Power to the people!

The Maruti SuzukiAlto is here with a new, modern heart. The mini-sizzler is out to captivate, with its peppy and fuel efficient K10 engine

One of the key things happening in the Indian car space over the last few years has been the hectic action seen in the hatchback category. New models dominating the senses have made their way into the country from both existing as well as new manufacturers. The entry level hatchback segment, however, didn't see much innovation, or for that matter, any new models . And while the premium larger hatchback segment seemed to grow, the entrylevel category has seemingly stayed put — with one decided leader — India's best-selling car for the last five years in a row, the Maruti Suzuki Alto.

The leader has moved to shape and shake the market in the entry-level segment even when it didn't need to. Referred to as the Alto K10 in reference to the new 998-cc three-cylinder engine, which we first saw in the A-Star, the car may be on its way to defining a whole new segment for itself — one of technologically advanced, premium entry-level cars. The K10 engine ups the power and torque by nearly 50 per cent over the Alto F8D (which is the name for its hugely successful 800-cc cousin) while the overall weight has gone up by just 35 kg making for a literal buzz bomb on wheels!

The fun-to-drive term is a much abused one, but the Alto K10 gives a true meaning to it in its class. While we couldn't run our own tests on the car, Maruti claims that the Alto K10 could sprint from standstill to 100 kmph in 13.3 seconds. Given its free breathing performance and also the superbly matched shift points to make use of the added torque, driveability in all situations is rewarding. What's even more enticing is the running cost that this performance is likely to come at — the ARAI has already certified a 20.2 kmpl fuel economy for the Alto K10.

Getting the Alto to accept this new, slightly wider engine necessitated a few engineering changes. One of the most important of these has seen the Alto's front end being pushed out by about 125 mm to accommodate this engine, which has created a longer and possibly better proportioned car. The Alto K10 also runs on 13-inch wheels as opposed to the 12-inchers that its sibling came with, which in conjunction with the revised suspension make the new car a delight to drive through potholes and twisties alike.

To distinguish the Alto K10 from its F8D cousin, there have been cosmetic revisions at the front and rear ends. An all-new grille treatment is evident as are, in Maruti Suzuki parlance, bold eagle-eye headlamps. Both these combine well with the new extended bonnet plus a new bumper that houses small fog lamps. There is a load of newfound appeal on the front end and the same is carried over, to a certain extent, to the rear, where there is a slightly revised tail gate treatment along with a new tail lamp cluster, which merges classily into the bumper. The Alto gets stylish rubbing strips on its flanks and overall the car sits well on its larger wheels to create a more intune-with-the-times attitude. The style accents are minimal, and the interiors have been revised with more pleasing upholstery including colour coordinated door pads that match the fabric on the seats.

Other details include integrated headrests in the rear seats, a rear parcel shelf and a new three-spoke steering wheel complemented by a stylish new design gear shift knob. The instrument panel encompasses a large speedometer with a new look face, flanked on either side by a rev counter and a digital fuel gauge. At the root of the Alto K10, however, lies the pleasure of driving a convenient, competent and compact car that offers not just an exciting modern world performance but also thrills with its value-formoney prospect. At Rs 3.03 lakh for the LXi variant and Rs 3.16 lakh for the more loaded VXi model, the Alto K10 matches and even undercuts existing entry-level cars like the Chevrolet Spark and the Hyundai Santro, while beating both in terms of performance and offering a properly up-todate and sorted out package. In fact we have a strong feeling that many who long for the slightly upmarket high-profile A2 cars would also consider this package, which makes Maruti Suzuki's Alto K10 effort truly mesmerising.