Maruti Suzuki Alto 800 LXi - Design Review

It’s a classic off-screen Bollywood scenario – grandpa is a celebrated star even in his old age, his children become even more popular stars and just as they are about to retire from the mainstream work, the succeeding generation is ready to become the next big name, right after their debut, thanks to the glorified bloodline. Something similar is now happening in the automotive scheme of things in India. The iconic Maruti 800 paved the way for the Alto, which went on to become India’s highest selling car and now vacates the throne for its successor – the Alto 800. It identifies itself with a combination of two of the most popular names in the business, but how does the new kid on the block look? Let’s take a peek!

The front end of the new Alto 800 will remind you of a lot of cars. In fact if this car were humanlike, its mother would have a lot of explaining to do! The eye-shaped headlights for one are similar in outline and design to those of the upcoming Ford Figo facelift; the gaping hexagonal grille looks like it came from the Hyundai i10 and the narrow chrome-plated moustache again looks like a Hyundai inspired element. The front bumpers are larger and better sculpted than the ones seen on the current Alto and the bonnet has prominent creases that flow into the bumper. The bumper looks drab and there is no provision for fog-lamps even on the top end model. The bonnet is the clamshell type and isn’t as flat as the one seen on the current Alto or A-star. 

The side profile however, takes heavy inspiration from the Alto/A-star sold in the Japanese domestic market (JDM). It highlights the 15mm taller roofline and the new glass-house that isn’t flat and boxy anymore like the windows of a railway carriage. There is a prominent shoulder line since Hyundai’s fluidic design language has made wrinkles so popular. Thanks to the creases and the receding glass-house, the Alto 800 appears to be tipped-forward and relatively sporty as compared to the laid-back, textbook stance of the current Alto. 

The side profile also shows off the trademark, thick C-pillar that instantly reminds you that this car belongs to the Alto bloodline, but the smaller engine bay tells you that it is the newer iteration. In fact, the length of the Alto 800 is lesser than the outgoing model by a good 100mm. The engine bay is now packed more tightly as compared to the current model and the rear overhang has been reduced too.

The tailgate is a mild departure from the outgoing Alto’s design direction and is inclined more towards the JDM Alto again. The taillights remind us of the i20, however these are taller and get the ‘crystal’ type reflectors. The rear windshield is large and so is the boot-lid (unlike the A-star or the new Swift). Since the car is built to a cost, you don’t get a boot-lid mounted handle like the one seen on the JDM Alto. The lid also has subtle creases that flow from the taillights to the centre of the rear bumper like a waterfall (more on that later). The either ends of the boot-lid get the ‘Maruti Suzuki’ and ‘Alto 800’ monograms. The big ‘800’ highlights the car’s engine capacity - its distinguishing factor from the Alto K10; and its ambition of becoming the spiritual successor of the Maruti 800, the grandpa who will linger on in the BS-III markets in India.

Also Read:

Alto 800 User Experience Review

Alto 800 Performance Review