Introduced back in 2012, the Maruti Suzuki Alto 800 has been a worthy successor to the iconic 800, thanks to its affordable prices, low-cost ownership and Maruti’s mammoth after sales network. Lately though, the Alto 800 has been feeling the heat from rivals like the Renault Kwid and the effect can be seen on the sales charts.
Naturally, Maruti Suzuki is looking to claw back some of the lost sales due to the ever rising competition. The brand plans to do so by bringing out a mildly upgraded facelift in the form of the 2016 Alto 800 facelift. Here’s what you should expect.
Redesigned front-end
It’s been over four years since the Alto 800 was introduced as a successor to the iconic 800. Since then, the model has pressed on unchanged although it’s about time Maruti addressed a few bits here and there.
Given that it’s a mild upgrade, there aren’t many changes to the exterior design. Most of the revisions are to be found on the front-end wherein you will find a different grille, modified headlamps and the inclusion of fog lamps in the top-spec ZXi variant.
Alto K10-sourced dashboard expected
Besides nicer looking seat fabrics, the dashboard design and layout could be sourced from the bigger Alto K10 for a new look. Also expect an updated feature list as a part of the makeover. That said, do not expect a fancy touchscreen display that Renault offers in the top-spec Kwid.
Engine and gearbox same as the outgoing model
The Alto 800 is powered by a 796cc petrol engine that develops 46bhp of power and 69Nm of torque. By the looks of things, the 2016 Alto 800 facelift will get the same engine as well as the current 5-speed manual box.
The 2016 Alto 800 facelift is expected to be priced between Rs 2.80 lakh – Rs 4.20 lakh, ex-showroom. When launched within the next couple of months, it will take on similarly sized cars like the Renault Kwid and the Hyundai Eon. Additionally, it will be interesting to see how it fares against the Datsun redi-GO which is due for launch soon.
Image source: Gaadiwadi
