Why India loves the Alto 800

Maruti Suzuki had the M800 which had sold 25 lakh units since its launch. But it needed to be replaced. How do you go about bringing in a successor to India’s most sold car ? Simple.You launch the Maruti Suzuki Alto 800.It proved to be a masterstroke and a worthy successor to its sibling.Now in its third generation, the Alto remains the only car in the Indian Market to notch up sales in excess of 40 lakh units since its launch.It is also the only car to sell 2 lakh units in one fiscal year.

Why does the Alto 800 boast such stellar sales figures? Why can its familiar shape be spotted in every nook and cranny of our vast country? Why is it the first car for most of us? Let us examine the reasons for the enduring popularity of the Alto 800 to understand what makes it the vehicle of choice for the vast majority of car owners.

Maruti Suzuki Alto 800 at a Glance

First, let us check out the key specifications of the Maruti Suzuki Alto 800 given in the table below for your convenience.

Money,Money,Money

The first reason has to be the aggressive pricing. India remains a market which is very sensitive to price points. An affordable car which is both practical and fuel efficient is at the top of most consumers’ wish list. The Alto 800 caters to that very substantial volume market in spades. It can be considered a major triumph that through the best part of a quarter century, Maruti Suzuki has still somehow contrived to keep costs low for this entry level car while managing to up its quality levels with every iteration.Easy EMI availability with low monthly payments are readily available no matter what income bracket you are from provided you fulfil the loan criteria. A salary earner or a person in business will find no hassles whatsoever in paying the loan instalments or even buying it outright with a little help from family and friends.Maruti Suzuki’s predatory pricing undercuts its rivals and that price advantage together with the brand equity and high resale values the car has shown throughout the years often is the differentiator that makes the customer decide in favour of it.

Mileage Anyone?

The cornerstone on which the Maruti brand was built and retains an enduring brand loyalty was the frugal nature of its engines with regard to fuel consumption.The Alto 800 could be said to be Maruti’s Jewel in the crown as far as fuel efficiency is concerned returning mileage figures of around 22 Kmpl in its petrol variant and a mind boggling 35 Km per kg in CNG.These figures are actually higher than previous versions because of the tweaks the engineers have made to the engines.This has resulted in higher power and torque figures without any compromise on fuel efficiency.Driving to work or taking a fun trip never necessitates a second look at the price of fuel.

Need a Mechanic

There are three levels of garages in India. One is the company service centres in tandem with the showrooms. These possess the latest machine and equipment needed to service your vehicle. The next are the standalone company franchises which may not have the latest equipment but are still in the ballpark. The last are the individual garages set up by mechanics who make up for lack of the latest tools with their knowledge and enthusiasm. Maruti Suzuki has all three legs of this triad spread across the length and breadth of India. This ensures that if you ever suffer a mechanical failure, a mechanic for your vehicle is literally just around the corner.In fact, people in rural India have a saying that while water may not be found in a desert but a maruti Suzuki mechanic is easily found.Spare parts are cheap, easily available and plentiful. The sheer volume of car units that Maruti Suzuki has sold over the years as the preeminent car manufacturer in India has led to a whole new industry of ancillary units that have sprung up to cater to the growing needs of the consumer.There was a time when the EMI cost more than the maintenance of the Alto 800. While that may be a thing of the past, it’s not like the service costs are a turnoff.

Small Car Big Heart

The Maruti Suzuki uses a three cylinder naturally aspirated 0.8 L engine which seems a trifle underpowered when you see it on paper. But the performance is all heart. Whether you’re climbing up steep winding hill roads or overtaking in the congested lanes of a small town, it will not run out of power.This despite putting out only  47 bhp with 69 Nm of torque. The CNG gives you 40 bhp with 60 Nm of torque.The engine feels eager to please and the power delivery is smoothly linear.

For an entry level car, it definitely doesn’t feel like one when you get into the cabin with the improved quality of the plastics used.A well laid out dashboard with dashes of silver neatly integrated with an infotainment system and digital instrument cluster makes it a good place to be in.The Maruti Suzuki Alto 800 also boasts of features like  dual front airbags, ABS with EBD, rear parking sensors, speed alert system, front seatbelt reminder, manual AC, power steering, and front power windows which is kind of a big deal for an entry level car.

Resale value

The Alto 800 has been on our roads for nearly a quarter century and still appeals to most. If you decide to move on to a bigger car, let us say, you will find that your Alto 800 commands a premium in the second hand car market. Maintain it well, and if you have low mileage on the odometer, you will get a resale price out of all proportion to its cost.You may well be asking who buys it? All you need to do is give your local garage or service centre the information that you would like to part with your car and you will find them coming up with buyers for it.If you are worried about potentialities for misuse, like for example, the transfer of car papers, then you don’t need to think twice.Car manufacturers have also established their own brands in the secondhand market (like Maruti’s True Value or Mahindra First) while private companies have also made their presence felt( like our very own Spinny) which means that you can literally shop around for a competitive price for your car without any worries.You might even find your friends and family in the queue to purchase it should the need arise.

Why India loves the Alto 800 Summary

You are given an entry level car that scores high when measured in terms of price, fuel efficiency, practicality,affordability and design.It remains true to its promise of providing the Indian consumer a cheap, low-frills car that is incredibly easy to maintain while retaining a fun factor zipping in and out of traffic with the minimum of fuss. Having successfully fulfilled all the criteria the Indian consumer is looking for, is it any wonder why India loves the Alto 800?