Maruti Suzuki Alto K10

The “Lord” of the roads or just an office commuter?

Maruti Suzuki does a lot of things well: They make cars that are reliable, economical to buy and inexpensive to maintain, usually loaded with features, and well-designed, to name a few. But perhaps most importantly, they make cars that not only sell well, but are also universally liked. The Maruti 800 and Swift are prime examples of this, and in the middle of these two, is arguably the car you’d get if the 800 and Swift were to have a child—the Maruti Suzuki Alto K10, popularly known as “Lord Alto”, a title that Instagram reels and Reddit threads have bestowed upon this car. 

First launched in 2000, the Alto has sold over 4 million units in two decades, a testament to customers looking for basic, reliable and fuss-free hatchbacks. So how good is the newest Alto K10? Let’s find out. 

Alto K10 Pros and Cons 

Alto K10 Exterior Design

The Alto has always been the opposite of form over function, keeping things simple without trying anything drastic when it comes to its exterior design. The K10 is no different. That said, the K10 is the most ‘different’ looking Alto ever since its debut in 2000. The front grille will remind you of the Swift, while the front and rear taillights are Celerio-esque. In fact, at a glance, you’d be forgiven for mistaking the rear of the Alto K10 with that of the Celerio. The shoulder lines add character to the side profile, as does the front bumper with its flared edges. The new Alto K10 misses out on front fog lamps, something that was present in the previous model and would have lended a more complete look to the front. 

Alto K10 Interiors 

The interiors of the Alto K10 will feel familiar if you’ve ever been inside a Maruti Suzuki before, but they have been given some modern touches. The cabin is mostly black and the only bit of colour is from the touchscreen infotainment system, which is the most modern part of this cabin. The seats are comfortable but there is no adjustable headrest either in the front or in the rear, which is disappointing, considering even Marutis from the 1980s had one. The cabin has a roomy feel owing to fairly large windows and the Alto feels bigger than it is from the inside. 

Alto K10 Comfort 

The Alto K10 is comfortable and  the driver gets a good view of the road and even taller individuals shouldn’t have trouble finding an agreeable driving position. The rear seat is also roomier than you’d expect, and a tall passenger can sit behind a tall driver without their knees cursing them. Given the width of the car, it’s best not to try and seat three adults in the rear. 

The air conditioner does a good job of keeping the cabin cool, but can struggle on particularly warm days. The Alto K10 is best used as a city commuter rather than long highway trips. Although, as the internet has rightly shown us, it will happily put off-roaders to shame in the mountains as well, given its light weight. 

Alto K10 Performance and handling

The Alto K10, with its 3-cylinder, 66 bhp petrol engine remains a peppy little car for the city, allowing you to make easy work of overtakes owing to its small footprint and lightweight design. Out on the highway, the engine does take some time to get to triple digit speeds but is capable enough of chugging along at those speeds all day long. Whether you go with the manual or AMT gearbox, you can’t go wrong with either. Although, the AMT does feel smoother, which is surprising because Maruti Suzuki usually has some of the best manual gearboxes around. As with any AMT, you do notice the lag during gear shifts and it’s something that will take some getting used to. 

Perhaps the Alto’s biggest issue is the tiny 13 inch tyres. Not only do they make the car look under-tyred, but also don’t inspire confidence behind the wheel. They soak up the bumps decently, but the entire cabin feels it, no matter how big or small the undulation on the road. It can add to driver and passenger fatigue over longer distances, and I would recommend not only upsizing, but also going for wider rubber. 

Key specifications 

Alto K10 Safety Features

With a two star Global NCAP rating, the Alto K10 isn’t the safest car out there, but if you’re driving within the city you should be just fine. Two airbags come as standard, along with ABS and EBD. There is no traction control, but there is ESP which is a welcome addition given the stock tyre size. You also get an engine immobiliser, speed sensing door locks and keyless central locking. The Alto also gets rear parking sensors, but no rear camera. 

Alto K10 Technology and Infotainment

With a seven inch touchscreen infotainment system, the Alto has the bare minimum you’d come to expect from a car these days, and honestly, for the city commuter that’s about all you’d need. It also keeps costs low without the need for aftermarket upgrades. The unit also supports Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, and is paired to four speakers that do an acceptable job. The Alto also gets steering mounted controls, bluetooth, GPS and voice commands!

Is the Alto K10 for you?

Based on Maruti Suzuki’s new HEARTECT platform, the Alto K10 is a great car for city commutes. In fact, it might be the perfect car for your daily commute and the occasional long journeys, given the excellent fuel economy, peppy engine, and the availability of essential tech features. Is it the most feature-loaded car? No. Is it going to turn many heads? Definitely not. What it will do is run for thousands of kilometres without you having to spend a single penny other than regular servicing and visits to the petrol pump. And that kind of reliability is pretty awesome.