2022 Maruti Suzuki Alto K10 First Drive Review: A worthy rival to Renault Kwid? Watch video

The 2022 Maruti Suzuki Alto K10's arrival shows Maruti Suzuki's confidence on a ever-shrinking segment, and to find out if the Alto K10 can change things for this space or not, we spent some time with it.

Maruti Suzuki Alto is a name that needs no introduction, whatsoever. More than 40 lakh units of the Alto are already out there on Indian roads, and if it was a standalone car brand, it would have been the fourth-largest car brand in the country. To continue this pace of sales, the 2022 Maruti Suzuki Alto K10 is now launched in the country, and this time around, the Alto K10 has a lot more responsibilities on its shoulders. Well, the hatchback needs to revive a segment that is slowly shrinking, while being a volume generator for the company, as it rivals the Renault Kwid 1.0L. But is it capable of doing this all? Well, read this 2022 Maruti Suzuki Alto K10 first drive review to find out the answer.

The 2022 Alto K10 is a cute-looking car with a smiling front face, which comprises a wide-gaping radiator grille with a honeycomb mesh pattern. However, right behind the grille sits the radiator and AC unit’s condenser, which perhaps triggered my insecurities about expensive repairs every time I followed a bigger vehicle on a bad patch of road. The headlamps are sharply designed, and they add to the overall appeal.

Move sideways, the 2022 Maruti Suzuki Alto K10 surprises you with an upright stance. Well, it made us miss the low-slung Gen-1 Alto K10. The lines are familiar, but sadly, the top-end trim comes with 13-inch steelies. Bits like the fender-mounted turn indicators and black ORVM caps portray the fact that it is a ‘built-to-cost’ vehicle.

Around the rear, the typical Maruti Suzuki cohesiveness binds the outline with the family design language. In simpler words, a hint of Celerio is visible in the rear facet. Dimensionally, it is a longer and taller car than the last-gen model by 85 mm and 45 mm, respectively. The width, however, remains unchanged.

2022 Maruti Suzuki Alto K10 Review: Interior

Step inside, and get welcomed by an all-new dashboard layout of the 2022 Maruti Suzuki Alto K10, which looks interesting, despite the fact that it has some familiarity with other Maruti Suzuki cars. For instance, the instrument binnacle is taken from the S-Presso. It felt like a misfit on an all-new dashboard design. The steering wheel features audio control this time, and yes, it comes from other Maruti Suzuki cars. No extra marks for guessing which one.

The Alto K10 in its third-gen avatar manages to offer a practical cabin with ample space for four occupants. The fifth occupant will be a tight squeeze though. Making it practical are the nifty storage spaces and usable door bins. The glovebox is decently-sized for a car this small. In terms of features, the 2022 Maruti Suzuki Alto K10 has quite a list. It now features a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment unit, which comes with Android Auto compatibility.

This feature made our drive through tight, serpentine, and unknown roads of Cochin’s outskirts a breeze. Furthermore, it gets power windows for the front row, while the rear windows have to be manually operated. And on to the rear seats, there is a fair amount of space as well.

2022 Maruti Suzuki Alto K10 Review: Engine & Gearbox

The new Alto K10 comes with a 3-cylinder 998 cc petrol engine, which produces a peak power output of 66.62 PS at 6,500 rpm and 89 Nm of max torque at 3,500 rpm. To ensure that the motor feels peppy, refined, and engaging, it now uses dual jets on every cylinder, along with a dual VVT mechanism. Consequently, the power plant felt refined for the most part of the rev range, except for the idling part where it showed some vibrations. Notably, the overall NVH score is not high.

The engine feels tractable all throughout the rev range with a rather strong low-end and mid-range, which is very typical an attribute of a 3-cylinder motor. The top-end is the exciting part nonetheless. The claimed fuel efficiency for the Alto K10 stands at 24.9 kmpl, and it could return around 22 kmpl on a test run that included both highways and city roads.

The gearbox options include a 5-speed MT and a 5-speed AT. While the former is a slick unit with a light clutch, the latter just eases out the overall driving experience. If budget allows, settle down with the latter of the two.

2022 Maruti Suzuki Alto K10 Review: Ride & Handling

The new Alto K10 is underpinned by the fifth-generation Heartect platform, and the credentials of the same were immediately visible as we started splitting lanes. The 2022 Maruti Suzuki Alto K10 felt confident in the act. In fact, at around highway speeds, the car felt stable. However, quick manoeuvres may instigate a sense of fear due to the not-so-engaging steering response.

Talking of the suspension, it offers a comfortable ride. The setup can absorb potholes and bumps with ease, however, the tuning is slightly on the stiffer side. Brakes are great as well, with ABS coming as standard fitment across the range. With all of it, we can assure you that it manages to offer a balance of both ride and dynamics, which the Alto moniker has been delivering over the years.

2022 Maruti Suzuki Alto K10 Review: In Summation

Well, not a lot of cars are there in the segment that the 2022 Maruti Suzuki Alto K10 sits in, and the only rival that it has as of now is the Renault Kwid. But I think the Alto K10 makes more sense with a starting price of Rs 3.99 lakh. The ex-showroom price for the top-end AMT trim goes to Rs 5.83 lakh, which feels a little steep. On the whole, however, the Alto K10 in its new rendition felt delightful. It offers a spacious cabin, comfortable ride, predictable handling, refined powertrain, built-to-last interior, and lastly, a high mileage figure. With all of it, the new-gen Alto K10 will continue to fit the bill for buyers of its segment.