Model Update

Beckoning to be one of the cutest cars on the road, Suzuki’s new Alto GL and GLX are stylish to drive. You won’t pay too much to own one of these, as the cost of owning one is only a little over 10k. Also, long-term ownership for the very fuel economic Alto will be low. A five-speed manual Alto is only going to sip, on average, 4.8 litres/100 km. My motorbike would struggle to keep ahead of that!

It might be real budget pricing, but six-airbags and a three/year warranty are included in the package. ABS with EBD and BA provide good stopping power. You also have the benefit of an iPod auxiliary input, a CD stereo system with an input jack for MP3, air conditioning and 14-inch alloy wheels.

Low cost motoring is tempting, isn’t it?

At the Melbourne Motor Show in 2008, one car stood out from all the glitzy concept cars and high performance dream cars as being one of the most likely candidates to be the car that people actually buy, use and love: the Suzuki Alto.

The Suzuki Alto is the perfect car for small households (singles, young couples or retired with the kids gone from home) or as a second runabout car. Combining frugality with practicality and safety, the little Alto is bound to be one of Australia’s more popular city hatchbacks (or country hatchbacks – if you have to run into town from the country and you’re not taking twenty sacks of fertilizer or having to ford rivers, you probably want something economical).

The Suzuki Alto has been designed to make you smile. Not only will the performance, economy and safety make anybody happy, but even the looks are designed to get a smile – and not because it’s a plug-ugly vehicle that makes the beholder roar with laughter. No, indeed. The Suzuki Alto is… cute. No other word will do. The designers on the Suzuki team seem to have taken a leaf out the Beetle/Mini/Fiat books and given the Alto appealing bug-eyed headlights and rounded lines that are almost cuddly. C’mon – even the grille looks like a great big grin. However, these cutesy looks are given a slight edge with a few sporty touches – the fog lights, for example.

Cute and cuddly it may look, but the Suzuki Alto’s interior does not require you to get intimate with your fellow passengers. It’s surprisingly roomy and can fit four adults. If you need to pack gear in the back, the rear seats fold down flat – so maybe you can squeeze in those 20 sacks of fertilizer after all (depending on the size of sack). No scrambling around trying to put a toddler in the back of a three-door hatch here, either – the Suzuki Alto’s a practical five-door.

But the biggest drawcard of the Suzuki Alto and its greatest appeal is its economy and environmental impact (or lack thereof). Overseas tests have produced an economy figure of 4.4 litres per 100 km – few cars can beat this for sheer economy. CO2 emissions are also low – 103 g/km. Top torque for this 1.0 unit is 90 Nm and the top power weighs in at 50 kw, so while the Suzuki Alto won’t be rumbling it with the big HSVs and FPVs, it’s got all you need for everyday running and then some (maximum speed is 155 km – well over the open road speed limit). Four-speed auto and five-speed manual transmissions are available overseas, but we’ll have to wait and see what comes to Australia.

Safety-wise, the Suzuki Alto has everything that a small car needs to keep out of trouble and to keep the car’s occupants safe if the worst happens. ESP (electric stability programme, not extra-sensory perception!) helps the driver stay in control if you start getting into a dangerous skid – but with the light, responsive steering and the very tight turning circle (4.5 m), this won’t be likely. Passive safety features in the form of impact-absorbing crumple zones and airbags galore (front, side and curtain).

In these days of environmental concern and recession, a car like the Suzuki Alto is likely to impress and be very popular.

The current model series includes the:

• Alto GL
• Alto GLX

For anymore information on the Suzuki Alto, or for that matter any other new car, contact one of our friendly consultants on 1300 303 181. If you’d like some fleet discount pricing (yes even for private buyers!), we can submit vehicle quote requests out to our national network of Suzuki dealers and come back with pricing within 24 hours. Private Fleet – car buying made easy!

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