Maruti Suzuki Alto versus Hyundai Santro

Listen to this article

Alto vs. Santro Comparison

The Maruti Suzuki Alto is a preferred hatchback for various reasons. The affordable pricing is one, and so is the attractive design. It is an ideal car for couples and small families, especially if they predominantly use it to travel inside the city.
Compared to Alto, the Hyundai Santro is a taller vehicle with more legroom. However, just as the Alto is a favorite with Indian families, the Santro is not very far behind. It tops the popularity charts frequently because of its classy looks and smart features.

Exterior looks

The Alto is the most attractive amongst small cars as it comes with a compact look. The body-coloured front and rear bumpers gel beautifully with the black grille and large headlamps. The rear tail lamps accentuate the attraction quotient. The roof maintains its shape to provide ample space in the boot. The flared wheel arches and the black rubber skirting at the sides give the Alto its well-toned structure.

Hyundai has revamped its Santro and reintroduced it with a brand new look that looks sporty and stylish at every turn. The dynamic Z-shaped character lines add to the classy appearance. In addition, the swept-back headlamps introduce a sense of sporting dynamism, whereas the front fog lamps enhance visibility.

The classic chrome grille exudes a premium look. The high-mounted stop lamp is Santro’s highlight, and the body-coloured handles and bumpers add to the aesthetic looks.

Interiors and Comfort

Though the Alto is a small and compact car, it offers sufficient space for its passengers to relax during long drives. However, three people can find it challenging to fit into the rear seats comfortably. The redesigned Alto has more space in the boot to place your luggage. The exquisitely designed interior upholstery adds to the interior ambience. The simplistic infotainment cluster is a pleasure to use.

The New Santro is different from the earlier version as it comes with more spacious interiors. Besides, the Mirror Link and iBlue smartphone app for audio remote control add to the comfort angle. Moreover, the new Santro offers excellent space in the boot, with the raised tailgate accentuating the tallboy image. In addition, the elephant-inspired centre fascia provides the ideal mix of traditional and modern appeal.

Engine and Performance

The Alto comes equipped with an 800cc engine and a 5-speed MT system to deliver excellent power and torque for a small car. This vehicle can run on petrol and CNG as the CNG variant comes with a factory-fitted S-CNG attachment to ensure high mileage of 31.59km/kg. The petrol variant delivers a good mileage of 22.05kmpl.

The new Santro comes with a 1.1L 4-cylinder engine capable of delivering maximum power of 69ps and high torque of 10.1kgm. This BS6-compliant engine uses a 5-speed manual transmission to allow gear shifting with improved NVH levels (noise, vibration, and harshness). The Santro also offers an automatic transmission variant to give you the required driving confidence.

Ride, Handling, and Safety

The safety highlight of the Alto is the rear parking sensors that ensure safe and hassle-free parking. The driver and the co-passenger on the front seat get additional protection in the mandatory dual airbags. Besides, the seatbelt reminder feature is a good safety measure as it instils proper driving discipline. ABS with EBD ensure top-quality braking performance.

The new Santro comes with a high-strength steel body with 63% AHSS 25HSS. The rear parking sensors are the first in its segment. Besides, the new Santro features a rearview mirror to enable convenient parking. The rear defogger and the impact/speed sensing auto door lock/unlock feature are excellent safety measures in a small car. In addition, the seatbelt pretensioners protect all occupants from severe spinal damage during an impact collision.

Verdict

The Maruti Suzuki Alto is an excellent performer that is available at the most reasonable prices. The lowest-priced variant, Alto STD, is available for under Rs 3 lakhs, whereas the top=end version comes comfortably below Rs 5 lakhs.
The lowest-priced Santro is Rs 4.77 lakhs, whereas the top-end CNG variant comes at Rs 6.21 lakhs. However, the Santro is the entry-level Hyundai vehicle available at the lowest prices.

When it comes to budget and performance, the Alto should be a good vehicle, whereas the Santro is ideal for those looking for comfort and appearance. Besides, the Hyundai Santro is the lowest-priced hatchback to go for if you are looking for an alternative to the Maruti Suzuki vehicles.

---

---