New-gen Maruti Suzuki Alto (Renault Kwid rival) spied again

- The new Maruti Suzuki Alto will be based on the Future-S Concept.

- It will be underpinned by the Heartect-A platform.

- The production-spec Alto will likely debut at the 2020 Auto Expo.

- The car will comply with upcoming crash test norms and will get BS-VI compliant engines.

Distinctive images of the new generation Maruti Suzuki Alto were spied earlier last week, while the car was on a road test. Although heavily camouflaged, the spy photos clearly show the front and rear design silhouette of the new Alto, which will reportedly be based on the Future-S concept that was unveiled at the Auto Expo 2018.

This rival to the Renault Kwid will feature an SUV styling with a raised bonnet and raked A- and C-pillars. As can be seen on the test mule, the car features wraparound headlamps, oval-shaped taillights and rear bumper-mounted number plate holder and a rear camera. An earlier report suggested that the next generation Maruti Suzuki Alto will feature a centrally-mounted circular instrument cluster with HVAC vents on either side of the console.

The new Alto will reportedly move onto a much stronger and safer Heartect-A platform, which underpins the new Maruti Suzuki WagonR. This will not only make it compliant with the upcoming safety guidelines but will also offer economies of scale to the company. The car will feature a driver airbag and ABS with EBD as standard fitment, while the top-spec variant will get dual front airbags.

The new Alto is also expected to feature the 7-inch SmartPlay Studio infotainment system from the WagonR. While the launch timeline is unknown, Maruti Suzuki could debut the production version of the new Alto at the 2020 Auto Expo. The car might launch in Q1 2020. The Alto is Maruti Suzuki’s bestselling car in India and rivals the likes of Tata Tiago, Renault Kwid, and the Datsun redi-GO.

The new generation Maruti Suzuki Alto will come with BS-VI compliant engine(s). The current model is available with two engines - an 800cc three-cylinder unit (47bhp & 69 Nm) and a 1.0-litre K-series motor (67 bhp & 90 Nm). That said, we would be keen to know whether Maruti Suzuki plans to introduce a bigger 1.2-litre engine on the Alto.

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