2022 Alto K10: How is it from the outside?
The design of the new Alto K10 looks fresh and fresh. Based on the Heartect platform similar to the S Presso, the design of the new Alto K10 reflects the good development of the previous generation.
It gets a wide hexagonal grille that adds up to the width of the car and now gets sleek headlights with a finely sculpted chin. On the side, not much has changed, the gradually raised C-pillar gives the car a tall and premium look. It gets 13-inch steel wheels wrapped in 145/80 R13 size, while alloy wheels come as optional extras with two customized themes called Maruti Glinto and Impacto.
The rear design of the new K10 looks like it has taken inspiration from the new Celerio. It gets square tail lamps which look good and you also get an integrated spoiler.
The new Alto K10 measures 3,530 mm in length, 1,490 mm in width and 1,520 mm in height, making it 15 mm shorter and 45 mm longer than the old K10. If you compare it with the Alto 800, the K10 is 85 mm longer and 45 mm longer and the wheelbase is 20 mm longer than the older K10.
2022 Alto K10: How’s it on the inside?
The interior of the new Alto K10 features a gray color scheme that looks plain and simple but the lighter shade used on the pillars, seats and the headliner tries to enhance the perception of the space inside.
Once you step inside the cabin of the new C3, the first thing you notice here is that the cabin has become a lot more modern than the previous generation. The steering wheel, digital speedometer and 7-inch infotainment system have been borrowed from the S-Presso.
For the infotainment system, the steering wheel has mounted controls and the 7-inch infotainment system comes with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The layout of the digital speedometer is great and one can easily get all the information without taking one’s eyes off the road but it misses out on the tachometer.
The absence of manual dimming function on the interior rear view is another drawback, but it needs to be fixed immediately, considering how most of the drivers on our roads use the high beam unnecessarily.
The car gets manual air conditioning with chunky rotary knobs that click in the right place and there is also a huge storage space with two cup holders below them.
The front window power button is awkwardly placed between the dashboard and there is no power window for the passengers. The placement of buttons in the dashboard is partly responsible for the cost savings that come with it as less wiring harnesses are used compared to door placement.
In terms of practicality and space, there’s plenty of room inside for occupants and storage. There is ample headroom and legroom in the rear seats too. The boot space is around 214 liters which is good for a car of this size and class. Due to the longer wheelbase and slim front seats, the Alto K10 offers more leg room than before. The only area of improvement in the back is support under the thigh, which could have been a little better.
Overall, the interior of the new K10 is functional, attractive and offers impressive creature comforts from a segment perspective.
2022 Alto K10: Engine and Transmission
The 2022 Alto K10 is powered by the K10C 1.0-litre three-cylinder petrol engine. The engine produces 66.6 bhp of maximum power and 82 Nm of peak torque and can be mated to a 5-speed manual or AMT.
The three-cylinder engine is smooth and looks refined even at idle. First, we drove the 5-speed manual version and the acceleration and power delivery turned out to be quite good. The engine feels strongest at the top of its rev range. With a curb weight of 740kg, the power-to-weight ratio of the car is very healthy and offers good fun with a go-kart-like feeling at times.
AMT works as you would expect AMT to work and it gives you the convenience of automating at a very low cost. You’ll get some nods and a little lag between shifts but that’s quite expected as you’re getting the technology at a very low cost.
The engine feels very tractable in the city and has a healthy low-end and perfect gearing which means you get a decent drive almost anytime.
The new Alto K10 gets McPherson strut suspension at the front and torsion beam with coil spring at the rear.
For a small urban car, the Alto K10 offers impressive handling despite its small and thin tyres. The car doesn’t mind quick directional changes and as long as someone drives with the prism lid on, the front just goes where you point it. The braking is also good and the steering gives good feedback, which instills confidence in the car.
Ride quality is an orderly affair over new Maruti Suzuki Alto K10, The suspension does a decent job of soaking in the waves and we felt that things were much quieter now when it came to rough surfaces.
2022 Alto K10: Safety
The 2022 Alto K10 comes with dual airbags, ABS + EBD, driver + passenger seatbelt reminder and pre-tensioner and reverse parking sensors. The VXi and VXi+ variants get speed sensitive auto door lock and central locking. This particular model has yet to be crash tested, so on paper things look good by a pretty standard.
2022 Alto K10: Pricing
Maruti Suzuki Alto K10 is available in 4 variants – STD(O), LXi, VXi and VXi+. Prices start from Rs. 3.99 lakhs for Aadhar Std (O) and ranges from Rs. 4.82 lakh for LXI to Rs. 5.33 lakh for the VXi+ variant. AMT is offered on the VXi and VXi+, with prices starting at Rs. 5.49 lakh and Rs. 5.83 lakhs for VXi+ AGS. The price of the new Alto K10 is Rs 60,000 more than the previous generation.
2022 Alto K10: Should You Buy It?
The new Alto K10 has become better in every way than the previous generation. It has a comfortable and spacious cabin, efficient engine, an AMT and a lot of bells and whistles for this segment. All the variants of the new K10 are smartly packaged and offer good value for money which is important for buyers in this segment.
With the new design, new engine, features and extra space, the Alto K10 is an impressive car in its price segment right now in our opinion and there is no reason to doubt the new Alto K10 being preferred by Indian buyers.