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-   -   2010 Maruti Alto K10 : Review (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/test-drives-initial-ownership-reports/86584-2010-maruti-alto-k10-review-22.html)

Rush hour traffic is definitely not the best condition to teat the cars engine. But yes the you can have a good gauge of the low rpm torque and the clutch/gear shift quality.

BTW how did you manage to rev the car to 2500 rpm in rush hour traffic, was it in neutral. :D Just curious.

Well, the excellent driving impression by the thread starter depicts no such issue.
Also I'll second sureshkishore. You do not drive in rush hour traffic to gauge a car's performance.
A few of my friends have recently test driven the car and they were quiet happy with the way it performed. One of them drives a Zen and it was probably for the first time that I heard him praising performance of some budget hatch.

Most probably the issue you faced was because of the traffic conditions and/or there was something wrong with the TD vehicle.

Even am curious.


Regards.

Thanks for a good review with lovely pictures, TheMag. When I got my one year old Alto-800 I was wishing for a slightly bigger engine. Now Maruti has given the bigger engine. The Alto is a very good first car; and I guess it could continue with me for several years more. The new Alto should be a fantastic first car with the extra horses. However, only a test drive would tell how good it is.

When one is buying a first car, after having only driving school experience, there is not much to go by one's own experience. However, I just loved the Alto the way it responded under my very newbie handling. Today I drive much better and this little baby continues to make me happy. I am not sure if I want to spend a big amount on shifting to the K10, but for new buyers this could be a great buy. No more compromising between air-conditioning and power driving, I guess.

Prices on the road in Chennai (ABT Maruti) LXi - Rs 355687.00, VXi Rs 370362.00
No discounts except a loyalty discount of Rs 10,000/- for existing customers.

Price of Alto 800 LXi after discount is Rs 312000 approx, so that makes the K10 LXi Rs 44000 dearer.

^ This further adds up to my belief that the cross shopping between the 800 and the k10 versions will be almost non-existent. A price difference of 44k is definitely high for a price sensitive "A" segment.

What is so hard to believe? He did not say he hit 2500 rpm in 5th gear. Could have very well been in 1st or even 2nd gear.

In "absolute rush hour" traffic (as he has mentioned in his post) none of my cars see anything above 2000RPM..even lesser if am not wrong. You hardly get to put your foot on the accelerator before you need to come to a stall.

Anyways, am not saying its hard to believe. Just that none of the many other members here who recently have Test Driven this car had such issues. If anything they were praising the driveability.


Regards.

Not to drag this topic any further but rush hour could very well mean slow moving, not exactly a bumper to bumper crawl.

Most of the test drives I have read on this thread are on the highway wherein a slight lag can be dismissed off quite easily since upshifts may happen on a high RPM. City traffic is a different story altogether. Even in my Linea, things are pretty much dead below 1500 RPM and the car opens up only post 2000ish RPM. Not so great whilst driving in heavy traffic.

I have been to trivandrum, its really bad there, its more of standing hour and not rush hour, in bangalore u can manage mainly because the K10 engine is realy free reeving.

You sure did understand my point, to start with 90% of the time we drive in the rush hour time [some may not who don't go to offices, 'in that time'], and you cannot really cross over to 3 gear also, its easy with K10 to hit 2500rpm in 2 gear more so when you want to sneek past that BMTC bus which is trying to edge you out of the road, so much for the lane.

I certainly differ with the point that the car ought not be tested in rush hour traffic, actually when my 90% of the use of car I intend to buy is so, then why would I buy a car without testing in that condition, so much for - 'car is great on open roads, just that I don't find them 90% of the time':uncontrol


Thats right, not bumper to bumper but slow moving.


You are correct when it comes to older not so perky engines, but with K10 its possible, try it.
Also, for most older engines what can go up to 2000rpm, in such conditions, K10 can really go up to 2500rpm.

That's a good info. Any idea about on-road price difference between Alto K10 and AStar? I believe there will be some discount/offers on AStar. I may be wrong.

By the way 44K more for K10 sounds a bit too much isn't it?

A Star LXi is Rs 389000 and VXi Rs 415000, after a discount of Rs 27000/-. A further flat discount of Rs 10,000 is applicable for all existing customers, irrespective of the model/variant chosen.

Yes. As I mentioned earlier, the right price would have been 20K-odd for the K-10_LXi and 35-K odd for the K-10_VXi (both prices over the 800-LXi OTR price). Basically OTR of Vxi should not have been over 3.5lakhs.

It looks like MSIL has over-priced the K10 in their enthusiasm and will finally prove my wife right "other than you guys on tbhp, no one is going to pay extra for an engine". :)

EDIT: In related news, yesterday's paper had an advt. for Spark with a 51K discount, which includes the free 3-year maintenance plan. When I enquired last month, the discount was 24K + maintenance plan which they say is a 16K benefit. So another 10K discount now ? K10 effect ?

Just trying to put the views of some t- bhpians to figures and Looking for a solution to my dilemma:

Three cars I am looking at: Alto Lxi 800, Alto K10B Lxi, Santro GL
(Please note that I have not put in the precise figure quotes but have rather rounded off the figures)

All your valuable suggestions will help.

Pricing of Alto Lxi 800

Ex show room price- 282000
Free Insurance- 9000
Complementary Accessories 6000
Complementary third year warranty 3000
Corporate discount 2000
-----------------------------------------------------
Total discounts 20000


Pricing of Alto K10B Lxi

Ex show room price- 320000
Paid insurance- 10500
Complementary Accessories 0
Complementary third year warranty 0
Corporate discount 0
-----------------------------------------------------
Total discounts 0

Pricing of Santro Xing GL

Ex show room price- 350000
Free Insurance- 11000
Complementary Accessories 7000
Complementary third year warranty 2000
Corporate discount 2000
Cash disount 5100
--------------------------------------------------------
Total discounts 26100

Now in this case Santro GL and Alto K10B are almost neck to neck. And hence my confusion.

Let me try and add to your confusion :)

Indica Vista Terra Saffire 1.2 L engine, class leading space and good interiors compared to alto/santro.
1.2 Ltr engine, with 16+ ARAI fuel efficiency.
Ex show Room: Rs.358,229.00
Discounts : 30000+

It comes at hardly 10000 extra compared to Alto k10 vxi. Much more Value for the money you are spending.

We can always add the Chevy Spark LS for more confusion!!!! Comes up to approx 3,40,000 on road with 18kmpl!!!!! With front PW and 3 years maintenance package.

If you want a decent, well priced and reliable commuter with some creature comforts, go for the 800 LXi. If you need some more space, power and ease of entry/exit, go for the Santro.

The Alto K10 is a performance oriented driver's car, a veritable RX 100 on four wheels, if I may say so. Choose it only if you want such a machine for the surge of power, for the pure fun of driving. In other words, if you are an enthusiast. But as far as space and AC cooling are concerned, it will not offer you anything more than the Alto 800.

Is this Terra a petrol or diesel? If petrol, I would not touch it with even a barge pole. As far as small displacement petrol engines go, TATA can't hold a candle to Suzuki, IMO.

The Spark is different, and can be a contender unlike the Terra. It is a nice, well rounded car but can hardly be termed a driver's car, which the Alto K10 definitely is.