Maruti’s A-Star is not only an important car for Maruti but even for Hyundai. After the launch of the Hyundai i10, Maruti hasn’t had swift sales. However the A-Star is set to change that. The Maruti A-Star has been priced very well and we won’t be suprised if it becomes the car of the year either. However its not all that good as it appears.
Surely the A-Star looks cute and uses the latest K series engine but Maruti seems to be missing the point. Well almost. They already have 4 cars in the same segment and they plan to launch the Splash as well. How many small cars will Maruti launch? They should phase out the Wagon R and Zen Estilo.
The A-Star surely is a good car and has the capabilities to take the fight to Hyundai’s i10. It looks cute and built quality is better than the Swift. The mid range VXi comes with integrated audio system with remote. However tachometer is only present on the top model. A bit disappointing and looks like an afterthought.
Rear legroom is nothing to talk about either. But then remember this is a small car and targetted towards unmarried bachelors :P aka the youth and people who want a 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th car in their garage.
Boot space is good for a small car and the interiors seem to be a control + c and control + v job from the Swift. The steering, AC vents, gear lever are a few things which are straight lift from its elder sibling. Not that its a bad thing but Grand Vitara owners will feel a bit upset about same.
The A-Star ZXi at Rs. 4.9 lacs OTR, Mumbai is not only expensive but makes me wonder why would i buy a small A-Star for that much money when i can get a Maruti Swift VXi. The VXi variant is going to be selling the most. Overall the A-Star is a car in the right direction for Maruti but it might just not be able to dethrone the i10. Test Drive review to follow, stay tuned.
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I want to know about the cng for astar. Is it approved or not. & i want to finacnce cng for my astar. Please suggest
Deepak, no CNG available. You will have to get it fitted from outside dealer and performance will not be the same again. Best to buy a diesel vehicle if running is high.
Please let me know whether the astar is approved for CNG or not. So i want to go for CNG to install in my car
Also let me know if it can be financed or not.
dont think about that……..buy maruti ritz diesel….mileage of 23 km per litre………. amazing performance.
I Am the proud owner of a healing green maruti astar zxi.i dont know wat to tel abt its handling simply superb and manytimes i tackled corners above speed of 80 km/hr.its perfomance is awesome .its steering and brakes are well weighted and are with adequate feel also.
its best carrrrrrrrrrrrr for thos who earn himself n by thear own car.itsssssssss toooo goooooodddddddddddd
Maruti Suzuki AStar is a very good small hatch back car, I am driving from last one year, A very comfortable driving, A very comfortable front seat, A Very Effective -AC, A Very good milage of 23 Km/litre without AC
A-star is Really awesome. wonderfull pickup,K-Series engine is really a powerful engine.Gear shifting is very very smooth and easy. i have gone upto 100 kmph and felt the car is steady. AC is too good.
I am planning 2 buy A-Star next week r so, I need u people suggstion.
I bought Astar in Feb 10, i made a CNG fitment in June 10 & its giving me very good average in CNG with/without AC. Its really very nice & small sporty look car.
If anybody want to do CNG fittment, please go for it as its really good.
Maruti A Star is a superb city drivable car and a safe highway cruiser too because it has airbags and ABS. The interiors have lots of features and can even swallow 6 foot tall drivers. The exteriors are eye-catchy, especially the blue A Star. Also Maruti’s service back up is satisfying millions of customers. A star is giving 18 kmpl on an average to me. For all who are looking for small car, go for A Star!
a-star is simply the best one at road in its category, i have being driving it from the past 2 months, its very comfortable, smooth, spacious,mileage awesome, looks mind blowing… if any wants a small car i would suggest A-star:-) it certainly has many STARS all around it lolzzzz:-)
Hi fas,
Since i brought my a star i am facing front windscreen visibility issue while rainy night drive .visibility comes down almost nill.AC defrosting technique does not work since problems is from outside of windscreen only . have tried lot of things washing with shampoo and cleaning wind screen with paper ,used Sonax glass clear but did not work at all.day time its okey but rainy days it becomes worst and in nights goes worson.please help me out.
Thanks in advance
Ritz comes with a new refreshed design which is completely new to India. Look at the boomerang tail lamp shape. Its awesome. the car is a great blend of technology and design.I am simply loving to drive Ritz. Engine is butter smooth. Pick up is good and easy for city driving. on the inside Ritz is very roomy and comfortable. :) Maruti Ritz simply superb!!
Maruti A Star has got head turning looks, smooth finish. On the inside the refreshing cabin has got quality plastics and ergonomically positioned buttons and switches. A Star has the refined K series engine that gives more power and more mileage. A Star is internationally well accepted car and sold in foreign countries as Alto and Pixo. A Star has got all safety features including ABS, Air bags, EBD and front seat belt pretensioners all at an affordable price. A Star is returning me a mileage of 19 kmpl. Thanks to Maruti for giving us a quality car, A Star
A-Star Seems to be a good one. I am considering many cars and will take a call when I return to India in few months. However, Ritz seems to be better option but I am very sorry to see the design and look of Ritz. It is really really bad or I would even say Awefuly bad look Ritz has… I just can’ imagine how come Maruti Passed this kind of “Ugly” design.. Forget about passed, they even introduced the car in the Market..
It looks that someone has cut the car from behind for Ritz..
Do Maruti have any plan to change the desin of Ritz or if any upgrade version of A-Star is coming in 2-3 months or by the end of this year….
- Akash
dear akash
maruti ritz is the best diesel car.
you have never taken a look inside ritz..
its amazing..
you can drive it at 200kmh speed..and you will feel no vibration..
its just awesom
just get a test ride of it…and then decide what should you do
I’m planing to buy a new car. but I’m confuse in i10 Magna and A-star.
Please help me..
The i10 is a better option as it is more spacious. Astar is a good option but it is very cramped at the rear. Take a test drive and decide what goes best for you.
what about the pickup, mileage, price, looks, security and comfort in A-STAR ZXI and I10 MAGNA 1.2 KAPPA ??
i10 is better than a-star according to me..
because i think it has more space that astar..
and its quiet good car..
but i10 cannot beat maruti ritz and swift
Maruti is ready to launch Automatic variant of A Star in July 2010. SO it will be very advanatgeous for women drivers now.. Thanks Maruti :)
Maruti A star will get Automatic variant soon. Reliable sources have said A Star automatic wiil launch during last week of July 2010
hi all,am from kerala bought this car second hand thru Trovit and have no complains so far. i can run 150 and it won’t even make a sound. Regarding boot space, I needed car for me to drive around in trivandrum and i never fased problem in this regards. I have traveled long distance with 5 in car without any problem. Finally the car is Born to be a Star
hi fas i like to buy a new car around 4 lakhs with good milage, which one is better ,plz suggest as soon as posible
Anand, the A-Star is a good option. You can check out the Micra too.
thanx fas, santro or spark which one is best, i think micra expensive,
what about e-spark, alto 1000cc – with kseries engine
The Spark is a better option. The e-Spark will only come next year. The K-Series Alto will come next month and is a good option too but the A-Star is a better option.
Thanks Pravesh. I will need to take test drive before deciding. Ritz looks fine but I really did not like the shape of that. From back side it is kind of “Ugly”. A-Star looks much better or even beautiful compare to Ritz or even i10.
I will also have a look at Beat too but I don’t think beat can be compared with any Maruti car. Plus point with A-Star is that its Ground Clearance is also more than i10 or Beat.
Just now I posted one query on some other forum. Below is that:
“Hi. I am looking for a car. Brand does not matter but overall should be ahead of other cars. I had Santwo Xing GLS which I sold before coming to UK but now going back soon and will buy a Car by the end of this year or very early next year. My budget is within 4.5-5 Lakhs (on-Road Price). I have shortlistd Maruti A-Star, Ford Figo and Hyundai i10. I am also considering Polo and to some extent Rizt (if they are launching better looking model). My average Monthly usag will be around 300-400km and once in a month on long drive so overall it should not cross 1000-1200/ Quarter. I drove my Santro Xing around 5500-6000 in 18 months. Apart form performance, good mileage is also concern for me. I want a car that can give me above 14/Ltr average. That is one of the main reasons I selected Maruti A-Star. However, I also liked the car look and overall feature. Car should have Power Steering, Power Windows and AC. Back Wiper or something like that would be good also. Other features could be like Adjustable Mirros, De-Fogger etc… I hope you get my requirement and I look forward to get your expert advise on which car to buy. Thanks. Regards, Akash…”
Now can anyone pls sugest me which is bettr option in terms of Mileage, performance (I won’t be driving at 150 kmph ever or even 120+). One thing I noticed about A-Star that is has 3 Cylinders. Does it mean that it makes so much noise and not smooth enough. I also heard that it has some starting and pick up problem in winter and also in some 2/3 gear as well.. Pl advise. Thanks.
Hi Pravesh,
I wanated to know that just i10 has more space, does that make it better car than A-Star. I also heard Boot Space is not good in A-Star. But does it not have boot space at all that you cannot put anything back or if there are 2-3 people om back seat, they will face lots of problem in seating or will not be comfortable at all?
I also had Santro Xing. It was fine and we loved that but when I saw the AC and Power Steering of Zen Estilo, it was much much better than Santro. I think Maruti Quality is better than Hyundai especially in AC, Power Steering, Body etc… Can someone pls put some “Prakash” on this… Thanks.
Beating out a field of 620 contenders, Alto (Maruti A-star) tops NRMA survey and declared cheapest car to own and run. NRMA survey (Australia) confirms Suzuki Alto (Maruti A-star) as one of the best value cars on the market.
Hi Friends,
Thanks for all your comments and analasys. Can any one leave a comment/reply for Akash querry (July 23rd), because my requirement also the same and I am planning to buy a car (First in life) in the month of November.
Thanks in advance.
Hi Raji,
What I read in other forums and websites, both A-Star and i10 Kappa seems to be more or less similar good. Somewhere they are ahead, somewhere they are behind with each others.. The main issue I found with i10 is that the high end model price is too high. If you go with i10 Asta Kappa it will cost you more than 6 lakhs + you need to put some money on CD Player, Speaker etc as well.. So overall it will be 6.5 Lakhs. While A-Star ZXi will cost you little over 5 lakhs + you will get in-built CD Player, ABS, 4 Speakers and many other things as well.. If back side space and luggage space is really not that bad, I think it is good to buy A-Star over i10. As I have already experienced AC and power Steering in both Maruti Zen Estilo and Santro Xing GLS, I can say that Maruti AC and Power Steering is much much better than Santro or Hyundai ones…
As I am not in India, I cannot take test drive and decide… I would appreciate if you can take test drive, check the vehicle in terms of leg space, back space and luggage room and let us know.. As far as mileage is concern, both A-Star and i10 Kappa should be give you around 15.5-16 in city and over 19 in Highway….
I was looking at Maruti and Hyundai website and came on below conclusion:
There should not be any confusion between i10 and A-Star. Reason is very simple, both cars are not of the same category. While you can buy highest model of A-Star by paying around 5 Lakhs, you will be able to buy i10 Magna (Kappa 1.2L) only at this price which is basic model in Kappa Series.
A-Star will come with CD Player, Speakers at Front and Rear, AntiLock Braking System, FM, 170mm Ground Clearance, Driver Airbag, Anti Theft Alarm, Front Fog Lights, Seat Belt and Door Ajar Warning, Tubeless Types, Adjustable Seats, Crash Sensor and many other such features which are even not present in High end of i10 Models.
Few areas where it comes below i10 are:
Very less leg room at rear and very less boot space (luggage space if I am not wrong, pls correct me), Manual Transmission Type, Less power in Engine (however people says that is more powerful but it has 1L Engine while i10 has 1.2L).
I am also little confused with Engine type. A-Star has 3 Cylinder 12 Valves Engine while i10 has 4 Cylinders 16 Valves Engine. What I understood from this is that it is good in i10.
But overall, you will get more value for your money in A-Star.
Now if someone who has more technical and practical knowledge of cars and also experienced both the cars in and out, can he/she put some lights on the points I mentioned? Overall I see more value in A-Star bcoz of the price difference between i10 High End and A-Star High End Model but I am not going to buy a car for 1 or 2 years, it will be for long term so I want the best one for the price I am paying (around 5 Lakhs)… Thanks.
Regards,
Akash…
I agree with Akash in his analysis. AStar is definitely better value for money interms of the features offered at its price compared to the i10s. To add to what he has mentioned, the front seats of AStar is most comfortable compared to to others. It was even better than the i10 I felt more support and comfort with Astar’s front seats. So if you are ok with the rear space and the boot, you can go for it without any second thoughts.
THanks Guyz,
Is there any chance of changing the shape of RITZ? by end of this year or first Q of 11.
Just to add few more points. i10 Sportz Model has many of the similar features which is available in A-Star High End model. So one can consider that as well. However, I did not do much comparison in i10 Sportz and A-Star ZXi.
One can also have a look at Chevy Beat. It also seems to be perfect candidate in this category. Having many features which is there in A-Star as well. Only thing I did not like is that less Boot Space and 165mm Ground Clearance.
Hi Raji,
Even I am concerned about Ritz’s shape. It is really ugly. I don’t think Maruti will change the shape and it will become next Wagon-R. Wagon-R was also very good and technically very strong vehicle but its design and shape was its -ve point and they never introduced the version with better looking shape.. That’s where Maruti cars always gets defeated against other cars… Otherwise, Ritz is far better car than A-Star.
Hi fas
i plan to bye new car – spark or Beat which one is better and why, plz suggest, thank you fas
hi fas
spark or beat which one is better and why, plz suggest thanx
beat is better than spark
but never think to buy any one of them
they are so small
so buy astar or ritz..if you are planning for a hatchback car
and new wagonr is also a better option
beat is better than spark
but never think to buy any one of them
they are so small
and new wagonr is also a better option
I am reviewing the cars for last few days, it seems everything is fine with A-Star but it is getting defeated in two areas.
1) Very Average Interior
2) Boot Space (Just 129 Ltr against 255 Ltr in i10 or even 180 Ltr in Beat)
However, other features in A-Star are not present in i10 or Beat. Especially in lower Model or medium range models on i10. If you want similar features in i10, you may need to spend min 2 lakhs Rs. extra. The cost of i10 is too high I think.. If Maruti do some redesign in A-Star, it will surely left i10 miles behind in terms of sells and popularity also.
Few people even mentioned that the Boot space is so much less than you can just put your “Boots” only… They also did not manage the space inside and somehow it feels that the car does not have much space or it is not even good if 3 people are there on back seat…
For the same reason, I will see if I will buy A-Star or go with i10. However, AC Quality and Power Steering is better in A-Star but at the end of the day, you need a car which you can use in day to day life and shud not matter if you go out with some luggages or simply drop/ pick-up someone from Airport/ Station with some luggage..
I think Maruti did not do its homework or may be they did not have a proper look at i10 or similar car at all…
Same with Ritz also, I don’t understand on what basis they design this ugly car. In today’s world, it is not machine that will matter. days are gone when people used to buy car/ bike bcoz it is very strong… now people buy cars after considering all aspects like space, mileage, features like AC, PS and PW etc.. and of course, looks DO matter.. that’s why Ritz is also a flop car like Wagon-R. New Wagon-R is even more “Dabba” car compare to old one..
Good Car, boot space and luggage space are less, manageable for bachelors and married couples. Good mileage, AC. best in for town and plains. Hills not upto the mark but ok.
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