The 2019 Maruti Alto seems like a small crossover and carries the silhouette of a small SUV.

2019 Maruti Alto Spied
The new generation Maruti Alto takes its design inspiration from crossover vehicles

The Maruti Alto is one of India’s top selling cars. After the Maruti 800, The Alto is probably one favourite car for small budget buyers. The upcoming generation of the Alto is likely to carry a SUV-like silhouette in terms of design. The recent spotting of a test vehicle points to the fact that the Alto is now due for an upgrade.

The new Alto carries SUV-like design cues. It looks like it is based on the Future-S concept that Maruti Suzuki had showcased at the 2018 Auto Expo. The car has an SUV-inspired design on the outside. It is tall and has a much raised front-end than the previous generation of Alto. A similar kind of design can also be seen on the Renault Kwid which is the Alto’s rival in the segment.

The next generation Maruti Alto is likely to share the underpinnings with the new Wagon-R and the Ignis. The new Heartect-A platform is what forms the base of the Wagon-R and the Ignis.  Viewing from the side, the vehicle seems to now have an upright A-pillar, suspension which is higher up, larger windows and steel wheels, which could be 14-inch. The rear shows a not so big windscreen which essentially means the vehicle will have a large bootlid along with a larger bumper.

The inside of the test vehicle is not very clearly visible but car seem to have a round centre instrument console which might be all-digital or have digital display read-outs. The HVAC vents are mounted high up on the dashboard, which is something not yet seen on a Maruti vehicle. The new generation Alto could also get a 7-inch infotainment system with touchscreen. ABS and EBD along with dual airbags also could be on offer on a higher spec variants of the the Alto.

The current generation of the Alto comes with two engine options. An 800cc petrol engine making 48 PS power and 69 Nm of torque and a 1.0-litre petrol engine making 68 PS power and 90 Nm of torque. However, it has to be seen which version of the engine Maruti is likely to carry over from the current generation of the Alto. The transmission is likely to be a 5-speed manual gearbox but then again the possibility of an AMT cannot be ruled out.

The 2019 Maruti Alto is expected to see a raise in its pricing over the current one as it now has a bigger footprint. The pricing of the current generation Alto ranges from Rs. 2.62 lakh and Rs. 3.93 lakh. The Alto K10 sells for Rs. 3.38 lakh to Rs. 4.27 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi). The new-generation Alto might have its prices starting from Rs. 3 lakh mark. It is expected to rival the likes of the Renault Kwid and the Datsun redi-GO.

2019 Maruti Alto Spied

– The 2019 Maruti Alto test vehicle has a crossover styling
– It gets a rounded centre-console with possibility of an all-digital instrument panel
– The exteriors of the vehicle are devoid of any extra bodywork
– The engine options could be carried from the current generation Alto

Maruti Alto 800
The current gen Alto will be discontinued as it won’t meet the upcoming safety regulations

Source – CarDekho.com