[a4anurag]

WHY ANOTHER CAR?!?

The reason I feel for the need of a car equipped with Automatic transmission in our garage is, for my wife, who will be the primary user and needing one for travelling from home to college and back that consists of 40-45 kms per day (minimum) in absolute peak traffic hour timings with densely / congested traffic parts making it cumbersome to use a Manual transmission. With her being the only person in it 99% of the time, hatchback was preferred option thanks to its size and ease of handling in city roads. She has taken my Swift couple of times to college but has returned irritated and tired also with a sore left leg. She isn't comfortable driving a regular MT in such traffic conditions but loves the MT in stretches that aren't dense. So the decision was to look out for cars ONLY with Automatic transmission.

With the amount of Research and technological development going on in the field of automobiles, life is getting easier for the all people along with the implementation of technologies especially in the cars that are being manufactured for the masses (lower price point car segment) are getting more efficient, aiding in a peaceful ownership and stress-free driving experience maintaining the reliability quotient at the same time.

Out of the many available features on cars now, one such feature I feel that makes driving easier for the masses is – Automatic transmission. This coupled to a frugal engine should be a runaway success for any manufacturer.

In earlier days, automatic transmission was only available in higher end cars which were totally out of reach for the common man who desired having them in the cars they wanted to buy. There was a downside to the AT box as it was labelled as fuel guzzlers, lethargic and costlier to maintain when compared to their manual transmission counterparts. This thought in the minds of people made manufacturers think twice before launching more car choices with automatic transmission as people would buy them lesser leading to dead inventory and added expenses plus lesser line efficiency. In a FE dominant market, AT boxes were no good to stand as compared to their MT counterparts hence they were almost nil in choices if one wanted to buy. They either cost too much or gulp fuel a lot. This issue needed to be arrested where manufacturers came with advancements in automatic transmission in the form of DSG’s and AMT’s.

With the increase in vehicular population and better buying power, people have started looking at various options and the market seems to be having a liking for the cars equipped with Automatic transmission at an affordable price. Hence manufacturers are now looking at this niche segment to tap the potential with cars that serve both the fuel efficiency runners and power hungry too. With more sales month-on-month as seen in the sales thread on Team-BHP, vehicular population is increasing exponentially in both metros and tier-2 & 3 cities causing congestion and traffic jams making driving even hectic and painful. Human mind and the left foot is the highest that suffers in these situations. People have stopped getting out of their homes or offices during peak traffic hour times thanks to the l-o-n-g traffic jams and the excessive use of the left foot to keep the car inching few meters. Patience is one virtue that is being lost out of people who just have stopped using their minds and sense, especially in cities. With regular traffic jams that we see every day, people start blazing their horns the moment they see the signal turn green and if the driver ahead doesn't move.

Such cars that get automatic transmission to the masses at affordable prices are the need of the hour and also cars with the combination of Diesel + AT that many manufacturers are shying away to launch.

[a4anurag]

CHOICE OF CARS AND THEIR TD’ing EXPERIENCE

With the one parameter in car buying finalised -The AT, which had to be mandatory, the below is what I can short list that are being equipped with automatic transmission as a choice for me:

1. Swift Dzire AT
2. Brio AT and
3. Polo GT TSI

With a lovely sticker price of 10L for the GT TSI along with niggling issues of DSG and reliability running in the back of my mind, we had to drop this from the list straight away. The Dzire was removed to lack luster response from Maruti and low availability (read waiting period as Maruti manufactured only depending on booking orders submitted by dealers where I was quoted a wait time of 6-7 months). Finally we were left with the Brio AT. I was very happy as it is a great car for that price and size with an i-VTEC engine in it to keep the right foot happy when in mood. We went to 3 different dealers for TD and booking of this car but sadly the negative attitude and bullying tactic during price negotiation for the car made us think again before proceeding with the car further. Keeping the Brio on hold, we were looking at other modes of transport like an Activa instead of the car till we find a suitable one but I wasn’t happy to be getting her use a two wheeler for daily commute due to safety reasons and overall stress.

As days passed, I came across news here on Team-BHP regarding cars from Tata and Maruti Suzuki which would be getting the Auto transmission in the form of AMT’s. This news did get us excited and happy thereby putting the plans of buying an Activa to rest and postponing it for the later stages. Cars that were going to get this were the Tata Nano, Maruti Celerio and Maruti Alto K10. We were open to both these companies even though I never prefer going to Tata but wanted to be positive giving them a chance along with trying to get a change in ownership experience apart from Maruti Suzuki.

With the launch of Celerio first getting the AMT in the VXi avatar followed by the launch of Alto K10 and Tata Nano, we had our homework’s started again by calling dealers and reserving slot for the booking plus a chance to TD before final settlement.

> The last choices of cars we had in hands that were offered at an affordable price as compared to the earlier short list of cars:

1. Maruti Celerio VXi AMT;
2. Maruti Alto K10 VXi AMT;
3. Tata Nano XTA.

With my eyes hooked onto the news section and updates on these cars for their individual top models to check on the features plus pricing, I was thoroughly disappointed with both the manufacturers with regards to Celerio and Alto K10 that have NO safety features included in the AMT variant. With time passing by and no concrete news on the launch of ZXi in the Celerio or may be VXi (O) in the Alto K10, we had to compromise and go ahead with the current available variants as the need for it was urgent.

But, God had plans to delay the purchase further by giving us a news that production is on a lesser scale for the AMT equipped cars since sourcing the ‘AMT units’ from Magneti Marelli is an uphill task because of production issues at Magneti Marelli. Actually they were in a process of setting up a unit here with ramped up production capacities to cater to the demand. Tata too was facing the heat due to the same issues.

Even though delivery dates weren't known, what we did was paid ₹5000 each as booking amount for Nano, Celerio VXI and the Alto K10 so as to get the car as soon as we could. I was adamant on the need for a PDI by myself before letting the car ready for delivery Guys at Tata did hesitate initially but accepted it later on.

On the 6th April, I got a call from Varun Motors stating that there is chance for the TD car to be arriving in a day or two post which I’ll be called to come to the showroom for TD’ing the cars. Patiently waited for their call and on the 10th April was asked to come for the TD and further decision making. After getting the Happy news from Maruti regarding the car, I tried calling Tata too if they have got the vehicle or no! Sadly was disappointed again as the reply from them was negative. Didn’t want to take a hasty decision and cancel the booking hence decided to wait for the Nano to arrive.

Come Saturday and I am at their dealership at 11am with my eyes scanning for the cars for TD. To my surprise there were 18 more families awaiting TD for the Celerio. Only a few knew that the Alto K10 too had the AMT. At 2pm post lunch, my wife and I got the chance to lay our hands on the cars. The TD was done in peak traffic areas with flyovers where I could test the start-stop system of the AMT, whether it rolls back or no and mainly this is where actually is the cars would be driven regularly. I must say that I was over-joyed by the Alto’s performance over the Celerio (But obvious, I know!). After TD’ing both the cars and some spending time in both these cars at the dealership, later we sat down looking at the brochure and waited patiently for the final prices for both these cars in their VXi avatar.

__________________________________________________ ___________

My points for each the cars that we finally narrowed down onto:

1) Maruti Suzuki Celerio VXi AMT:



A nice, upmarket car from Maruti Suzuki for the hatchback loving citizens with a sense of simplicity and no gaudy lines. It feels good to be seated in a familiar looking car (thanks to parts bin borrowed from the Swift and Ritz too). Overall I did like the car and also the gear lever position that reminded me of my Ritz! A convenient location that doesn’t put load on the arms since the ergonomics are spot-on.

The AMT variant being feature-less, it is an additional expense to the customer who is looking at buying the VXi variant. Moreover the warranty issues keep the customer fuming as they would be bound by rules to get accessories fit at dealership with Maruti Genuine Accessories, also the prices for MGA are on the higher side. The TD was done first by my wife for around 4 kms after which I hopped in. Took me a while to understand what was happening and what the car wants me to do to behave rightly. After some miles on it I understood the way the AMT needs to be handled to get it run smoothly without any jerks. Feather's touch!

I find the space at the rear decent for the size as I come from the Swift that has absolutely NO space in it anywhere except the front seats when pushed all the way back but is a slight tight fit at the rear. This point was not a deal breaker for us so we left that part out.

After the TD, we came to the table to discuss the pricing for the VXi AMT variant that stood at 6.1L OTR, Hyderabad. I was like Whoa! That’s almost VDi variant in the Swift and I get nothing in the Celerio. No airbags, ABS, Stereo, Rear wash/wipe, remote locking. It just looked so bare-bones when I went to see the VXI (MT) variant in their stockyard. I was just disappointed as the price would go up by another 30 – 35K minimum for the accessories like ICE, Mud flaps, seat covers, remote locking making the net pricing to reach 6.4 – 6.6 lakhs that was just not acceptable to my standards. I looked at dad and said what is the point in paying 60% price of GT TSI for a car that has NOTHING! I didn’t even bother to take the deal further from here. That’s the end of this car!

+ ve’s:

• Tall-boy looks;
• Rear space;
• Familiar parts bin.
• Bright/Airy cabin.

– ve’s:

• Absolutely feature-less;
• Pricing for the AMT variant;
• No safety equipment even as an option.

2) Maruti Suzuki Alto K10 VXI AMT:



After driving the Celerio for 16 kms (12 kms in the City and 4 kms on the highway), we came back to the dealership and started the same journey in the K10. This time it was me on the seat for the onward journey. With my brain trained, I responded rightly and started to enjoy the car even more. Due to its small foot print and a lovely engine it was a monster on the road. The response to my throttle inputs was given out within seconds with no drama. I liked the way the car behaved both in city and highways but the highway drive was kept short as this car will not see the highway.

On the return TD leg, my wife was driving and felt the same regarding the speed and the way it effortlessly it reached city speeds without any drama. Happy with the car, we sat down to get the pricing details. The K10 costs 4.88L OTR, Hyderabad with some basic features provided as standard saving me from spending more. Colors chosen were either Tango Orange or Cerulean Blue or Fire Brick Red with first preference given to the Red. More on this later!

As the booking amount was already paid, nothing much more was left to discuss as the next stop was Tata for the Nano AMT. Bidding a bye to our SA and requesting him to keep us posted on the tentative delivery dates of the K10.

+ ve’s:

• Engine and Performance
• Looks
• Boot space
• After Sales service

– ve’s:

• Pricing
• No storage space
• Low rear passengers space.
• No safety kit.

3) Tata Nano XTA:



A stunner car from Tata that I actually did not expect as it was being labelled as ‘a cheap car’ which the Nano didn’t feel in some areas as compared to the Alto K10 that was pricier. Acres of space and tall seating that helps the driver get a brilliant view which made driving around so easy and commanding. With the same roads chosen for the TD as with the Celerio and K10, the Tata felt better only in slower city speeds whereas the K10 shined on a faster pace. No doubt there due to the poor engine figures given to that car! Sad!

Had read quite a few reviews online and here on Team-BHP regarding Brakes and to my surprise, I did find them on the weaker side once speed was above 60 kmph. The lack of bite and power was not inspiring confidence in my wife for being her daily drive. Moreover she also found the NVH levels inside the cabin on the higher side even though it has been improved as compared to the older generations. Loaded to the gills with features (Except safety ones), the Nano looked highly VFM with a price tag landing a 3.59L OTR Hyderabad, it was irresistible specially in the Damson Purple colour. With the lack-lustre response by Tata regarding the delivery dates for Damson Purple and also the issue with the brakes, my wife decided to let go this car from the list.

I had made 4 calls to the SA for finding out when the car would be delivered but I would hear only one story – ‘Delay at the factory as cars aren’t being dispatched properly’. To be honest, I really did like the car myself and wanted this to get into our garage for a change but Tata – You kicked it yourself!

+ ve’s:

• Many actually... A proper VFM city car
• Space
• Features
• Pricing

– ve’s:

• NVH
• Safety features
• Brakes
• Dealership experience (Not a negative for the car though but for Tata)

PS: Picture taken from their respective Official Review's.

In the next post I''ll be putting up the Booking experience, The Wait and The Delivery Experience!

[a4anurag]

BOOKING EXPERIENCE:

So at the end of the day with a total of 60 kms of TD’ing the three cars and talking to Sales Executives, we finalized the deal for the Alto K10 – Fire Brick Red on the 13th April, 2015 @ 3pm at Varun Motors, Hyderabad. We were given a customer docket number for future reference and Rs 10,000 amount refunded from cancelling the Celerio and Nano. The tentative delivery date for the K10 was 2 months as on paper but the dealership was trying to source the car for me by the April month end.

Customer Docket Book:


-----------------------------------------------------

THE WAIT AND DELIEVRY

WAITING PERIOD – The worst part!

One day passed by and I receive a call from my sales executive regarding the car delivery. Since I was driving when he called me, I called once I reached home where he asked me what could be our second choice for colour as an option. I was not sure what the need for a second choice was?! I was pretty fixed on Red thanks to the looks in this colour and also it was something new in our garage. Asked him time of 1 hour to decide, I called up wife to give me a second colour option. After a lot of discussing and browsing, we gave them Cerulean Blue as a choice. He thanked and hung up without disclosing anything further. I tried calling him up once again but received no feedback.

With days flying it was making it difficult for both Dad and wife as the car they used for commute was the same (Ertiga) and made things even complicated if there was some delay in coordination. The need for getting the car as soon as possible was going up the roofs and sometimes irritating to the core.

On the 16th May for some reason I call my executive to know the latest update as they weren't calling me regarding this making me worry further. The SA answers and says the same thing (No supply due to AMT unit shortage!!). Irritated with the standard reply from Varun Motors, we started talking to the respective sales executives at Saboo Motors, Gem Motors, Autofin Motors, Sai Service Motors for the car delivery at the earliest with a realistic date for the chosen colour.

With a 45% share in sales by Varun Motors in AP and Telangana, they were the biggest and highest regarded by Maruti Suzuki and I have never been depressed by these guys since 1996. It is my sheer bad luck that the AMT unit shortage issue was prevailing currently making them helpless. We were forced to see alternatives as the need was growing with days passing. Since the booking was already made with Varun motors, transferring the booking to the dealership who committed the car to me would be easier. My neighbour, who has just bought a Ciaz ZDi+, tried helping us get the car by talking to his dealership sales manager but the reply was same as I had received from Varun Motors.

After 3 days of agonizing phone calls and emails to all dealerships, we receive a call from Sai Service saying that the red coloured K10 being a rarity in all the booking they had received, it wasn't being sent by the manufacturing plant as compared to K10’s in White, Silver and Grey that move well. We were now ‘again’ asked to select either White or Silver as they were the fast moving ones that the dealership could get cars. Tired by this we left the options and just told the dealership to get us ANY colour K10 AMT.

Funniest part is, I used to look at every trailer and search if it was "Maruti Suzuki’s" that ferried these cars from factory to dealership. I wanted to stop and ask them what all cars are there inside!

These Trucks:


On the 20th May luckily, guys from Sai Service call saying that three trucks have started their journey towards Hyderabad from manufacturing plant of which 1 truck is for Sai Service that had 3 K10’s and rest Swift’s, WagonR and Ciaz’s. Now listening to that, I just took a deep breath and slept happily. On the 25th evening, the car lands at their stockyard and I run to the dealership for transferring the booking to Sai Service from Varun Motors. With the formality completed, I was informed to come to the dealership on 28th for the PDI.

Major Points to be manly looked into including the ones mentioned in Team-BHP Check list:

1. VIN stamping and confirmation of the MFD
2. Tyre pressures
3. DOT code on tyres (For VIN verification)

DOT Code on the tyres Side Wall:


VIN Stamping:


It took me 1 hour for PDI to be done along with a friend of mine; I found tyre pressures as the main issue that I sorted it instantly. With the PDI done successfully, I gave them a go forward to start all the formalities for the delivery.

DELIVERY EXPERIENCE - A pretty neutral experience

After the green signal given to the dealership for the delivery of the car, we were said that the delivery will either happen on 30th or 31st May which we were okay with as we didn’t want to pressurize them in turn they doing something wrong.

On the 31st morning we were informed to be at the dealership for the delivery @ 5pm as they had another 11 cars to be delivered thanks to the sales pressure as it was the month end for meeting their targets.

While I was looking into the car for scratches and also was going through their delivery check list, I asked them to recheck the air pressure in all the tyres as I was getting a feeling that the car was on stilts and to my horror the air pressure was 51 psi in 3 tyres. I gave them a cold stare. I had deflated the tyres 4 days before during my PDI and now it is back. The SA said with a low voice that the car was taken back to their cellar and the mechanic re-inflated them as a standard practice.

With things in line and looking okay to me, we waited for the TR number to arrive which was the main hindrance in getting the car out of the dealership owing it to be 31st May moreover being a Sunday and all manufacturers delivering cars to meet their targets causing Telangana RTO website was down. We nearly had to wait 3 hours for the Temporary Registration number. Finally at 8pm we were out with the car towards home!

Here she is at the delivery bay:


As it was 9pm by the time we were at home, I took the car next day to offer prayers and get it blessed so that it is niggle-free and peaceful throughout its ownership and stay with us!

Here is the price break-up for the Alto K10 VXI AMT:

PRICE BREAK UP

Ex-Showroom........................ ₹ 4,13,122
Handling............................... ₹ 6,100
EW 3rd Year.......................... ₹ 4,115
Life tax................................. ₹ 49,580
Insurance.............................. ₹ 14,175
Temporary Registration........... ₹ 150
Permanent Reg (HSRP)........... ₹ 620

Total (A)............................... ₹ 4,87,862

Booking Amount .................... ₹ (-) 5,000

Total (Paid before delivery). ₹ 4,82,862

[a4anurag]

ALTO K10 VXi AMT – Fire Brick Red!

A wonderful, zippy, small car that genuinely talks ‘performance’ from Maruti Suzuki who are labelled for making more of fuel efficient cars rather than performance oriented. This particular one demolishes the problem in the small car segment. I had my eyes on this car since 2010 when we had our second WagonR in the garage accompanying the SX4. What attracted me towards this car was the 1.0L engine in that hood making it a brilliant performer for that asking price.

Come 2015 and I have that car in my garage Thanks to my wife who needed automatic car and Thanks to Maruti to launch the AMT in this car as well.

Putting-in the details regarding this car on the basis of the following points:

• Looks & Design;
• Space & Storage;
• Comfort and Ergonomics;
• Engine;
• Transmission – AMT unit;
• Ride and Handling;
• Features list;
• Specifications.

__________________________________________________ _____________

1) Looks and Design:

A. Exterior:

When the word Alto comes to one’s mind, the picture made is, a small family hatch made only for city runabouts with no fancy looks to flaunt around. It is just a bland, commuter oriented, family carrier that does its job quietly without any fuss. Now what Maruti have done to this family commuter is given it a fresh look to get some funky character to appeal to both the youth and the old. There are certain bits of design that are positive as well as negative. What I like in the design language of the car are the headlamps and tail lamp which makes one give this car a second stare. Bold and large in size, they occupy a fair amount area on the body at the front and rear end. With lesser amount of creases and lines on the car a minimalistic, simple and clean look is attributed (As compared to Hyundai Eon).

When this car is being positioned as a premium offering compared to its sibling which is sold side by side in the showroom a.k.a the Alto 800, what Maruti should have done is to keep the exteriors well treated and feature rich at least from the VXi variant that is the top-end generally. But I am proved wrong by this step-motherly treatment given to the AMT variant that makes it look odd even when one pays 5 lakhs. Some points to support my rant are:

1) the absence of front fog lamps that makes the car look like a lower-end variant;

2) Also the “half open-half close – front grille and air dam”. Not sure what would have happened if they let it open fully. With the area that is closed, it attracts a lot of dust and flies in it which makes cleaning difficult. I somehow do not like this setup which I already have been seeing since our 2000 model WagonR in which that car too had the half open-half close air dam;

3) The door handles and ORVM in black too spoil the overall good looks of the car

How hard can it be??!

What could have been the extra costs incurred during the manufacturing / planning by Maruti (cost to company) for adding a pair of fog lamps and getting the door handles + ORVM painted, beats me!!

Some more interesting bits I can see in this car are like for example, the Antenna for the Radio being routed from the A-pillar is above the driver’s door. One needs to keep pulling it out of its housing to get clear reception! Come-on Maruti, we are 2015!! It looks so funny to go back in time with such pieces of addition to the car. Fuel filler lid is XL size in this car that took my attention the very first day! What a size!

I have seen one thing that Maruti has started using in most of its cars from the Swift era is the front bumper base thick crease (crease line below the fog lamp area running throughout the bumper width). It does yield a sporty feel and stance to the car. This crease connects the wheel arch lines and ends at the front mud flaps area.

There was a point in time where the either ends of the car were designed keeping safety in mind during mild, slow-speed crashes so as to avoid damage to the body. Yes, I am talking of the bumpers! It is just non-existent in this car! If seen correctly, the boot lid bulge protrudes out and is in-line with the rear bumper. Not sure what protection it will offer in case of a low speed nick! I am not going towards the build quality of the bumper either. I can bend it by using my hand, if I use some kind of tools, I’ll break it!

A situation where I had my ’heart-in-mouth’ was during the HSRP installation, where they drill two holes in the plate and then two more holes on the bumper so as to fix the plates with rivets. Now the installer comes enthusiastically and starts the Bosch gun thinking the bumper is made of steel/alloy that would require strength to make a hole through, he was smiling looking at the thickness and build of the bumper. A hole was made even before the machine was at its top rotation speeds. Sad I must say looking at the status of “human safety” in India.

After I had gone through the Official review, I had seen that the test car had come with an optional extra chrome strip that was stuck at the base of the boot lid door. That particular addition though would make it look out of place in any other car; the Alto K10 carries this particular chrome strip well. Especially in Red and Grey, the rear looks are uplifted by this addition. It costs ₹890 and is sold at MGA outlets! We love Chrome, don’t we?! Will be putting this to my Accessory list which I’ll add a later stage.

B. Interiors:

With enough said on the exteriors of the car, let’s go the area where we all would be spending long hours – The Interiors!

With experience in seeing boring dashboards from Maruti, I had some hopes when they launched the K10 in 2010 but that was just a mild makeover of the Alto with a powerful engine. The interiors weren’t any different from the regular Alto. When the All new one was launched, I expected the same interiors as from Alto 800 and was somewhat depressed only till the Official Review came out for the New K10 that made me go - Wow!

With the advent of full-beige interiors, the twin colour dash design in this car along with the black HU insert, the looks imparted were upmarket and did give a feeling of a higher segment car. I am happy that Maruti did not go the “all-beige” way with this offering. For any casual observer, the dash looks like it is tilted towards the driver which it isn’t as it is just a faux-crease to give you that feeling. With the gear lever positioned just like the Ritz, there is some free space around but sadly Maruti chose not give any kind of storage bins in the whole car whatsoever (More on this later)!

When inside the car it feels bright and lively thanks to the beige seats and large glass area which lets light-in better. IMO some bits feel well put together whereas some give out the shoddy, cost saving measures in the car though one needs a finer eye for detail. There are some parts in the car that just does NOT belong to a 2015 generation car in my opinion. Not sure what made Maruti add them in the car with such a beautiful interior design. For example, the interior light, carried over from the Alto 800 and the 2000 model WagonR etc. It looks bad in the otherwise great interiors, the other one is the push-pull door locks system. I hate it more so as one can’t rest their arm on the door as it hinders and sometimes pinches too when the door locks / unlocks.

Silver accents on the A/C vents give it a premium feel along with the possibility to close it completely which is another plus point. The center A/C vents are small and do not channel the air properly towards the driver. It falls more between the two seats even when set at the extreme right side (horizontal adjustment). Since the car has a small cabin, the A/C chills very fast and forces me to go to either position 1.

2) Space & Storage:

I can just type a “LOL” and raise my eyebrows on this particular subject of evaluation for the car. Both these parameters just do NOT exist whatsoever in this car and it is highly annoying as one has to live-in and there is no place to keep things in the car except the boot or on the floor of the car. As the car is used 99% single, the space part can be left out as it is not an issue for me but in general there nothing of it.

BUT when it comes to storage, there ISN’T any at all. What Maruti engineers have done with this K10 is forgotten to do the ‘improvisation’ when giving a car with an AT unit which essentially makes the left hand and left leg free. No cup holder, no slots to store stuff or at least to keep the mobile near the charging point (12V outlet). The place ahead of the gear lever is for the mobile but that is designed so awkwardly, one has to twist their arm to get the mobile in and out of that area (Good for safety point of view as the mobile is hidden from prying eyes). One will need a long wire charger IF one will keep the mobile in that slot. Same goes for the bottle holder, which is placed behind the handbrake. It can fit only a 500 ml bottle and not a 1 litre one which is impractical again. There is a cubby hole beside the center AC vents which actually is of no use either just like the door pads which is as thin as a magazine.

My wife is frustrated to the core for not having any place to keep bottles in the car. She has to leave it on the floor letting it roll and dance in the car when it moves. Bad for both hygienic point and also peace of mind as the bottle keeps running around hitting stuff and distracting attention. I am on a look out to get this issue sorted on priority basis. An upside, a 2Kg hook given on the dashboard to carry anything that can be hung and is within the load limit. May be one can buy a bottle bag and place the bottle in it and hang it on the lock.

Already a narrow cabin and thin doors, they would have skipped the thought of giving a bottle holder on the door, don’t know why! May be they were thinking that it would eat into the space further and would need re-designing as the speakers are placed on the door at the lower-end.

Other portion specific for storage is the glove box which again is as big as the car! I need to fold the documents twice to get it in rightly so that the glove box latches correctly. From the outside it looks big but in reality it isn’t - another point missed. The owner’s manual is just about right and it can use as a measuring unit to see if anything else would fit or no. Anything bigger in length than the owner’s manual will be a tight squeeze. Rear seat is low and has very little place for anyone who is taller than 5’5” IF the front seats are pushed all the way back. With a tall driver and passenger, once can treat this car a two seater but in my case the rear seats shall not be used so not mentioning much on it.

XL size parcel tray in the car makes storage somewhat better but is bad for prying eyes and may not feasible for regular usage since one will need to get down and go back to get access to the parcel tray. I like the boot for the size of the car; it is big and roomy for the average luggage requirements of any average family but do NOT expect it to take a weekend luggage or any airport run capacity. I find it better than my Swift’s boot and has a slightly wider loading bay making it easier to load and unload. I am yet to use the car to its fullest capacities pertaining to boot space. If the situation demands the extra space requirement, one can just fold the seats and a larger area.

[a4anurag]

3) Comfort and Ergonomics:

Ingress/Egress: Being a small car in proportions, I will not expect it to be a walk-in/out from the car. For anyone below and around 5’8”, this is a good car to get in/out normally without the need to crouch but anyone above that will find it difficult. The car is low slung and so are the seats, this coupled with not much gap between the seats and the steering wheel, one has to fold their legs to get into the seats. I’ll leave this here as I am just a guest driver of the car and putting my thoughts here for the benefit of others.

Seats: The ones in the front are just about the right size for me. For anyone smaller built will find it good enough. With an average of 1 to 2 hours a day of time being spent in the car by my wife, she finds it good enough and comfortable. Seats are supportive and slightly contoured but I hate those integrated head rests. Looks very silly to me and wish Maruti gets rid of this if and when they give the K10 a facelift. The rear seats – again with integrated head rests are bad for tall people as the restraint keeps poking the back rather than supporting the head. The seats are small and lower or almost at the same plane as the front seats making things difficult for the ones who chose to sit behind. Not advisable for anyone except children.

Ergonomics: Good for the 90% of it but some things will take time to get used to especially the front power windows switches; it is below the 12V outlet that is located on the central console behind the gear lever. All Maruti’s have the switches on the driver’s armrest and this car has been routed there. What were the guys at Maruti smoking when they decided to go this way! As the car is narrow and small the controls at the extreme end fall easily in hand like the left side ORVM adjustment lever. One doesn’t need to stretch a lot for adjusting the same. Controls for the stereo too are nicely laid out with a thoughtful design of giving the USB/AUX input on the HU itself rather than putting it elsewhere.

Living-in: With an average usage of 2 hours a day (minimum) by my wife, I haven’t seen her complaining on points like space, comfort. She is perfectly in tune with the car and I happy to see that since she is the primary user hence she was the decision maker in choosing cars. Apart from lack of storage spaces, I find nothing cumbersome or peace-snatcher.

I will give a special mention here as the topic is regarding ‘Comfort’; I’ll have to applaud Maruti to get the AMT unit in this fire breather car which makes life a lot easier. One can concentrate on driving rather than bothering which gear to slot in and when to prevent stalling or any accidents. Just slot it in 'D' and forget it, just keep driving.

4) Engine:

The K10B engine which does duty on this car is which is a 3 cylinder does have enough grunt to kick many higher segment cars thanks to its light weight and high power to weight ratio. This one develops 68PS power and 90Nm torque which is just as the one on the WagonR. With a weight of 750 kgs and 69PS, this car has got the same power to weight ratio as the Polo GT TSI – 91 PS/Ton. Same fun at half the price of the GT TSI!

The engine is eager to respond to the throttle inputs given but I can see a faint vibration at idle. It comes and goes but not present always. I sometimes get my foot off the pedal when I look at the speedometer with the needle at 90 kmph @ ~2700 RPM which is decent enough for the size of the engine as the Swift does 100 kmph @ 2300 RPM at 5th gear.

With the AMT unit coupled, response is faster and tractable as the whole setup is tuned for FE and not for the power hungry!

In 2nd gear, with speeds above 25 kmph, one stamp on the pedal and the way the needle rises is a feat to see and O'my, there is a mild push-back in the seat when the car accelerates. I simply love the power delivery in 2nd and 3rd gear.

[a4anurag]

5) Transmission – Automated Manual Transmission!

The heart of the matter and the reason which I put this car in the buying list.

Here are a few parts of information on the AMT:

Excerpt from Magneti Marelli:

Automated Manual Transmission (also called Freechoice) from Magneti Marelli is an electro-hydraulic mechanism which is derived from Formula 1. AMT is based on an electronic control unit and a hydraulic system that supervise the use of the clutch and the gear shifting, allowing the driver to change gear without using the clutch, either sequentially or fully automatically. The brain of this actuator is the Transmission Control Unit (TCU) which is in addition to and pairs up with the electronic control unit (ECU). Information is fed to the TCU by an array of sensors including the throttle position sensor and the engine-rpm sensor, and the ECU. Based on the info, the TCU directs the hydraulic actuators to engage the clutch and shift up or down the gear range. Maruti engineers have given the car an electric, drive-by-wire throttle to deliver driver inputs directly to the TCU.

Excerpt from Overdrive:

Now, there are many manufacturers of AMT like ZF Sachs, GETRAG, WABCO (OptiDrive) etc. but the choice for the Indian manufacturers unanimously seems to be Magneti Marelli. The reason, as I V Rao, Managing Executive Officer at Maruti and the brains behind the Celerio, tells that the Magneti Marelli system is an excellent balance between efficiency and cost, a formula that is tailor made for the Indian market.

Ironically, this frugal, convenient and mileage-friendly technology has its derivatives from one of the most affluent, extravagant and excessive motoring indulgences – Formula One. And the first time it was seen on a road car was in 1997 – on a Ferrari 355 F1! Irony seems to be in an understatement. AMT is not only an affordable feature, but it is also cheaper to maintain unlike the regular automatics. The K10 kit comes with a 10-year or 160,000-km warranty.

Excerpt from ZF Sachs on the AMT:

In automated manual transmissions, electromechanical or hydraulic actuators take over the clutch and shift actions. In either case, individual driving pleasure is not diminished because drivers can decide whether they want to use the automatic mode or shift manually using levers. With their optimized shift strategies, automated manual transmissions reduce torque interruption to a minimum. Sensors register and convey all the relevant information to the control system. Using this data, the system calculates the shift points and controls the shift and clutch processes automatically.

WABCO’s OptiDrive

It will significantly reduce the total cost of ownership of a vehicle as more accurately controlled shifting operations result in less wear among components. Compared with a manual transmission, OptiDrive requires less driver training as it further simplifies vehicle operation, resulting in increased driver awareness for traffic conditions and improved road safety.

Benefits of AMT over the regular MT

1. Full driving comfort – no clutch actuation, no shifting;
   
2. Prevents error during shifting;
   
3. Lower cost and weight, smaller space claim than automatic transmissions;
   
4. Allows manual shifting and thus individual driving styles;
   
5. Reduced fuel consumption due to optimized shift times.

The AMT lets me have fun without compromising on comfort, driving pleasure and fuel efficiency. I am surprised to see the way this car delivers power to the wheels via this transmission.

Here is a Video of the Suzuki's Auto Gear Shift:

Suzuki's AMT

I have read the manual twice to understand the AMT and its way of usage to not harm it at early stages.

A fairly simple setup with three modes for moving the car:

1) ‘D’ mode: This setup upshift and downshift based on speed of the car.

2) ‘R’ mode: Reverses the car.

3) ‘M’ mode: Manual mode where the car changes gear only when the driver changes else it stays on the same gear till it is driven and holds up till redline neatly.

• When seated inside and ready to move off, one has to press the brake pedal and the transmission needs to be in neutral only then will the engine start if not the gear indicator flashes on the instrumentation console and beeps. It takes a bit getting used to for new drivers especially drivers used to MT cars.
  
  
• The transmission indicator flashes plus beeps along with a “Depress-brake-pedal” icon lighting up on the instrumentation console when one is trying to change the lever position from ‘N’ to ‘D’ or ‘R’.
  
  
• Once the engine has started, press the brake pedal and shift to ‘D’ and release the brake pedal slowly and then give the throttle input to move seamlessly. For the car to change gears smoothly it best to release the accelerator pedal for a second and depress the accelerator again. This action gives the ECU a better input to get the shifting smoothly. If one does not release the accelerator pedal, the gear change from 1st to 2nd happens automatically but there is a lag and drop in power which is noticeable. It feels like the engine is switched off in between and turned ON again. This one again needs getting used to for a smoother shifting.
  
  
• I have found the lag only when moving from 1st to 2nd and not in the rest gears. When the car is at 50 kmph, the gear ratio selected is 5th! Phenomenal tuning for FE the K10 has been given. Reason I say this is when I drive my Swift I am mostly in 3rd gear at 50 kmph.
  
  
• The other thing is the creeping function that is used mostly in bumper-to-bumper traffic that inches slowly. In a MT car one will be tired as the use of clutch pedal and gear lever is high. In an MT car, for moving one needs to slot in 1st gear and after inching forwards again shift to N. This process repeated a hundred times, takes toll on the limbs and hands of the driver! One needs to experience this car to understand the happiness and stress-free nature it involves in driving in dense traffic. Though there is downside to this creeping function as it takes toll on the clutch kit where it gets engaged and disengaged multiple times.
  
  
• During down shifting in 'D' mode, the shifts happen smoothly with any high-rev blips by the engine as it is tuned very nicely since the driver doesn't get a feel that the gear change is happening. During sudden braking, like 50 kmph to 0 – the AMT box skips gears reach 1st when the car is at standstill.
  
  
• On the occasion of sudden acceleration requirement – like during overtaking a trailer or narrow street where power has to be available at the quickest of the times, in a regular MT, one would downshift one gear to get that required acceleration but in the case of the AMT, when in D mode all one needs to do is push the pedal further towards the floor where the ECU understands the need of power. The transmission drops 1 or 2 gears at a time depending on the throttle input given. It is kind of nice to see the gear falling from 5th directly to 2nd with blips in RPM to match the speeds. These blips that are noticed are not jerky, very smooth and if one is not a keen observer then it is even greater. If one is in ‘M’ mode, there will be a need to change the lever twice at a faster pace and the transmission responds neatly by blipping the engine up to match.
  
  
• On traffic signals one can shift to N and idle with the handbrake ON or else let the transmission be in D with the handbrake ON and the foot off the brake pedal. The car won’t budge or jerk even though the gear selected is 1st. Once the signal turns green, one cannot release the handbrake and drive off. The driver needs to press the brake pedal and only then release the handbrake for the car to begin moving. If one releases the handbrake and presses the accelerator, only the revs will shoot up and not move the car - Depress the brake pedal indicator will light up.
  
  
• Since there is no clutch pedal that we use in an MT car sometimes on slopes when starting from standstill to prevent the car from rolling backwards, in case of the AMT it is a tricky usage of the handbrake + accelerator pedal to prevent the car from rolling backwards. What is to be done is press the brake pedal, shift to ‘D’, and let the handbrake be pulled up, then simultaneously release the brakes and accelerate while releasing the handbrakes. If one does not go the handbrake way then the heel and toe usage has to be learnt.
  
  
• The AMT system does not appreciate fast shifting like changing from ‘D’ to ‘N’ to ‘R’ at a faster pace like seen in Fast and the Furious movies. If this style is used the gear changing will take its sweet time. It is not a bug but that’s how smooth and cool one needs to be when shifting especially ‘N’ to ‘R’. I did happen to change the gear fast from ‘N’ to ‘R’ and the gear did not engage at the first time but it gave a mild-jerk so I quickly shifted to ‘N’ and did the operation slowly that’s when the reverse gear engaged correctly and fully.
  
  
• There is another case that I love is the automatic downshifting that the AMT unit does if there is no input from the driver when using the AMT in Manual mode ('M'). If one is in 4th gear and suddenly comes to a halt, the AMT unit will come to 1st gear automatically and NOT remain in 4th. Neat and thoughtful!

[a4anurag]

6) Ride and Handling:

Sorted setup for the city use but nothing great that would let me take corners the way I can when on my Swift. One must not forget that this is a family hatchback with no safety equipment whatsoever with its primary target being city limits. So speed is the last thing one should try In this small beast.

The ride per se in city speeds is good enough but bad roads are something thing car doesn’t like to be put at. Any sudden changes in surface levels, the suspension protests with sounds (mild thud!). The suspension setup is more towards stiff so all the road conditions are transferred to the passengers inside. One should follow the manufacturer’s recommendations of tyre pressure of 35 psi all round to have a balance on ride quality as well as tyre health. Anything above 35 psi will make the car jump around like the way old WagonR’s did!

Handling though I haven’t tested (not wanting to!) this car is tail happy! With sharp nudges to the steering wheel the rear sways out a bit making the driver nervous further. The tyres are tiny and good only for city speeds which ranges between 0 to 40 kmph on an average.

Nothing much can be spoken about this parameter on this car so I leave it here for now.

7) Features List for the VXi AMT variant:

The AMT variant is the middle one actually if seen totally in the list – LX, LXi, VXi, VXi AMT and VXi (O) with AMT being available only in the VXi that has neither any safety equipment nor some basic features too (Not optional too) Sad!

This car comes with a 2-DIN HU having USB, AUX and CD as inputs for music with output coming from 2 speakers mounted on the front doors. Pretty good for the cabin and if one is a music buff then please upgrade the speakers and add two more at the rear on the parcel tray.

There are 2 power windows for the front passengers, the rear passengers get to roll-up/down manually – omission for a 5 lakh car! It gets internally adjustable ORVM (both sides) and also internally open-able boot lid and fuel filler cap.

There are two more buzzers on the car where one is for reminding the driver that the headlights are on after the key is off the key-hole and the second is the headlight ON reminder.

[a4anurag]

8) Specifications:

One can get it online too in the official brochure but I'll give it here for easy reference as I had made one comparing the two finally short listed cars of Tata Nano XTA and Alto K10 VMT AMT.

Here's the link to the comparison that I referring to:

Nano AMT vs Alto K10 AMT

A shot from the comparison thread:

__________________________________________________ ___________

9) Accessories Added:

Coming to the extra additions that I did to the car from two sources without voiding warranty. Before the delivery I had asked them for the list of compatible accessories for the K10 and after getting prices for them I have narrowed down on the following where it was installed in 1 day:

• Mud Flaps.................... ₹ 350
• Remote Locking............ ₹ 5,500
• Foot Mats.................... ₹ 800
• Body side moulding....... ₹ 1,000
• Philips XV (60/55W)...... ₹ 600

All these were installed on 30th and I took the delivery on 31st May.

I asked my SA what if I install seat covers and floor lamination outside and not with them, would it void warranty?! He agreed and I went ahead to my friends accessory shop that was just inaugurated and for finalizing the design and colour for both of them. Since we didn't have much time to spare for the installation at the shop itself, I requested him to do the installation at my house where I'd pay for travelling and fuel expenses as he wasn't agreeing to charge me money for the seat covers and floor lamination but the costs I put in totally was ₹ 1500 including the steering cover that I remembered 3 days later.

• Seat covers............................. ₹ 0
• Floor lamination (Removable).... ₹ 0
• Steering Cover........................ ₹ 450

Seat Covers: I have gone with a colour that is similar to the one found on the lower half of the dashboard and door pads. I didn't want black as it gets hot inside plus dirt is seen quicker. I already have all-black interiors in my Swift and know the pain to keep it clean. Hence didn't want to repeat the mistake here. Everything was stripped down and re-fixed tightly so as to ensure no rattles are noticed at a later stage.

Floor lamination: This was one controversial install as I was partly against it and partly in favour of it. Reason, I didn't want to repeat the mistake that was done on my Swift. Post the lamination done; the 3D mats in the Swift do not stay in one place and keeping moving around the foot-well as I brake/accelerate. In the case of the K10, I asked if there was choice / option of having a removable type of lamination where in future I can remove it. Voila! There is an alternative type as compared to the one installed in my Swift and Ertiga. In this new type the complete floor measurements are taken and the whole carpet lamination is stitched fully and bought as a single piece with Velcro pasted in the base that sticks to the carpet rather than using glue to stick the lamination to the floor carpet. In case I do remove it at a later stage, all I'll have to do is carefully remove the lamination off the floor carpet.

With the main issue sorted out, the question was what colour to choose for this. I had three options to go with. Beige, Grey and Black were the three choices where I went ahead with Beige to keep synchronization with the interiors. I was sticking to rubber mats that I bought at MGA hence the issue of slipping as I mentioned earlier is nil.

When it comes to cleaning the interiors, I love it as it doesn't let anything go to the floor carpet. Even for that matter if water is dropped or during rainy seasons when one walks-in with wet footwear, the water seeps in and starts smelling foul giving ways for fungal/mold growth. With the lamination in place, water/dust/mud all stay where they are and do not penetrate into the floor carpet. All I have to do is vacuum clean it to get the floor back to dirt-free status.

Steering cover: I used the same material as the seat cover but the colour I chose was Black with yellowish golden stitching.

Foot Mats: Chose Yellow border-black combination which looked funky and uplifted the look while protecting the lamination as well.

10) Accessories Planned:

1. Boot lid chrome strip;
2. Fog Lamps;
3. Day/Night IRVM.

I love the looks of the car with that chrome strip added so shall do get it when they have stocks of it. Same goes for D/N IRVM as it is a boon in city driving when all the drivers tailgating you have their headlamps + fog lamps ON and not to forget the high beam usage.

[a4anurag]

With enough of the car, I present you the car itself. Posting some shots - Exterior:

Front View:


Another front shot:


Rear:


Front 3 quarter - Right:


Front 3 quarter - Left:


Rear 3 quarter:


Another shot:




Beautiful Tail Lamp:


The 'silly' Half Open-Half Close air dam and Grille:


Concave-shaped Hood:


Ancient Antenna for Radio - Close position:


Antenna Open (feels like walking back in time):


Bridgestone S322:


S322 Thread pattern:


Maruti-Suzuki Badging:


Alto K10 Badging (Love the font):


Variant + AMT Badging:


Flappy Door handle (Age old again type) + Key hole:


Look at the Boot lid and Bumper - Absolute straight line can be drawn:


Fender + Indicator:


'Alto' badging on the Side moulding:


Rear Spoiler:


Mud Flaps:


ORVM's Front folding:


Ribbed roof - Strengthens the structure:


Smiley grille:


Flat Bumper - No protection at all:


Fog Lamp cladding:


Front overhang:

[a4anurag]

Continued:

XL Size Fuel filler lid:


Fuel Filler Cap:


No insulation under the hood:


Tucked Silencer:


Twin-strut for the Boot lid:


Wheel Cap:


Engine Bay (The K10B):


Suzuki Badging on the Engine cover:


Battery + ECU:


AMT Unit:


Magneti Marelli:


Hydraulic Fluid:


No firewall - Thumbs Down:


Shabby & improper wiring - Could have been better:

Some more Exterior shots:

[a4anurag]

This post shall have pictures pertaining to the Interiors:

Let's start with Lord Ganesha:


Dashboard:


Steering Wheel:


Head Unit - Nippon:


A/C Controls:


12V socket + Power Windows (Front):


AMT Gear Lever:


Finishing on the Gear Lever:


A/C Vents (Side) - Open and Close Position - Looks neat:


Basic Instructions on AMT Operation:


Instrumentation Console:


Front Speakers:


Boot lid + Fuel Filler opener:


Boot with parcel tray in place:


Boot with parcel tray - UP!


Boot carpet holder:


Bottle Holder (500ml):


Cabin Lamp (Another Ancient remembrance):


Front Door pad:


Rear Door pad:


Hook:


Handbrake Area:


Glove Box (Almost Useless):


Front Foot Mat (MGA) - Rubber:


Rear Foot Mat (MGA) - Rubber:


Magazine Holder - Of no use actually:


Headlamp leveller switch:


MID:


Illumination Control:


Improperly fixed hood release lever:

[a4anurag]

Continued....

Area for storing the mobile:


ORVM + the adjuster:


Parcel Tray:


Anti-rattle rubber:


Seating Position - Maximum and Minimum:


Pedals - Where;s my clutch?!:


Sun shades:


Vanity Mirror:


Tyre Placard:


USB Input slot:


Small Pen drive - SanDisk 8GB:


Spare Wheel:


View from IRVM - Brilliant:


Headlight & Wiper Stalks:


Cabin Air filter - easily accessible:


OBD II reader in its port:


Night View: A/C Controls


Night View: AMT


Night View: Instrumentation Console:


Nippon remote locking:


Low Beam - OEM Bulbs:


High Beam - OEM Bulbs:


OEM - Seat covers (Front):


OEM - Seat covers (Rear):


New - Seat covers (Front):


New - Seat covers (Rear):


Seat Cover pattern:


Steering Cover - Stitching:


Shabby wiring underneath:

[a4anurag]

A few more details I'll want to provide:

1) Odometer clicks:

500 kms Up:


1000 kms Up:


At the time when I started writing the review:


IIRC, the current odometer reading is standing at 1800 kms.
__________________________________________________ _____________

2) OBD II Data:

Idle:


At 80 kmph - General Data:


At 80 kmph - Intake temp, intake pressure, Average KPL and L/100 kms:


List of Available Sensors:


No fault Codes:


Emissions Test:


Air & Fuel Status - Idle


Air & Fuel Status - Acceleration:


3) Some more accessories:

Philips Xtreme Vision (60/55W H4):


Suzuki tyre valve caps:


Here are some screen shots from the Maruti Care App:

Vehicle Details:


First Service expense:


Minor Accident expense:


A truck laden with sand that caused this minor nick. The driver didn't realise the car standing at the traffic signal when it came too close to be comfortable at the signal. The moment the signal turned green, the driver proceeded away, damaging my right ORVM. The whole thing had to be changed as a result. It was so fast that I could react to avert this incident. The truck driver incidentally started arguing and avoiding to cough up any money. Tired and frustrated, I left him and went to MASS for repairs.

__________________________________________________ _________

Last but not the least:

PS 1: I have given a lot of pictures and details in this thread, hope it is of help to many. I have picked data from various sources, news articles.

PS 2: Sincere thanks to .anshuman and S2!!! for the Official review and to maintain the standards.

Enjoy reading and please do pitch-in with your comments and questions. Shall update the thread regularly as the car clocks miles in comfort!

Thanks guys!

[Rehaan]

Thread moved out from the Assembly Line section. Thanks for sharing!

[rockporiom]

Let me be the first to congratulate you Anurag on another reliable workhorse from Maruti's stable. An excellent ownership review covering almost everything possible. The K10 is a great car for city runabouts. It gets the work done while being fun to drive at the same time (great power to weight ratio). The car looks great in red.

Wishing you a happy and safe mile crunching