7:00am Saturday 3rd October 2009
IF CITY chic is important, the Suzuki Alto should be high on your buying list.
The baby motor shows that the Suzuki Motor Corporation knows how to pen a small car that looks fresh and distinctive for European tastes and possesses aerodynamic efficiency as an important design consideration in improving the car’s fuel economy.
Not that previous Alto models were poor lookers or thirsty. But the new and more stylish model – the seventh version of the Alto in 30 years – has taken the motor’s fuel economy to new heights with a best return of 74.3mpg on the extra urban cycle and a combined everyday figure of 64.2mpg.
These are the kind of fuel returns that will put a smile on your face if you are working to a budget. And the splendid CO2 emissions of just 103g/km from the 1.0-litre, threecylinder Euro 5-compliant engine means it is one of the cleanest petrol family models. Three grams less and the car would have qualified for free road tax.
Suzuki is also renowned for excellent value and the Alto prices, which go from £6,795 to £7,960 for the fivespeed manual models, compare really well with the opposition. One of the best features is the threecylinder unit which is a gem of engineering and a marked improvement over earlier three-cylinders that often lacked a smooth deliver of power and became noisy when revved hard.
This 65bhp motor is more punchy yet smooth with the 0-62mph acceleration test coming up in a respectable 13.2 seconds, which makes it ideal for brisk town use. On the open road the engine needs to be worked fairly hard to get the most out of it but with judicial use of the slick transmission it does build up speed well. The widelyspaced third gear is useful for overtaking and the Alto is happy at the maximum motorway speed. The 70mph limit comes up fairly swiftly but it does take a while to reach higher speeds.
A four-speed automatic transmission – not often seen with city cars – is available at an extra cost of £600.
On the road, the Alto will zip in and out of the traffic with ease. The ride is good, too, with updates to the suspension being mainly responsible for improving the ride and handling qualities.
The car is very chuckable into corners and generally shows more composure than before. The small size and good visibility, combined with power steering, makes manoeuvring easy in the car park.
This Alto is better built, finished and equipped and the new twotone interior layout oozes plenty of style. The thoroughly-modern interior has the easy-to-use controls centrally grouped together to avoid clutter. And there are ample and well-placed storage spaces to suit your needs.
While the car is roomy up front, it lacks leg space in the rear but the boot is adequate for a small family with access via a well-designed tailgate.
The car, built in India, is tailored to European tastes.
This is a runabout which is not only cheap to buy and run but comes with some of the latest technology.
The motor benefits from advancements in management systems, the car’s construction boasts high rigidity and there are crushable structures to absorb impact. The security and safety measures are commendable for a small car.
Two of the three specifications share air-conditioning with the top model, the SZ4, adding an electronic stability programme, curtain shield airbags, 14-inch alloy wheels, and front fog lamps. The SZ4 is probably the best buy because of its higher equipment level but the other two specifications are also well equipped for a runabout.
AT-A-GLANCE
Suzuki Alto 1.0-litre SZ4.
Price: £7,960 (on the road).
Top speed: 96mph.
0-62mph: 13.5 seconds.
Fuel: 64.2mpg (combined figure).
Emissions (g/km): 103.
Annual road tax: £35.
Verdict: Cheap to buy and run, sporty and modern looks inside and out, well constructed, clean and lively motor.
© Copyright 2001-2012 Newsquest Media Group
http://www.herefordtimes.com/trade_directory/