Suzuki Alto Car Review

HerCar Rating: Model Reviewed Suzuki Alto GLX 4 speed auto petrol $16,490* Other models priced from: Suzuki Alto GL 5 speed manual petrol $12,490* HerCar 3 word summary Frugal City Car

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The Suzuki Alto was launched in Australia in August and is one of the smallest, fuel efficient petrol cars around. It feels like a pretty basic car when you first jump in, but when you start having a play around you'll find most of the features you want, particularly safety equipment.

There are 2 models to choose from the GL and GLX with a choice of manual and automatic. Our review focuses on the GLX.

The Drive
I drove the manual first, which was OK. The engine was a little noisy and the car appeared to work hard as you traveled through the gears. However, it does have a light gearbox and clutch, which made the gear changes easy. So after driving the one litre manual I was a bit concerned about the lack of power in the auto. I was really surprised. In fact, the auto transmission in this car would be my preference. The car got up to speed really quickly and cruised well along the city streets, although it did struggle up long hills with 3 of us on board.

One of the big pluses is that it is easy parking. I squeezed into parks where no other mum could go at school! Add to this, great visibility, and the Alto starts to stack up as a smart option for urban dwellers.

The instrumentation panel is very basic with a large speedometer as the main feature. The GLX model also has a tachometer mounted on the dash.

Safety
The GLX has a great list of standard safety features including ABS with EBD, Emergency Brake Assist, Electronic Stability Control and 6 airbags. The base model GL has all of this except the ESC. The GLX has scored a 4 out of 5 star safety rating by ANCAP.

Storage
Storage options are OK and include 2 front centre cup holders, small door pockets in all four doors, bottle holders in the rear doors, 2 centre storage nook and a glove box.
The boot space is very limited. We managed to get in 3 back packs, but that's it. The rear seats are 50/50 split which will give you more luggage room when required.

Rear Passenger Comfort
Two adults can fit in the back of the car, but you may need to add some extra time to your trip if there are some steep hills en route. They'll also get the opportunity to reacquaint themselves with wind up windows. My 7 year old daughters were fascinated with them as they had never seen them before!

Green Factor
This is where the Alto shines. The manual consumes 4.8 litres per 100kms, which is a gnat more than the Toyota Hybrid. The auto needs a little more juice at around 5.5 litres per 100kms combined cycle. Carbon emissions are also low emitting 113gm/km for the manual and 130gm/km for the auto. The Alto scores the maximum 5 stars in the Green Vehicle Guide rating and is one of the top 3 green cars in Australia.

GL Manual Snapshot
This is the most affordable model at $12,490 or $14,990 driveaway. It's pretty basic with just a hole for a glove box, only a speedometer in terms of gauges and 2 speaker audio system. On the upside you still get a CD tuner and air conditioning!

Overall View
The Suzuki Alto is a good little car to get around town, commute to a railway station or for those with tight parking options. Its quirky looks will appeal to those young at heart and the low fuel consumption will bring a smile to all.

If you're considering buying this car you might also consider the Hyundai Getz, Kia Rio, Holden Barina and Ford Fiesta.

Features of Model Reviewed

Seats:	4
Airbags:	6 airbags
ABS:	Yes
EBD:	Yes
Electronic Stability Control:	Yes
Driver visibility:
Storage compartments:
Drink holders:	4
CD player:	Single CD player with 4 speakers
Air conditioning:	Yes
Power windows:	Front
Power door mirrors:	No
Child restraint anchorage points:	2
Transmission:	4 speed auto
Engine:	1.0 litre
Fuel type:	Petrol
Fuel consumption (combined cycle):	4.8 litres/100 kms
CO2 Emission:	130gms/km
Greenhouse rating#:	8.5/10 (10=best)
Green Vehicle Guide rating:
ANCAP Safety rating:
Warranty:	3 year/100,000 kms
Price:	$16,490*

*Manufacturer's list price. Excludes dealer delivery and government statutory charges.

# All new vehicles sold in Australia (up to 3.5 tonnes gross vehicle mass) are tested to determine the level of fuel consumption and CO2 emissions (Greenhouse rating), which are displayed on the fuel consumption label attached to the windscreen of the car. The Green Vehicle Guide rating combines the Greenhouse Rating and Air Pollution Rating and awards a star. 5 stars is the best rating.  For more information, click here.
Information is correct at the time of the review. Please check with your local Suzuki dealer for the most recent information.

Review Date: September 2009

Reviewed By: Melissa Pye