Complete Guide on Buying: Maruti Alto K10

Maruti’s entry-level car, the Maruti Alto has been an overwhelming choice as the first car of millions of Indians. This is the car that has its roots all the way back to the iconic Maruti 800 and has proven to be a fitting successor to its predecessors. As always, the Maruti Alto is one of the best-selling hatchbacks and the current generation, the Maruti Alto K10 was updated a couple of years ago. If you have been considering the Maruti Alto K10 as the next car for you or your family, here is a complete guide to buying a Maruti Alto K10, detailing its advantages and limitations, which helps you bring home the best variant for you.

Maruti Alto K10 Specifications

Maruti Alto K10 Variants

Maruti sells mainly four variants of the Maruti Alto K10, which are STD, LXi, VXi, and VXi+. Except for the base STD and top VXi+ variants, every variant is also offered in CNG-powered counterparts. Moreover, Maruti also has a special Dream edition of Alto K10 on sale. Here is a full list of Maruti Alto K10 variants and their ex-showroom prices.

Best Maruti Alto K10 Variant to Buy

The base variant of the Maruti Alto K10, STD is almost a bare-bone model. Mainly, it offers 13-inch wheels, digital speedometer, front sun visors, cabin air filter, and the standard safety features which include dual airbags, ABS with EBD, rear sensors, and ESP.  For the ex-showroom price of Rs. 3.99 lakh, the STD variant misses many essentials such as power steering and AC and this is why it’s not the recommended variant.

The next variant, LXi, adds a manual AC, powered steering, and body-coloured bumpers over the features offered in the base variant. However, for its price over the base variant, the LXi variant doesn’t seem to be a value-for-money offering, as it misses wheel covers, music system, remote central locking, front power windows, internally adjustable outside mirrors, and rear parcel tray.

One above the LXi, the VXi variant adds many must-have features like manual central locking, music system, front power windows, MID, 12V power socket, internally adjustable outside mirrors, wheel covers, 2x speakers, and more. For its price over the LXi variant, the VXi is the most value-for-money offering of Alto K10’s variant lineup.

The top VXi+ variant adds a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system, wired Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, steering-mounted controls, 2 more speakers, a rear parcel tray, and remote central locking. Considering the price it adds over the VXi variant, the VXi variant offers the same value for its price tag, as the VXi variant does.

Maruti Alto K10 Warranty & Service Cost

The Maruti Alto K10 comes with a standard warranty of 3 years/100,000 km. This warranty period can be extended up to 6 years at some additional cost. As far as service cost is concerned, the first and second services are done free of cost and post that the service charges are around Rs 1,496 at 1 year/ 10,000 km, Rs 1,496 at 2 year/20,000 km, Rs 3,426 at 3 year/30,000 km, Rs 4,665 at 4 year/40,000 km, and Rs 3,426 at 5 year/50,000 km.

Why you should consider the Maruti Alto K10

As mentioned, the Maruti Alto K10 is the first car of many and there are a host of its characteristics which make it pull far stronger volumes than its rivals. Here are some of the best qualities of the Maruti Alto K10.

Pocket-friendliness

Everything about the badge ‘Maruti Alto’ screams affordability. First of all, with an ex-showroom price of Rs. 3.99 – 5.96 (ex-showroom), the Maruti Alto K10 is the most affordable car in the Indian market. In addition to that, it’s very easy and economical to maintain and is recognised as one of the best low-maintenance cars in India. It’s because of a couple of key traits. First, the hatchback delivers exceptional mileage: 24.39 – 24.90 km/l from petrol and 33.85 km/kg from CNG. Second, Maruti has the widest network of service and spare parts which are quite affordable. Meanwhile, there is hardly any area which doesn’t have a car mechanic who can take care of a Maruti Alto K10 if the need arises and you choose to hire one over an authorised service centre.

Performance and Handling

The 1-litre, 3-cylinder, petrol engine of the Maruti Alto K10 produces 67 PS with petrol and 57 PS with CNG. While these power figures don’t look too high, with respect to the size and weight of the Alto K10, the engine delivers a notable peppy performance. People actually enjoy driving the Alto K10, thanks to its easy manoeuvrability and compact size. The compact size also facilitates easy parking, which is a boon in congested urban areas.

Reliability and Resale Value

Maruti is a brand that has a special place in the hearts of Indians, especially because of its reliability, which also helps Maruti cars claim fantastic resale value. Apart from regular maintenance, Maruti cars rarely need to visit service centres because they rarely malfunction. When you own a Maruti car, you know that it won’t trouble you with any technical failure and even if it does, you can easily get it repaired at affordable cost even in the remote areas of the country. At the same time, the Maruti Alto K10 has been on sale for many years and has become a tried and trusted offering over time. Such a reputation combined with the brand name of India’s largest carmaker, makes the Alto K10 an irresistible package as ‘A perfect little Maruti car.’

Why you should not consider the Maruti Alto K10

While the Maruti Alto K10 has many qualities which make it deserve serious consideration, some of its characteristics might suit your requirements. Here are a few reasons why you might decide not to purchase a Maruti Alto K10.

Slightly Smaller than its Rival

The Maruti Alto K10 which costs Rs 3.99 – 5.96 lakh (ex-showroom) is slightly smaller than its rival Renault Kwid priced Rs 4.70 – 6.45 lakh (ex-showroom). While it’s not a major disadvantage, considering their price difference, it’s certainly worth a mention. All the same, neither of these two cars is spacious enough for 5 adults and can only accommodate a small family consisting of two adults and two children.

Missing Some Key Features

Even though the Maruti Alto K10 is an entry-level car, certain features should have been there in its package to deliver a convenient ownership experience. These features include rear power windows, rear washer wiper, rear defogger, rear camera, day/night inside mirror, power mirrors and LED DRLs.

Summary

The Maruti Alto K10’s run is part of a long epic lineage of the Maruti 800 and its K10 petrol engine has been on sale for over a decade. As a dependable and affordable offering, the Maruti Alto K10 ticks most boxes for an ideal small car on a budget. In this article, we explore the key specifications of the Alto K10, the best variant for you, and list down its characteristics you should know about before considering it as your next car.

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