At ₹3.7 lakh the Alto K10 is the third-cheapest car among the 28 hatchbacks in its class, and its buyer has barely changed in two decades: someone who needs honest, low-cost family transport and does not want to think about the car beyond fuel and an annual service. If that is you, the shortlist here is really Alto K10 versus S-Presso versus a used car — and the Alto's case is its better CNG economy and its slightly tidier, lower-slung shape.
At ₹3.7 lakh the Alto K10 is the third-cheapest car among the 28 hatchbacks in its class, and its buyer has barely changed in two decades: someone who needs honest, low-cost family transport and does not want to think about the car beyond fuel and an annual service. If that is you, the shortlist here is really Alto K10 versus S-Presso versus a used car — and the Alto's case is its better CNG economy and its slightly tidier, lower-slung shape.
Both cars share the 998cc K10C engine — 69 PS and 89 Nm in petrol trim with 24.9 kmpl claimed, or 57 PS on CNG returning 33.85 km/kg, the better figure of the two Maruti entry cars. The petrol offers a 5-speed automatic option; CNG stays manual. At 18.6 PS per lakh the value-for-power math is strong, though the segment's petrol median means their 24.9 kmpl is only about 3 percent ahead of typical rivals, not a runaway win.
This is a genuinely small car — 3,530 mm long, 1,490 mm wide, with a 214-litre boot and 167 mm of clearance. Upper trims get a 7-inch touchscreen with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, keyless entry and rear parking sensors; lower ones make do with front-only power windows, two front speakers and halogen lamps. Park it anywhere, run it on CNG, and the per-km cost drops to scooter territory.
| Variant | Fuel | Transmission | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| STD | Petrol | 5-Speed Manual | ₹3.7 Lakh |
| LXI | Petrol | 5-Speed Manual | ₹4 Lakh |
| VXI | Petrol | 5-Speed Manual | ₹4.5 Lakh |
| LXI S-CNG | CNG | 5-Speed Manual | ₹4.82 Lakh |
| VXI AT | Petrol | 5-Speed Automatic | ₹4.95 Lakh |
| VXI Plus | Petrol | 5-Speed Manual | ₹5 Lakh |
| VXI S-CNG | CNG | 5-Speed Manual | ₹5.32 Lakh |
| VXI Plus AT | Petrol | 5-Speed Automatic | ₹5.45 Lakh |
Ex-showroom prices. See the city-wise on-road price for your city.
998 cc · 69 PS @ 5600 rpm · 89 Nm @ 3500 rpm · 5-Speed MT / 5-Speed AT · ARAI 24.9 kmpl · BS VI 2.0
998 cc · 57 PS @ 5300 rpm · 82 Nm @ 3400 rpm · 5-Speed MT · ARAI 33.85 km/kg · BS VI 2.0
Length: 3530 mm · Width: 1490 mm · Height: 1520 mm · Wheelbase: 2380 mm · Ground clearance: 167 mm · Boot space: 214 litres · Fuel tank: 27 litres
Anti-lock Braking System (ABS), Child Safety Locks, Driver Airbag, Passenger Airbag, Side Airbag, Side Airbag-Rear, Electronic Brakeforce Distribution (EBD), Engine Immobilizer, Electronic Stability Control (ESC), Global NCAP Safety Rating: 2 Star, Central Locking.
Once a year or about every 10,000 km (indicative)
Alto-family cars sit at the bottom of India's maintenance-cost table; ₹3,500-6,000 a year is a reasonable budget (indicative), and every roadside mechanic knows the K10 engine
Expect roughly ₹9,000-14,000 a year comprehensive for the ₹3.7-5.45 lakh price band, varying with city and no-claim bonus (indicative)
Petrol at 24.9 kmpl works out near ₹4 per km; CNG at 33.85 km/kg drops running cost to roughly ₹2.5 per km at prevailing prices (indicative)
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Alto K10 vs Maruti Suzuki S-Presso: ₹3.5 lakh start — ₹20,000 cheaper with more clearance, but its CNG does 32.73 km/kg to the Alto's 33.85 See the Maruti Suzuki S-Presso.
Alto K10 vs Renault KWID: ₹4.53 lakh onwards with a best of 22.3 kmpl — SUV-ish looks, clearly weaker economy See the Renault KWID.
Alto K10 vs Tata Tiago: From ₹4.7 lakh: a size class up in width and engine — the sensible next rung if budget allows See the Tata Tiago.
Alto K10 vs Bajaj Qute: ₹3.61 lakh CNG-only quadri-commuter claiming 43 km/kg — fleet economics, not family comfort See the Bajaj Qute.
The Alto K10 wins the entry-Maruti face-off if your running is high and a CNG pump is convenient: 33.85 km/kg is the number that settles it. Buy one variant above base so you get the touchscreen and sensors, and if the car will live in city traffic with a petrol engine, take the AT — it is the single biggest upgrade to daily usability the range offers. Sub-₹5 lakh, mid-spec, CNG for commuters or petrol AT for convenience: that is the whole decision tree.
Between ₹3.7 lakh and ₹5.45 lakh across 8 variants, spanning petrol manual, petrol automatic and CNG manual versions.
The Alto K10, at 33.85 km/kg versus the S-Presso's 32.73 km/kg. Both use the same 998cc K10C engine detuned to 57 PS on CNG.
Yes — the 69 PS petrol comes with an optional 5-speed automatic in addition to the standard 5-speed manual. The CNG is manual-only.
214 litres. On CNG variants the gas tank occupies part of the boot, so inspect the remaining space before booking if you carry luggage often.
It will cruise, but with 69 PS, a 1,490 mm-wide body and a focus on city economy, it is happiest under 100 km/h. For regular highway runs consider a segment up.
Upper variants carry a 7-inch touchscreen with Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, Bluetooth and USB ports, plus keyless entry.
A 998cc three-cylinder K10C making 69 PS and 89 Nm on petrol, or 57 PS and 82 Nm on CNG — the same unit used across Maruti's entry range.
Eight, spread across petrol MT, petrol AT and CNG MT — enough spread to land almost exactly on your budget between ₹3.7 and ₹5.45 lakh.