Refreshed interiors

It gets a contemporary dark grey interior colour theme; silver inserts look chic. The new seat and door trim fabric adds a classic appeal to the car. Outside rear-view mirrors (ORVMs) can be adjusted from inside. An improved rear seat with integrated headrests makes the ride comfortable for passengers. There are a lot of cubbyholes (utility spaces) in the cabin, including a rear bottle holder and codriver side map pocket.

The top-end variant gets features such as remote keyless entry, integrated stereo with USB, AUX and radio, rear parcel tray, two front speakers with speaker grille, accessory socket, among others.

There is extra head and shoulder room in the front, and the legroom at the rear seat is marginally more than in the outgoing version. In addition, Maruti says that intelligently packaged slim doors maximise interior passenger space.

Changes inside the cabin are noteworthy, but the car is not as roomy as its competitors. The 796cc three-cylinder petrol engine is a proven performer. It produces a peak power of 47.34bhp@6000rpm and a peak torque of 69Nm@3500rpm. The company has enhanced its fuel-efficiency by 9% and it now returns a claimed mileage of 24.77kpl. (The Kwid and redi-GO share their engine—799cc—which has a claimed mileage of 25.17kpl.)

The engine has an efficient combustion system and provides excellent torque at low RPM, enabling less frequent gear changes. And when you have to change gears, the cable-type gear-shift mechanism makes it smooth and the Detent Pin Technology makes the shifts precise. In addition, the company’s Diagonal Shift Assist ensures effortless shifting from 5th to 4th gear.

A specially coated piston and ring set reduces frictional losses and increases engine life and efficiency. The drive-by-wire technology not only makes the engine responsive but also enhances driving experience. As compared to both the Kwid and redi-GO, the Alto’s engine is quieter.

The car has also been launched in a CNG version which, the company

Improved engine