Maruti Suzuki Alto vs Datsun GO vs Hyundai Eon – Comparison

If you are a first time car buyer, your options are probably limited to the Maruti Alto 800, Alto K10 and Hyundai Eon. However, there is new contender in the entry-level hatchback space that offers more value for money, the deciding criteria in this segment. The Datsun GO has made its foray in India’s most popular segment competing against the veteran Maruti Suzuki Alto and the Hyundai Eon. Now as a buyer, you want the best car for your money.

We compare the newly launched Datsun GO to the Maruti Suzuki Alto 800, Maruti Suzuki Alto K10 and the Hyundai Eon in the A-segment space to tell you which car deserves your attention.

Design – The Datsun GO is easily the most modern looking hatchback also because it is the newest of the lot. However, it is the Hyundai Eon that actually has a flare in design in this segment. In spite of being older than the GO, it still looks contemporary and will surely appeal to buyers. The Alto 800 on the other hand recently got a facelift and now sports a tall boy design. The design language is nothing to talk about and it looks odd compared to the GO and Eon. The Alto K10 is definitely the most boring car to live with. A spruced up version of the older Alto, the K10 shows its age in front of the younger crowd. In the design department, the GO comes a humble second, compared to the Eon which manages to supersede thanks to the extensive fluidic design language. But, it will be the GO that will age slower in the long run.

Space – The Datsun GO has the largest wheelbase (2450 mm) which translates into the cabin as well. The GO can easily seat five in reasonable comfort, with decent headroom and legroom. The GO also has a cushion in between the front seats, which loosely translates into the sixth seat in the car although not recommended. The Eon on the other hand offers decent space, but can only seat four. The same applies for the Alto 800, while it does offer headroom; the legroom is a bit compromised. The K10 is the most miserable in terms of cabin space. If you are a tall passenger, it will be a nightmare to be inside the K10. The GO definitely leaves a mark in this department. It also has the biggest boost (265 litres) in its segment.

Features – The Hyundai Eon is easily the most loaded, compared to competition. You get a lot of equipment for your money like adjustable steering, keyless entry, internally adjustable rear-view mirrors, audio system with CD and radio player and so on. Datsun has provided the GO with smarter features like a segment first follow-me home headlamps, phone docking station, distance to empty, real time and average mileage display and a digital tachometer. The K10 here comes as the least loaded with a power steering, air-con, basic music system and front power windows as standard. The Alto 800 gets an air-con unit, a power steering, but power windows are absent on the lower versions. The Eon also offers better quality interiors, while cost cutting is evident on the GO.

Powertrain – The Alto 800 here is the most under powered with 47 HP on offer, followed by the Eon with 56 HP. High speed stability is also a matter of concern on both the cars, it also takes ages to reach the top of the speedo. The Alto K10 is more moderately powered with a 1.0-litre K-Series engine producing 68 HP of power. The power to weight ratio also translates into a peppier drive in the city on the K10 and does not feel out of breath on the highway as well. It is also a tried and trusted engine when it comes to maintenance. The Datsun Go easily has the largest heart with a 1.2-litre engine producing 67 HP and 104 Nm of torque. Even though the engine is tuned to offer fuel efficiency, the bigger mill does translate into peppy driving in the city, while overtaking on the highway is not much of an issue either.

Safety – In terms of safety, all the cars somehow fail the test. The Alto 800 and Eon do offer a driver side airbag, but the shoddy build quality does not help much. The K10 on the other hand is based on a dated platform with practically zilch amount of safety. We were expecting Datsun to offer at least a driver side airbag on the GO, but the company chose otherwise. While all the cars fail to perform in occupant safety; we believe the GO will be marginally safer than the rest, considering it uses the Micra’s platform.

Fuel Efficiency – A very important criterion for first time car buyers, the Alto 800 still remains the king of the segment with 22.74 km/l. The Eon comes in second with a claimed mileage of 21.1 km/l, followed by the K10’s 20.2 km/l. The Go which has a bigger engine than the K10 makes a healthy 20.63 km/l. In real world too, the Alto does become the most fuel efficient courtesy of its light weight, while the Datsun GO isn’t far behind.

Price – A reason why the Alto 800 is still the choice of first time car buyers is its pricing. Starting at Rs. 2.37 lakhs, the Alto 800 undercuts competition by a sizeable margin. The Eon comes second at a starting price of Rs. 2.87 lakhs, followed by the Datsun GO at Rs. 3.12 lakhs. The Alto K10 is the most expensive with a starting price of Rs. 3.32 lakhs. However, the GO offers a much bigger engine and more space compared to the others in the segment.

Overall, the Datsun GO has what it takes to be a strong contender against the competition. With smartly equipped features and a powerful and potent engine, the GO is equally impressive to drive as well. Although cost cutting is quite evident throughout on the GO, it still manages to please for being a far more complete package in the entry-level hatchback segment.