Suzuki Alto 2002 test drive - 2006 hatchback

Suzuki Alto car overview

The price of the car is surprising - from 650,000 yen!
Suzuki Alto is 25 years old! The first machine, which was called Alto, was born in the distant 1979 in the form of a truck of a car layout. I remember that it was then sold at a single price of 470,000 yen for the whole country, and in order to save on the door from the front passenger there was no cylindrical castle. Such was a simple car. And her then color? I remember people joked that this, they say, was not paint, these are traces of rust. They laughed, joked, and she took and went into the lead! And the word alto, as everyone now knows, has become a symbol of a micro -lunch car.
Now Alto is transformed. If you count, then the new generation of this car has already become the fifth. Given the fact that the previous Alto generation was born in October 1998, it turns out that the current complete replacement of the model range took place after 6 years.
The concept of the car, its developers determined as a modern type of a modern type, the use of which should not be burdensome. In August 2004, about 4 million 90 thousand ALTO cars were registered in the camp. It is clear that when developing a new model, the authors could not help but take into account the existence of a whole army of drivers, for whom Alto means micro -litting. Therefore, he is doomed to remain so in his new guise. Judging by the materials that the representative of the manufacturer provided me, the developers brought into everyday life a new motto, the essence of which is that with Alto we are going to service, with Alto for purchases, rest with Alto. Despite such an intricate formulation, in fact, everything is determined by the qualities of a new machine as its efficiency and ease of circulation.
And in this regard, the authors did not neglect the opinion of female drivers. An advisory council was even organized, consisting of married women, so this project can be quite dubbed by the plan of mothers. Here, for example, is a hook for packages, which is located on the side of the console and which withstands a weight of 2 kg is just an idea prompted by this maternal advice.
Increased attention to becoming unlike others that distinguishes a new car. Then I will return to this, but for now I’ll say one new model in a kind, in a newly solved external design.
As for the engine, it is common for all ALTO modifications. The budget equipment E (2WD) is equipped with a 5-speed manual gearbox, its price is 650,000 yen without tax (about $ 6200).
 
Internal and external design of a reborn car
The machine, which finally appeared on sale very original in style, even if you forget for a while that this is a new model of the same Alto. Sometimes, for example, you walk along a series of electrical appliances - there are so many, and everything is so similar. And suddenly among this uniformity - stop! - noticed something fresh. So with the new Alto. The straight line of the side glasses and their compatibility with the roof line, a particularly executed arc of the front wings, and the rear wings that crawl into the rear side doors, pay attention immediately. True, it is impossible to get rid of the thought that it is all a little pretentious. On the other hand, the back of the body is made very simply. Many will even note that it looks like Toyota Passo and Daihatsu Boon. Coconut coconut color with metal - should appeal to an adult driver.
Now let's look at the design of the salon. I was immediately interested in whether the angle of inclination of the backs of the rear seats is sufficient, and is the design of the driver's height in the salon of the E and G Salon E and G? It turned out that everything was as if someone had predicted my desires. Especially worthy of approval is what I would call the spaciousness and high class finishes. And here's something else. I was surprised that now in an economical salon (modification E), as in all the others, there are no metal surfaces or parts protruding.
The front panel does not cause rejection. Everything is done simply, large blocks, so as not to exchange for small fragments. The size of the dash signs is precisely at the level when there are few of them and at the same time clearly noticeable. Oh yes, I agree, it looks a little rustic, but there is no bad taste that differs the last generation of Wagon R. The upholstery of the seats, made in the form of a mosaic canvas, is also very attractive.
The useful volume is equally large in the area of \u200b\u200bthe front and the rear seats. Since the side glasses are almost at right angles, nothing crushes from the side. The door opens very quietly. And most importantly: the back and front doors open up to all 90 degrees. This is very convenient for planting or landing, as well as for planting in the salon with the baby.
The equipment of the cabin is very diverse. For example, opening doors without a key on high -range comfort machines. So the door from the front passenger again was left without a cylindrical lock.
 
Best of all Alto e!
On the site of cars intended for trial trips, they stood in the following sequence: first, the equipment machine is economical (e), then the standard equipment G, and, finally, the car of comfortable configuration of H. I did not fit in my head, as it can be, so that the initial Was the contribution only 470,000 yen? Therefore, I, without hesitation, chose Alto E.
I tested. I will say right away: good! Of course, something is not quite beautiful, but in terms of the comfort of driving, in terms of the pleasure received from the ride, I will repeat again: very good! Even something resembles a small-sized machine of the Renault brand. Isn't it too much? No, that is exactly. Neither the roll nor the exhausting shaking in the transverse plane appeared on the move. The machine is shod in tires in size 135/80R12 68S (Falcon SN-535), and at a sharp start somewhere at the intersection, they make a certain creak. Nevertheless, they successfully cope with unpleasant vibration and shocks, and create good driving conditions. And one more thing: the rustling of the wheels is almost inaudible in the cabin. But this was the developers of the Suzuki micro -litter machines.
As I have already noted, on the ALTO configuration, there is a 5-speed gearbox with manually switching speeds, about which everyone was told in detail. They did not even forget to explain why the box has such a short move of the switching lever. This is not to say that the traction characteristics of the motor cause me disappointment. No and no again! The gear rates are selected exactly under the speed limit, which is mainly practiced on the roads of Japan. And therefore, the torque does not flimple in vain, and the car runs along the road very confidently.
By the way, ALTO E also provides an automatic transmission. As the Alto G is equipped, that is, with three steps. And if you summarize the impressions received from trial trips on both cars, I can say that the machine also issues decent running parameters. If, for example, press the accelerator pedal and in the second transmission to reach a speed of 80 km/h or more, it will become clear how briskly the machine behaves during acceleration. And the noise of the engine at the time of switching to increased gear can also be evaluated as within the permissible. In contrast, a 4-speed automatic gearbox installed on ALTO X has some slurred switching algorithm. It seems that they took the same 3-speed automatic transmission and mechanically extended it to another step. This, by the way, can be said about the comfort of driving. Alto X provides for two wheels: 13 inches and 14 inches. So, as far as I can judge by my trip, the adhesion of tires with the road, oddly enough, is above all by Alto E. So, at least it seemed to me.
 
 

 

A source: CarView.co.jp