Frisky and frugal Suzuki, below P450k

What better way to start the New Year than to report on a little hatchback that is not only frisky and frugal in fuel consumption, but also costs less than P450,000? No, it isn’t a Chinese car but a Suzuki, the Japanese brand recognized globally as a leader in producing good-quality minicars and subcompacts aside from motorcycles. In the Philippines, Suzuki’s offerings are the Swift subcompact sedan, the Jimny 4WD mini SUV, the SX4 subcompact hatchback and the Grand Vitara compact SUV aside from the Celerio and Alto mini-sedans.

Recently, Suzuki Philippines launched the Alto K10, a new hatchback version of the Alto. In India, where small automobiles are popular, the products of Maruti Suzuki India Ltd. are best-sellers with the Alto leading the way. The Alto K10s being sold here, in fact, were made in India.

You won’t be impressed with the Alto K10 the first time you see it. Its exterior design is squarely old-fashioned, the interior looks plain with a lot of hard plastics although the fabric upholstery is two-tone gray.  Only a 5-speed manual transmission is available. The doors are thin although they are bolstered with side impact beams and have map pockets. The small luggage area can only accommodate 117 liters of cargo, but a rear cargo cover is standard equipment. The audio system, a JVC detachable face stereo with CD and MP3 player and AUX, has only two speakers. The wheels are steel with full wheel caps, no fancy alloys here, and the tires are 155/65 R13.

Four-seater

The car’s tools fit in a box that is kept in the glove compartment. The two cupholders in front of the gear shift are so shallow that bottles placed there tend to fall off. Hardly any leg room is left for rear seat passengers when the driver’s and front seats are pushed back. Suzuki doesn’t claim, however, that the Alto K10 is a five-seater. There are headrests and 3-point seatbelts for only four occupants. These, with the engine immobilizer system and side impact beams, just about make up the tiny car’s safety features.

But what can you expect in a car that sells for only P439,000? The very appearance of the Alto K10 fairly shouts that hey, this is a low-budget  minicar. When you drive a car the size of the Alto K10, you don’t get any respect on the road. No one will give way to you, not even a scooter.

You’ll soon forget all this, however, once you get the Alto K10 on a traffic-free highway and step on the gas. Surprisingly enough, the Alto K10 is a pocket rocket that accelerates in a manner shaming higher-segment cars. The new K10B, 1.0 liter, 3 cylinder, 12 valve petrol engine with direct ignition and timing chain delivers 68 bhp/6,200 rpm and 90 Nm. 3,500 rpm plus an admirable power to weight ratio of 88 bhp per ton.  It puts a smile on your face as you reach its top speed of 140 kph with the engine humming smoothly, steadily with no high-pitch screaming and no signs of strain. Together with this quiet, smooth acceleration, you get fuel economy averaging 20.2 km per liter.

Surprise

Not that the Alto K10 was designed to be as sporty as its bigger sibling, the manual transmission Swift. But just the same, the peppy performance of its 3-cylinder powerplant is a pleasant surprise and definitely a bonus for a car of this size and price. It makes the Alto K10 suitable for highway as well as city driving—but only for four people max.

It’s a given that a small car like the Alto K10 would handle agilely and be easy to park in tight spaces, but not necessarily that it would absorb uneven road surfaces quite well—which is what it does. The suspension consists of MacPherson strut with torsion type anti-roll bar in front and a 3-link rigid system with coil spring at the rear. Ventilated disc brakes up front and leading and trailing drums at the rear provide adequate stopping force.

The driving position is comfy with good visibility all around and the electronic power steering is firm, giving a nice feel of the road. The Alto K10’s air conditioner cools the cabin efficiently. The rear seats fold forward to increase cargo space. Only the front windows are power-operated but there are other amenities like a headlight leveling roller switch and a rear window wiper and washer. As for build quality, Maruti Suzuki is legendary for its high standards.

Summing up, the Alto K10 is a no-nonsense, simple, easy to drive yet frisky entry-level car that would match the needs of a young beginner family or field salesmen on the move. Retailed at P439,000 with a three-year or 100,000 km warranty, you can’t get anything like this at this price.

TODAY’S BUMPER STICKER: After all is said and done, more is said than done.