Suzuki Alto launched in Australia

By Alborz Fallah | July 20th, 2009

Suzuki Australia has launched its mini car, the Alto today with cars going for sale across the country from August 1. The mini Suzuki is built in India but to Japanese specifications and design. Pricing will start at $12,490 for the GL and $14,490 for the GLX-Series*.

CarAdvice spent the day driving around Brisbane’s CBD in the littlest Suzuki and our own tests show an unbelievable fuel economy figure of 3.5L/100km from the three-cylinder, 996cc engine in real world, city and highway driving. Official fuel consumption figures are 4.8L/100km.

Suzuki believes the Alto is set to challenge the market and ultimately become the most popular Suzuki, overtaking the Swift. From what we’ve seen so far, there is no doubt it will do just that.

Stay tuned as CarAdvice will have a First Steer published on the Alto in the next 12 hours.

* Prices are Recommended Vehicle Pricing and do not include dealer or government charges.

http://www.caradvice.com.au OSU811

They are actually $14,990 drive away for a base manual in non met!, start adding specs auto and met paint, they price up to $19,465 on road, getting a bit expensive for a mini car with a 1 litre eng, and no power! good on fuel and for the environment if its just for a city car.
But overtake the swift, I dont think so!!
Alex

Well I’d rather one over a Hyundai Getz, but I think I’d rather a Micra if I was getting the more expensive one. I think the Micra looks better too, and thats really saying something.
I’m sure it’s a great city car, but I think if I was buying one overseas I’d rather a 107/C1. One for the first car pack then, but I’m sure they’ll be everywhere.
Bavarian Missile®™

Its just so darn cute………….bet the girls loved you in the pink one Alborz….whit-woo………..
crouchy

Give it 6-12 months and hopefully that will be the drive-away price~
Yianni

The 15k driveaway price for the base model is simply too expensive for a tiny 1.0L car.

A Getz, Barina or Micra can be had for that sort of money.

Maybe over time as our currency continues to gain ground and car sales are back on track the price will be lower.
Jake02

This is possibly one of the directions that the future of motoring will take us – everyone starts downsizing. I really hope that this car sells well, because if it does more of the same class cars might arrive here (eg Toyota Aygo, Citroen C1, Kia Picanto, Hyundai i10 – possibly the best). The Prius is NOT the future – this is.

Suzuki is on a role at the moment, and with the upcoming release of the Kuzashi sedan and a few other things I reckon even greater success will come to them.
Myke

^I hope they success aswell, I mean if you are paying top dollar for one of these, atleast you get standard ESP. I think many cars in the next segment up, would find it hard to match a sub $19.5k driveaway pricing with ESP (especially with an autobox and/or 5-doors).

I think Hyundai i10 will be available in Australia soon IIRC. Although this segment has existed before in Aus, remember the awful Daewoo Matiz and Daihatsu Charade? I’m sure the Alto will be a much better car.
Wheelnut®™

Its a better looking alternative to the Nissan Micra.
In fact [from the front] it looks like an Alfa Romeo Mi-To with a slightly modified Audi Grille moulded onto it.
FrugalOne

If that’s the fuel economy you guys got in the real world, then the 2 x hybrids on our market should be ashamed and embarrassed, stunning figure really.

Wonder if their is any room behind the rear seat for a LPG tank?

Cheers

F-0
FrugalOne

PS/

Don’t forget it needs PULP, like wtf, if your trying to be frugal, should/nt it start with a ULP friendly engine?

Cheers

F-0
Jake02

FO
Yes the need for PULP confused me too – it’s like the Proton Savvy it needs 98RON (do they have that in Malaysia? They must as they’ve just upped the minimum RON to 95 without increasing the price – Why doesn’t Krudd face do that!?) to produce it’s amazing 60-ish kWs of POWER!!!!!!!!!

I’d imagine Suzuki thinks PULP gets better economy (and I think it does – I get more kms with 98 not 95 RON my RS would die if I gave it 91 or E10!) so maybe that’s why? I dunno…

Good car though!!!
Yanzo

nah f that. real car lovers would never buy that
Stevothedevo

May as well stick to a scooter – probably safer as well.
Tom

Performance figures for this car are 1) manual: 0 – 100kmh in 14 sec, auto: 0 – 100kmh 17 sec. And given how much more popular autos are in Australia, that will the most common model sold. Which I think makes it the slowest car on sale in Australia. Now I know this is a city car, and speed isn’t everything, but you want to get to the speed limit eventually. And the PULP requirement is a joke. A Ducati 1.2L twin that produces 134kW requiring PULP I understand. A Suzuki triple 1L producing 50kW requiring PULP makes no sense.
Toxic_Horse

Guys, some people don’t care about only having 50Kw , my girlfriend has a daewoo Matiz which only has 45Kw and she loves it.
I am sure this would be the perfect upgrade for her. It sure is a lot safer. And seriously, who cares about PULP when the thing uses next to no fuel anyway.
Reckless1

91 fuel should never be used in cars.

It’s clear that only 95 or 98 is real petrol, which allows lower emissions.

Don’t know why people give a toss that this little beastie needs 95, with a 35 litre tank you wouldn’t even notice the price difference. Same people probably think nothing of blowing $200 a month on a phone plan and eating 10 times their fuel bill in junk food.
Mumble Duck

Good car. Shame about the front bumper though.
gearboxdawg

Good car for the chicks. Maybe those couriers can replace their fiesta with this. LOL.
binladen

I wonder if the car will smell like curry. From india is a big turnoff for me.
Mumble Duck

^^^Hehe, lol.
Mark

Shouldn’t the article read “Alto RE-launched in Australia”. The Alto was sold before in Australia – as recently as 1998. It sold for $9,990 at the time, was built in Italy and had – you guessed it – a 1.0L 3-cylinder engine. Fuel economy? 5.1L/100km – not all that much different than the current model’s 4.8L figure. Sales figures show that in it’s best year (1996), only a little over 500 were sold.
http://dodge franz chong

A rather small car for the money given the engine size.I am paying a grand more for the Micra which has a 1.4 L engine and is cute plus made in Japan quality.I am trading in a 2006 Nissan Tiida for her and the best part is everything is cheaper or about the same in terms of running costs.

What this has over a Smart Car for example is four doors and a back seat amongst other things and a huge price advantage plus an established brand name.Long before Smarts It was Daihatsu and Suzuki who introduced this class of car to Australia