The much-awaited Alto 800 has finally hit Indian roads, and in six different variants. The entry-level hatchback found many buyers even before its launch, and later it became all the more popular. However, the popularity is majorly due to the changes in the exterior of the car and, of course, its price. With all its petrol and CNG variants fitting well within the sub 2.5 lac to 3.6 lac bracket (ex.-showroom); it appears like a lucrative deal. However, the features incorporated in the Alto 800 must be considered, especially when there is a vast difference between the base variant and the top variant. Thus, there will be one question in the minds of the buyer: Which variant of Alto 800 is best suited for city driving?
Six variants of Alto 800 are available in the market, three in petrol and three in CNG. The base variant, LX and LXI are different in various aspects. However, the one addition in the LXI, which has been neglected in the other two variants, is power steering. The absence of power steering makes Alto 800 Base and Alto 800 LX makes them lag behind most of the other cars in the entry-level hatchback section. Another inclusion in LXI is power windows, which is another significant feature buyers, look forward to. These two features alone shape buyers' demands in terms of features when buying a car.
Another point has been the price difference, mainly between the petrol and CNG models. Alto 800 Petrol starts at Rs. 2.44 lacs whereas the base variant of the CNG-powered vehicle is priced at Rs. 3.19 lacs, thereby making a difference of Rs. 75,000. The cost difference is sure to impact the prospective buyer of this entry-level car. Buyer of a car worth 2.5 lacs would possible not like to shed Rs. 75,000 on a CNG kit.
Various pros and cons point out to the fact that Hyundai Eon might be a suitable alternate for Maruti's new offering, though the former is tad expensive. However, loyal fans of Maruti must not turn their back on this one. Equipped with power steering and power windows, and with the petrol and CNG models prices at just under 3 lacs and Rs. 3.56 lacs respectively, LXI is the model to look out for if buyers are eyeing city driving.
