What is it?

One among the entry-level cars from Maruti Suzuki, the Alto K10 is the elder sibling of the Alto 800 and borrows many traits from it. Even if its width and height are same as the Alto 800, the K10 is longer by 150mm than the Alto 800 at 3,545mm. The Alto K10 is powered by a larger engine than the Alto 800 and also comes with an automatic (AMT- automated manual transmission) gearbox. This gearbox is meant to reduce the driver’s efforts by clutch-less gear shifts, while also providing the feel of a manual gearbox. After the Tata Nano, the Alto K10 is the second most affordable automatic car in India and the cheapest automatic from the Maruti Suzuki family.

How is it on the inside?

The cabin of the Alto K10is simple, while still portraying a sense of practicality and precision in the equipment list. The steering wheel is slim, grips well and looks good with the Suzuki badge and smiley face-shaped silver embellishment. Though the steering cannot be adjusted at all, an inconvenience for tall people but its placement is pretty good for an average-sized and heighted driver. The instrument cluster is a no nonsense analog display that displays the speed at the centre and rpm on the left. All this is set in a black and orange background with small indicators on the right and a puny digital display to show the odometer and trip readings.

The dashboard layout gets many cuts and creases to avoid the boxy design and looks sleek especially due to the piano black coloured integrated music system with glossy finish. The 2-DIN unit gets a CD player with support for AUX and USB, but misses out on the bluetooth function. The aircon unit is still a stock MSIL unit like on some of the other entry-level cars from Maruti Suzuki, but is revised slightly to push up the premium factor. The vents at the centre are in plain black, while the circular vents on the sides get silver accents. The AC controls are still analog, but the quality of the knobs doesn't feel plasticky/inexpensive. There is a small slot below this area, where a wallet and mobile phone can easily be accommodated.

The seat fabric colour is in line with the beige and black upholstery and the front seats are well carved out for a passenger to be comfortable in. In fact, these seats are scooped out at the back to add to some leg room for the rear passengers. The rear bench type seat is only good for two adults and a kid, with limited leg room. Like the front windows, the rear windows are not electronically operated and none of the doors get bottle holders. The only cup-holder is in the centre console between the front two seats.

How does it drive?

The Alto K10 is powered by the 1.0-litre three pot K10B petrol mill, which churns out 67bhp of power and 90Nm of torque that is sent to the front wheels via a five-speed AMT (automated manual transmission) gearbox. This is quite a good amount of power for a car of this small size and Maruti Suzuki has taken a very logical step in introducing the five-speed AMT from the Celerio in the Alto K10. The gearbox makes driving a lot easier and hassle-free by eliminating the efforts of changing gears manually. This is a boon in stop-and-go traffic and the option of choosing to shift manually also comes to the rescue whenever additional power is required, like while overtaking or climbing a hill or a slope. Yes, there is a delay in the gear shifts and almost every gear change can be felt. So this might not feel really smooth, however, this helps in manipulating every gear shift by pressing the accelerator in automatic (D) mode.

The steering is heavy and has got a lot of play, making the driver move his hands a lot while steering the car at low speeds. The car is stable at high speeds, but the vibrations demand the car to be driven at moderate speeds. A generous amount of torque is available in plenty in the mid-range, making city driving and cruising a relaxed affair. The car's 160mm ground clearance might not be the best-in-class, but is good enough to take the bumps and bad patches on roads. When the car enters a pothole, the usual 'thud' is quite evident. So the NVH levels could have been better, but they are not that bad to cause an inconvenience to the passengers. Furthermore, the front wheels feature disc brakes and the rear wheels are equipped with drum brakes. The braking ability astonished me as there is a good feedback and bite from the brakes that help stopping the car confidently even at high speeds.

Why should I buy one?

This is not the car for someone looking for a spacious vehicle or even the variant for someone who wants safety features like ABS and airbags. The other VXi (O) variant gets a driver-side airbag, but doesn't come equipped with the AMT gearbox. Hopefully, this VXi AT variant should also come equipped with the safety features in the near future as they have to comply with the stringent safety standards set in place by the Indian government.

There are many entry-level hatchbacks like the Tata Nano, Datsun Go and even the Alto 800 that come at a reasonable price. In comparison, the Alto K10 looks good, has a better interior, doesn't miss much on the features list, is powered by a powerful engine, has an ARAI-certified fuel efficiency of 24.07kmpl and gets an AMT gearbox. So it makes for a better prospect than some cheaper cars and justifies the price of Rs 3.95 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi) for a first-time car buyer or a second car in a family.

Where does it fit in?

The Alto K10 is slotted in the A-segment of hatchbacks in our country like the Hyundai Eon, Datsun Go and Chevrolet Spark. None of these cars come equipped with an automatic gearbox yet, giving the Alto K10 an edge over its rivals.