[sairamboko]

You read the title correct. Alto VXI AMT Optional variant!! Yes!! I was able to get hold of this elusive optional variant and that too in AMT

Replacement for our Nano

We were looking for an upgrade for our Tata Nano. It was a perfect car but for city use alone. I had covered more than 15,000 kms in just over an year. Here is a click of our nano:


I have covered the following trips in my nano with my family:

1. Bangalore - Salem - Bangalore
2. Bangalore - Coimbatore - Bangalore (many times)
3. Bangalore - Chennai - Bangalore ( many times )
4. Bangalore - Mysore - Ooty - Avinashi - Salem - Bangalore
5. Bangalore - Mysore - Bangalore
6. Bangalore - Tiruppur - Bangalore
7. Bangalore - Hyderabad - Bangalore

The main reason we wanted an upgrade was a bigger fuel tank, better car in terms of engine noise, a decent boot space and at least basic safety things like airbags, seat belts. Nano doesn't have rear seat belts, only lap belts.


Initial Decisions & Test Drive Experiences

I visited Pratham Motors , ORR Bangalore. I test drove Celerio and Alto - both manual and AMT variants. I was particular about getting the top end optional variant be it Celerio or Alto. We didn't ponder much on what we wanted. We were mainly looking at Maruti stable only. Alto & Celerio were my choices initially, but Celerio overshot our budget and even VXI variant lacked many essential features. After test driving the AMT variants, we were sure that we should go for AMT one and Celerio ZXI AMT was little above 6 lakhs OTR after discounts. Whereas Alto K10 was 4.7 lakhs after discounts. Hence after consulting with my better half, we decided to book Alto AMT VXI Optional. We didn't bother or stick to a particular colour. Our sales person Mr. Infant was an awesome guy! He answered for whatever silly questions i asked. He checked his inventory and found a fire brick red which is Dec 2016 make readily available. I went ahead and paid Rs.5000 booking amount and booked it.

Visit to dealer's yard

Being a team bhp member, I requested Mr. Infant for a visit to their yard/storage to check my car physically. Mr. Infant readily obliged and we visited the dealer's yard , near Sarjapur on 27th January 2017. I was not able to check VIN since the keys were not available. However the tyres were all having 43rd or 44th week of 2016 as their manufactured dates. I was convinced and there were no surprises during our delivery. I was able to verify its Dec 2016 model. Some of the clicks from my yard visit:

Front View of my Alto. The yard was very far from city and the village where it was located was too good


If you zoom this photo, you will notice SRS Airbag. Thats the only indication of the optional variant


Interior shot- not clear but looks good


Surprise!! All the tyres were of bridgestone make!! Yaay!


Rear shot -Auto Gear Shift badge



Delivery Experience

The delivery experience was perfect and flawless!! It was smooth and completed within an hour. I didn't have to wait for anything and all accessories I had requested was fitted.

Delivery photo and the chocolates we got

[sairamboko]

Numbers, discounts and add ons

Here is the break up of the price and discounts:

Final OTR - Rs.5,25,056

Cash Discount - Rs.25,000
Exchange Bonus - Rs.20,000
Corporate discount - Rs.1,500

Total OTR after discounts - Rs. 4,78,556

Accessories

Since I was taking a 2016 manufactured car, I got the below accessories/ add-ons as freebies, apart from regular ones:

1. Body side and bumper beadings. Bumper beadings are not in stock, hence it will be fitted later.
2. Steering grip.
3. Reverse parking sensors.
4. Under chasis coating.
5. USB charger.
6. Car cleaning shampoo and chrome gloss polish.

I added seat covers which costed me Rs.4000 after discounts. Overall I felt I got a good deal.

Now let's talk about the star - Alto AMT. Much of it has been discussed in the official review of team bhp. Here I am going to share about my views on AMT and the car in general.

Exteriors

The car looks really good in fire brick red colour. We really liked it. The paint quality looks satisfactory. The car is compact and there are no large or ugly panel gaps anywhere. The rear profile is similar to 800 except for some subtle differences in badging. The headlamps does a good job in illumination and the high beam is very powerful and I use it only when its pitch dark and there is no vehicles on the opposite direction.

Interiors

Getting in the Alto is a bit difficult for anyone, however once you inside you feel comfortable. The contrasting colours used in the dashboard and the door panel is really good. Now my seat covers are in black and the entire cabin is now black except for the beige on the dashboard area. The drivers seat offers good visibility of the road and the ORVMs are actually large and serves the purpose well. The ORVMs can be internally adjusted using stalks and its easy to reach, even the co-passenger's side for the driver. The integrated headrest doesn't server any purpose and I am thinking of adding neck pillows. OEM music system serves the job and the controls are really good for a change. I like this piano finish on the music system. The front speakers kind of vibrates if the volume/bass is a bit high. AC does its job perfectly. The blower 1 is a joke actually. Its like a battery save mode found in the phones. Initially I have to use blower 3 or 4 to cool the cabin especially if my wife and son are there in the rear seats. If I am alone blower 3 for starting and then blower 2 is enough. I work in morning shifts and sometimes is really cold in the morning and I had to use the heater. It did its job perfectly. The rear seats has been discussed much in other reviews and Tbhp reviews. Its strictly for 1 or 2 adults only.

Front photo


Rear photo - shot in my apartment parking


I feel this is the best Alto from Maruti in terms of interiors. The black piano console and light beige seats are a good contrast. Since I added black seat covers, I am finding the entire interior to be a good looking one.

Chrome surrounds on AC side vents add a good touch


The AGS/AMT lever


The AGS instructions stuck on the side panel


The AGS badge


Driver side SRS Airbag!!


The instrument panel / console. Gear level indicators are present in AMT variant and manual variant gets gear shift indicator.


The horn pad is actually not good. I find it difficult sometimes to reach it and have to use some force to use it.


Another view of the interiors

[sairamboko]

The OEM provided music system is of good quality. The finish is really good. I liked this compared to what is there in Wagon R. The chrome surround on the power / volume button gives a premium finish. The system supports CD/ USB/ Aux and also radio.


Power windows are present only in top end variants and that too only fron windows. Same like Nano. The location of power windows switch is behind the parking brake, same like Nano. Hence I find this position convenient.



Rear seats are strictly for two adults only of average build. My wife says Alto's seats are quite convenient compared to our Nano.



Rear seats gets seat belts and also there is a jugaad offered. A simple way to tuck in the rear seat belts when not in use


Reverse parking sensor is good and serves the purpose.

[sairamboko]

Engine

The AMT variant comes with the same 998 CC K10B engine found in the manual variant. This is mated to a 5 speed AMT gearbox. In AMT, hydraulic actuators (located in the engine bay) operate the clutch and shift gears. There's no clutch pedal, and zero driver input is required for gearshifts. The AMT variant comes with the same power and torque rating as manual one. Power rating is 68 PS @ 6000 rpm and torque is 90 Nm @ 3500 rpm. This makes the Alto a peppier car. The K10 engine is the national petrol engine of India given the numbers it sells in Alto (800 & K10), Celerio & Wagon R. All three have the same engine. The engine sounds are barely heard while driving in city with windows rolled down. With A/C switched on, you can hear the engine sounds in the cabin when you accelerate it suddenly. I haven't driven in high speeds/ rpms and hence cant give the noise details for those. The max RPM marked in the instrument panel is 8000 rpm. I havent crossed 3000 rpm.

Ground clearance is 160mm, so getting in & out is a bit difficult.
Turning radius is 4.6m, hence easy to do an U turn or any other turns.

Steering

The steering size feels about right for me. It comes with EPS and its not adjustable. The EPS is very good and responds immediately. I dont feel any heaviness on the steering. Its a charm to drive the roads.

AMT - Gearshift quality/experience
The AMT offered by Maruti is a perfect one. Insert the key and press the brake. Slot the gear level to N and crank the engine. It starts. Whenever we open the driver side door or a gear shift change happens, we can actually hear the AMT shifting the gears.

The AMT gearshift is smooth for me but I havent driven the normal automatics, hence thats why I feel its smooth? One thing is clear, I can clearly hear the AMT switching the gears. Also there is a lull in acceleration whenever gear shifts happen.

The creep function is a great feature especially in bumper to bumper traffic. The AMT in general shifts gear according to the speeds which we are in. If suppose you are climbing a ramp or want to overtake a vehicle, just throttle the accelerator a bit. The AMT understands and it immediately shifts down and we can accelerate further. Also having owned the car for a week now, I am able to understand the AMT better. For example, I start the car and it moves.The speedometer shows its 20 km/h. I just release the accelerator a second and the AMT shifts up to 2nd gear and then I accelerate. Likewise for other gears. I am able to anticipate the gear shifts and release the accelerator for a smoother experience. Typically when gear shifts happen, the driver can definitely feel it.

The manual mode works good too. I have tested it once only and it works as described. Overall the AMT is the best in class and Maruti has fixed it after learning from its mistakes from Celerio.

The AMT gear lever is positioned correctly and we are not going to use it that much compared to manual gearbox.

Ride & handling:

The Alto AMT is a perfect car for city. I have driven in varying traffic conditions and I can very much be proud and happy to have selected the AMT one. While driving alone I didnt notice any bouncy rides. Havent driven in highways yet, hence cant comment on it. The brakes are really especially compared to my erstwhile nano Since the turning radius is less, taking U turns is very easy. Handling is also really good for me. the EPS does it job and I am not feeling any heaviness on the steering. This being entry level hatchback I feel there has to be some bodyroll in highways. In high speeds ( have touched around 90kmph ) the car remains stable and no vibration is felt.

Braking

The Alto K10 gets ventilated disc front brakes and drum brakes for the rear. The Braking pedal size could have been bigger. Nevertheless it does the job. The brakes are quite good compared to my Nano and it responds well in emergency situations, especially in traffic in Bangalore roads. There is no ABS in this , not even offered in any variants.

Equipment & Safety:

The VXI variant comes with front two power windows, Music system, central locking, AC, power steering and other standard features. It misses out on fog lamps, key less entry, body coloured ORVMs. Coming to safety it has seatbealts and mine being optional variant it has driver side airbags. Maruti should have offered ABS and passenger side airbags. I would have been ready to pay Rs.15,000 extra for that. However its a car for the mass and most of the people are not aware of such safety features. I am not allowing my kid or my wife to sit in the front passenger seats because of this.

Insulation/ NVH

As said earlier, engine noise is filtered and we dont hear it in the cabin in city traffic. Not yet tested in highways. However the road noise is heard very much in the cabin. Havent driven in highways so cant comment on wind noise.

Storage:

The boot is sufficient for us. There is only one bottle holder in the entire cabin and this disappoints me.The front doors have some storage but its good only for holding a newspaper or magazine. There are some shallow storage areas near music system and below it. This can accomodate some loose changes. Overall in storage area, Maruti disappointed me.


Likes

1. A perfect AMT.
2. Better interiors
3. Engine noise is not heard till 80km/h. This is in comparison to my nano. The Alto feels much smooth and Nano was like riding an auto ( no offense )
4. A decent boot space for our small family.
5. Driver Airbag and rear seat belts.

Dislikes/ nitpicking

1. NVH is too bad. We can hear the outside sounds very much!
2. The top variant loses out many features like fog lamps, speed sensing auto lock, Keyless entry.
3. The AMT variant has just one bottle holder !! I expected atleast the doors to have a small bottle holder ! Alas! No says Maruti!!
4. The digital instrument console doesn't have a distance to empty or mileage calculator!
5. The music system is not bluetooth enabled.
6. Time is not shown in the music system and its shown in the instrument panel. Not sure whats the logic behind cost cutting on this.


Overall, the Alto K10 AMT is truly a value for money car. Yesterday I had to visit a bank during peak hours and it took me 1.5 hours to reach my bank from my home. My left leg was entirely free and I totally enjoyed the ride. I am sure it will be a better vehicle on the highways too. I have just completed 200 kms so far. Will update this thread once I burn more miles and go on a trip. Here are some parting shots.

The photo was taken by the dealer and a framed version was given in just a minute!! kudos for this!!



Pujaa photo


Under Chasis Coat photos

[Aditya]

Thread moved from the Assembly Line to the Initial Ownership Section. Thanks for sharing!

[dailydriver]

Gods are indeed with you! How else could you explain your tbhp handle, your new car's name and the very fact that you could easily lay your hands on the elusive O variant, that too AMT .

Congrats on your new car. A well written report. Please continue updating the thread at regular intervals.

[sairamboko]

Originally Posted by dailydriver

Gods are indeed with you! How else could you explain your tbhp handle, your new car's name and the very fact that you could easily lay your hands on the elusive O variant, that too AMT .

Congrats on your new car. A well written report. Please continue updating the thread at regular intervals.

Ha ha!! Thank you! I will definitely update the report! Next week I will be mostly getting my 1st service. Now I have completed 460kms. Roughly I am getting 18kmpl mileage in city. Keep you posted on this.

[extreme_torque]

It seems I have been away from India for too long now. An Alto for almost 5 lakhs OTR!
Have you sold off the Nano? Congrats on the car mate. Enjoy the drive.

[sairamboko]

Originally Posted by extreme_torque

It seems I have been away from India for too long now. An Alto for almost 5 lakhs OTR!
Have you sold off the Nano? Congrats on the car mate. Enjoy the drive.

Yes, its almost 5 lakhs! The Alto 800 comes at even lesser price - 3.5 after discounts. Remember Bangalore has the highest road tax and that makes any car pricier here. The nano was sold for a loss only, not huge but considerable loss. After 1 week of selling it, there is a rumour now going on that its going to be discontinued!! Talk of timing!

[Durango Dude]

Alto @ almost ₹5L OTR goes to show how much the INR is worth these days and how our Govt is ripping us off in the name of taxes. I think you should have had a look at the Grand i10 which is ₹7L OTR with some sweet discounts. It's a lot more refined and seating is also a lot higher comes with a regular torque converter auto but the mileage would be a lot less.

[aargee]

Never felt like reading this thread for last 2 days but read it out of impulse today & I felt so happy (pls don't ask me why); Though I don't have anything to add, just want to share that I feel happy for your upgrade & congratulations.

[dailydriver]

Originally Posted by extreme_torque

It seems I have been away from India for too long now. An Alto for almost 5 lakhs OTR!

The price band ranges from around 3.5 lakhs to 5.25 lakhs. Alto is no longer a single car. It is a conglomerate of cars, all identified by the same name! There is the Alto 800 and Alto K10 with Lxi, Vxi and O versions along with Alto K10 AMT. The earlier Alto had a Std and Lx variant too. Not to forget the CNG fuelled ones.

MSIL could open a series of AntiNexa showrooms that would sell only the Alto and still make profits.

Originally Posted by Durango Dude

I think you should have had a look at the Grand i10 which is ₹7L OTR with some sweet discounts. It's a lot more refined and seating is also a lot higher comes with a regular torque converter auto but the mileage would be a lot less.

You answered your own question. Maruti cars are the true sultans of mileage. The convenience of an automatic and the mouthwatering mileage offered by K10 must have been a major factor in the purchase.

Grand i10 is, no doubt, an able car-the refined NVH levels, well appointed interiors and generous space being its major advantages. However, the Alto K10 is a fun to drive car. It does true justice to the monicker 'pocket rocket'. And, is lighter on the pocket too.

Sorry for the digression.

[sairamboko]

Originally Posted by Durango Dude

Alto @ almost ₹5L OTR goes to show how much the INR is worth these days and how our Govt is ripping us off in the name of taxes. I think you should have had a look at the Grand i10 which is ₹7L OTR with some sweet discounts. It's a lot more refined and seating is also a lot higher comes with a regular torque converter auto but the mileage would be a lot less.

I would have got it for even more less price if not for the optional variant. I did check out the grand i10 but my dealer experience was really bad and that made me consider my budget and all. Hence stuck with Alto which is an AMT and comes under my budget of 5 lakhs

Originally Posted by aargee

Never felt like reading this thread for last 2 days but read it out of impulse today & I felt so happy (pls don't ask me why); Though I don't have anything to add, just want to share that I feel happy for your upgrade & congratulations.

Thanks a lot aargee!! Your comments made my day!

[N4Nikunj]

Dear sairamboko,
Congratulations on your latest acquisition. Alto K10 is a very good vehicle and cherry on the cake is AMT. Wish you clock many more miles without any issues and fire brick red is lovely colour.

[sairamboko]

Update : Completed with my 1st tankful and the mileage I got is 16.98 kms/l . This is entirely in Bangalore city and with less usage of A/C. I guess the mileage should improve more after 1st service.