Maruti Alto 800 review, test drive

Like the engine, the ride and handling have also gone a step in the right direction. Low-speed ride quality is another area where this Maruti showed a plushness you wouldn’t really associate with a budget city runabout. Yes, it does thump over bumps, but the suspension does a good job of softening the jolt. Over bad roads, the Alto feels out of its comfort zone and the ride isn’t as flat as we would like. There’s a fair amount of vertical movement owing to its softly sprung setup. Suspension noise is also pretty well-contained, though road noise gets intrusive as you go faster.

Where the Alto shines the most is in city limits. The car’s compact dimensions, coupled with the light steering, are terrific for parking in tight spots. All-round visibility is good too, making the new Alto an ideal car for our ever-crowded roads. There is a fair bit of body roll when you go fast around a corner, but the car feels safe and in control. However, the light steering doesn’t quite weight up at higher speeds and there’s lots of slack around the straight-ahead position.

In terms of braking, the Alto 800 offers good feel at the pedal and also doesn’t veer much under panic stops.