Priced around 152,000 Thai Baht, Maruti Suzuki Alto is the most popular economy car in India

A few days ago, Suzuki CIAZ dropped its price by 150,000 Thai Baht, which aims to consolidating its position in the economic family car market through a price reduction. Suzuki has always been known for its economic family cars, and its flagship feature is that its models are usually small. For example, the CIAZ, JIMNY, and Alto, are well-known models that are nimble and practical.

Suzuki uses the same strategy in the Indian market. The Maruti Suzuki Alto, with its cheap price and good practicality, has become India's most popular economic family car. Its price is only 354,000 rupees (about 152,000 Thai Baht). Importantly, this is a 5-seater model that can meet daily family outings.

This car is designed to be economical, the design is simple without excessive detail decorations. For instance, the front face adopts a black honeycomb air intake grille, and the anti-scratch bar design on the side of the car body is rarely seen now although it was a popular accessory on cars over a decade ago. However, the anti-scratch bar of this car is black, which has a more decorative purpose. The tires are 145/80 R12 in size. The car body size is 3445×1515×1475mm, and  the wheelbase is 2360mm.

There is nothing particularly worth mentioning about the interior, it is a very traditional design for practical daily travel. The configuration of the high-end models is enough for home use, such as a 7-inch central control screen, which can support Bluetooth connection. The car is also equipped with parking radar, front-row power windows, air conditioning, and front-row dual airbags.

In contrast, the function of the standard model is too limited, not only does it lack a central control screen, but it also does not have a radio and air conditioning. This basic configuration is rare these days.

In terms of its power system, the official offers both petrol and CNG versions, so there is no need for subsequent CNG modification. The petrol version is equipped with a 0.8L 3-cylinder engine, with a maximum power of 48PS and peak torque of 69N·m. The power system of the CNG model has a maximum power of 41PS and a peak torque of 60N·m. All 4 sub-models of the whole car are equipped with a 5-speed manual gearbox.

(Author: Kevin Wong)