my Alto in dealer's stockyard and i confirmed its indeed an VXI AMT Optional variant!!! Finally managed to get this elusive O model! Taking delivery on Feb 1st!

P.S: my TBHP handle name is sairamboko, not sriramboko

[Torino]

Hi sairamboko, sorry I misspelled it. What color is your car and are you going for any accessories? Do share your ownership experience.

Dear Mods, please rename the thread title to 'My Go-kart. Maruti Alto K10 VXi AMT, Cerulean Blue - 40,000 kms update'.

40,000kms Update:
It has been 20 months and 40,000kms with my K10 AMT and the car has performed consistently and niggle free overall. The car is primarily used for daily office commute covering 50kms per day inside Chennai city. Ease of driving is the Alto’s forte. The AMT, compact dimensions and peppy engine is a perfect combo for a relaxed commute in the city.


Regular cleaning and shaded parking has helped me to maintain the exterior paint quality.


The headlights are powerful enough and have good reach and spread in both city and highways.

Engine and performance:
Engine wise at 40,000kms the business is as usual, smooth rev happy and lively at all times. The engine never feels strained throughout the rev range. The K10 engine even with the AMT is very capable in terms of performance and can surprise bigger cars on straight line acceleration and top speed. Fuel efficiency is consistent and the city mileage hovers between 15.5kmpl to 16.5kmpl with 100% AC. Of course the car’s light weight body plays a key role in performance and mileage. The brakes have good bite for city usage and the stock Bridgestone tyres provide good grip most of the time.


41,000kms and counting. The K10B is all smiles even at 6000rpm.

Its good to see Maruti offering the AMT across its range with the new Ignis and upcoming Swift. With more cars coming up with AMT, let me share a brief AMT experience.

The AMT:
After 40,000kms the AMT system is doing its duties as good as it was when brand new. There is no difference in gear shifts, shift timing, shifting sound etc at 40k kms. The AMT unit has been reliable so far and doing its duties flawlessly without missing a shift. Shifting between N, R, D, and M are smooth and the transition between D and M on the move is seamless. Driving the Alto K10 AMT inside the city in D mode is a delight, the gear shifts are smooth and timely with adequate power to propel this light weight small car. The creep function is a real boon in stop go traffic where you can use only the brake pedal to stop and crawl forward without the accelerator. Also the creep function prevents the car from rolling back in flyovers and road inclines. The engine braking is minimal and you have to rely on the brakes when slowing down.

Upshifting in D mode:
In D mode at normal city speeds the upshifts are seamless between 1-2-3-4-5 gears. When accelerating gradually, it is hard to feel the upshifts actually happening. Accelerating hard from stand still, the upshifts are reasonably smooth and the gear changes are quick enough not to hamper the momentum but the upshifts can be felt form the pause in momentum during shifts, similar to any other manual car.

Downshifting in D mode:
There is an occasional jerk when down shifting from 3-2 or 2-1 and this happens when braking slightly hard soon after accelerating to a certain speed, but I am not able to repeat this jerkiness with similar instances. There is a slight delay in shift when you put your foot down just before the AMT is about to upshift, at this instance the AMT takes a second to understand the input and then it downshifts.

Shifting in M Mode:
In M mode, there are no jerks at any situations. Driving the car in the M mode can be best described in one word, “FUN” especially when driving in fast sections which requires constant gear shifts, slot the gear lever in Tiptronic M mode and quick nudges to the gear lever to upshift or downshift, this gives you more control on the gear shifts and the engine is always eager to build revs and propel the car ahead.

Overall the gear shifts in an Alto K10 AMT is not as quick or seamless like in conventional automatics but similar to a manual car driven by an average driver. Any one coming from driving a manual is most likely to appreciate the AMT for its easy of driving. Overall the Alto K10 AMT has improved my city driving experience with the lack of clutch and being a fairly smooth shifter overall.


One of the smallest cars on the road today.


Overall fit and finish is good.

Built Quality and Ride:
The car is well put together and has decent built except for the thin body sheet metal which feels flexible as wafer. The lack of proper cabin insulation lets in most of the road noise. The driver seat gives a sense of control over the car with good all round visibility, compact dimensions and easy controls. The ride is bouncy when there is only one or two people on-board but improves with three or four people with better ride and glides over most of the bad roads. AC is a chiller and cools the cabin even at low fan speed. Handling is like a go-kart, it is light nimble and easy at slow speeds but at speeds over 80kmph the steering feels lifeless and needs constant steering inputs to keep the car in straight line. That said, at higher speeds it’s an engaging drive once you understand the steering behaviour and its limits but it is no way calm and relaxing to drive. Driving in the city, narrow streets, tight parking lots, multipoint U turns is where the Alto K10 shines due to its compact dimensions and good all round visibility and brisk performance.

After driving 40,000 kms the only gripe I have in my Alto is the poor NHV levels inside the cabin. The engine noise and road noise is present inside the cabin all the time and you need to up the music to mask the outside noise. Though the car is built with lighter and thinner materials, adding wheel well claddings, door paddings and engine firewall would have been much appreciated.

Likes:
1. Engine: Drivability, Spirited performance and fuel efficiency
2. AMT: Ease of driving in traffic.
3. Compact dimensions and visibility.

Dislikes:
1. Poor NHV.

[sairamboko]

Hi Torino,

Definitely I will post my experience soon after i get hold of the car. I am taking delivery on Feb 1st. Since I asked for optional variant, it was available only in 2016 model. So the dealer is giving me these accessories for free - body cover, bumper and body beadings, under body coating, steering grip. I have added seat cover as extra. Apart from that I am not planning on any mods/accessories for now. I just checked my car in dealer's stockyard yesterday morning. I have confirmed that its indeed the elusive airbag variant and one more surprise is my car comes with bridgestone tires!!

Edit: Congrats on your 40,000kms journey!! Your Alto is living up to what its know for - reliability and ease of use!! All the best for munching more miles!!

[johy]

Originally Posted by sairamboko

Thanks a lot Torino for answering all my queries! That clears my doubts! I just checked my Alto in dealer's stockyard and i confirmed its indeed an VXI AMT Optional variant!!! Finally managed to get this elusive O model! Taking delivery on Feb 1st!

P.S: my TBHP handle name is sairamboko, not sriramboko

Hi, I looked up a similar Vxi AGS optional variant here in Siliguri, but all it has is a driver's side airbag. Unlike the manual, the VXi O AGS does not come with body-colored handles, body-colored OVRM, keyless entry (remote locking), or fog lamps. "Optional" in AGS just means the airbag. Anyways, can you please confirm what features you are getting there?

[sairamboko]

Originally Posted by johy

Hi, I looked up a similar Vxi AGS optional variant here in Siliguri, but all it has is a driver's side airbag. Unlike the manual, the VXi O AGS does not come with body-colored handles, body-colored OVRM, keyless entry (remote locking), or fog lamps. "Optional" in AGS just means the airbag. Anyways, can you please confirm what features you are getting there?

Yes you are correct Johy! The optional variant in AMT misses out many features. The above features are missed in normal Vxi AMT variant also. Vxi manual optional gets all the above features. Anyways for me these are cosmetic and I can add it later.

[mvadg]

Originally Posted by a4anurag

... receive my K10. Have kept Brick red, Blue and the Orange as options. ...
Have a LONG and happy ownership with this shift-less car!

Originally Posted by Torino

Dislikes:
1. Poor NHV.

I went through your thread and Anurag's thread too. Detailed and very helpful.

Thanks to both of you.

@a4anurag; @Torino

I have a recently acquired, used (and owned previously by a TBHPian - as deduced from the Team BHP sticker on the rear bumper left side), rather, my better half does, the non-AGS version.

I noticed that the K10 does not have the padding my A-Star Automatic has on the inside of the bonnet and on the firewall. I suspect the said padding may be missing in many other areas as well.

Would it be possible to order these pieces of padding and fit them to the K10? This would greatly enhance the K10 and make it feel "premium", and would of course end your constant complaint about the NVH

Another question, have you guys researched a tyre upgrade - I await your lead on this (my car has about 30K KMs on it now).

[johy]

Originally Posted by sairamboko

Yes you are correct Johy! The optional variant in AMT misses out many features. The above features are missed in normal Vxi AMT variant also. Vxi manual optional gets all the above features. Anyways for me these are cosmetic and I can add it later.

Thanks a lot sairamboko. I am scheduled to pick up my Alto K10 Vxi AGS (O) today. Yes, these are essentially cosmetic features. I am getting the remote locking, fog lamps, side beading done from the showroom at an extra cost.

I went for the white as that was available for immediately delivery. My initial choice was blue (which is a beautiful color), but later opted for grey, then white! This is mainly for my wife and driving in the narrow streets. Also, over the last few years, the traffic is always crawling when you head in and out of town; I think more and more people will opt for the automatics in the days to come. All the best on your purchase as well.

Incidentally the cash discount they are giving is only 20K ; I thought it was 25K somewhere else. Exchange bonus is another 20K (I am letting go of my 11-year-old Wagon R.

[sairamboko]

Cash discount is 25k Johy. See if you can get that amount discounted in accessories.

Edit: I am getting 25k cash discount and 20k exchange bonus, corporate discount 1.5k

[johy]

Originally Posted by sairamboko

Cash discount is 25k Johy. See if you can get that amount discounted in accessories.

Edit: I am getting 25k cash discount and 20k exchange bonus, corporate discount 1.5k

Yes, I confirmed it is 20K + 5K off on accessories (at least here). Thanks and sorry if we are hijacking this lovely thread on the Cerulean Blue Alto K10.