Maruti Suzuki Alto: Difference between revisions

Since 2006, the Alto has been India's best-selling car<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.domain-b.com/companies/companies_m/maruti/20061102_highest_selling.htm|title=Maruti Alto is India's highest selling car|date=2 November 2006|publisher=domain-b.com|access-date=26 January 2009}}</ref> and crossed the 1 million production figure in February 2008 becoming the third Maruti model to cross the million mark in India after [[Maruti 800]] and [[Maruti Omni]] and fourth overall joining [[Hyundai Santro]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.automotoportal.com/article/the-continental-divide-the-most-popular-cars-by-continent|title=The Continental Divide: The Most Popular Cars by Continent|publisher=Automotoportal.com|access-date=17 September 2011}}</ref><ref name="Maruti">{{cite web|url=http://www.marutisuzuki.com/Maruti-Alto-crosses-one-million-units.aspx|title=Maruti Alto crosses one million units|date=14 February 2008|publisher=Maruti Suzuki India Limited|access-date=26 January 2009}}</ref> As of 2024, the Alto is the only one car in India has ever sold over 5 million units.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.indiatoday.in/auto/cars/story/only-1-car-in-india-has-ever-sold-5-million-units-its-not-i10-swift-or-wagonr-2532657-2024-04-28|title=Only 1 car in India has ever sold 5 million units, it's not i10, Swift or WagonR|date=April 28, 2024|website=India Today}}</ref>

The Alto was seen as a natural successor to the time-tested and equally popular [[Maruti 800]] (MB 308). It containedincluded all the plusadvantages points thatof the 800 offeredmodel for Indian car- buyers, inalong additionwith toadditional features such as power- steering, power-assisted braking, and a 5thfifth gear, thatwhich the 800 did not normally havelacked. The Alto's popularity ofhas the Alto hasgrown steadily increasedin over the past fewrecent years, mainlylargely due to theits aggressivecompetitive pricing. This reduction in, priceswhich has mainlybeen comereduced in duethanks to the reduction inlower excise dutyduties. over time.The Alto became the first car in India to sell over 200,000 units in a single financial year, with the last 100,000 units being sold inwithin 5just five months. Alto wasIt also became the only car to sell overmore than 22,000 units in a single month. Maruti's vastextensive network of dealerships and Maruti Authorized Service Centers (MASS) havehas alsosignificantly contributed towardsto thisthe massiveAlto's popularitysubstantial success in the Indian entry-level automobilecar market.

A new version of the Alto called the Alto 800 was released in the Indian car market on 16 October 2012.<ref>Maruti Finally Presents Its Alto 800 To Indians [http://www.motortrend.in/autonews/6327/maruti-finally-presents-its-alto-800-to-indians.htm News article on Alto 800 India launch by Carazoo] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140226162347/http://www.motortrend.in/autonews/6327/maruti-finally-presents-its-alto-800-to-indians.htm|date=26 February 2014}}</ref> The Alto 800, model code AOD308, is still based on the previous generation's platform<ref name="MarutiAlto2"/> (which is still based on the [[Suzuki Alto#HA12|1998 Alto]] [[kei car]]) and has all-new bodywork and interior. It replaced the first generation Maruti Alto (although the predecessor continued to be produced for a little longer), and while keeping the same {{convert|796|cc|cuin|1|abbr=on}} engine, there have been several modifications. The base price of the Alto, already India's best-selling car, was actually lowered with the new model, as it replaced the venerable [[Maruti 800]]. Various methods were found to lower the price, including lowering the weight of each individual component by one gram each, and also by building their own robots for manufacturing the car.<ref name="Business">{{cite journal|last=Sen|first=Sunny|title=Honey, I shrunk the price: Maruti triggers price war with new Alto 800. Will it pay off?|url=http://businesstoday.intoday.in/story/maruti-alto-price-cut/1/189546.html|journal=Business Today|date=12 November 2012 |publisher=Living Media India Limited|issue=2012–11–25|access-date=15 November 2012}}</ref> It was also sold as the '''Suzuki Alto 800''' in many export markets. In May 2016, a refreshed version of Alto 800 was introduced with notable changes to the exterior, interior, features and specifications. The new Maruti Alto 800 comes with improved fuel efficiency and is now capable of returning a mileage of 24.7 km/L. In April 2019, the car received another refresh. The Alto 800 did not comply with [[BS VI|BSVI]] emissions standards and was thus discontinued in 2023 when BSVI Stage II was enforced.

Maruti Alto K10 Ratedrated 2 star for adults and 0 stars for toddlers in Global NCAP under its new protocol (based on [[Latin NCAP]] 2016) in 2023:<ref>https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5fb4ea8933ae6c208c3dac41/t/642bb516b2bab213b13457c5/1680586010497/MarutiSuzuki-Alto-factsheet2023.pdf {{Bare URL PDF|date=August 2024}}</ref>