Recently, Maruti Suzuki brought back the Alto K10 nameplate by launching the brand new 2022 Alto K10 hatchback. What if Maruti Suzuki launches a compact sedan based on the newly launched Alto K10? What would the resulting car look like? Here’s a render from SRK Designs that shows what a compact sedan based on the 2023 Maruti Alto K10 would look like.
As things stand currently, Maruti Suzuki has announced no plans of building a compact sedan based on the new Maruti Alto K10. While Chairman RC Bharvaga, in a recent media interaction, did mention that sedans were making a comeback in India, the only compact sedan in Maruti Suzuki’s line-up is the best-selling Dzire.
Also read: 2022 Maruti Suzuki Alto 800 spied ahead of launch (Video)
The Dzire features a 1.2 liter-4 cylinder petrol engine that’s also available with a petrol-CNG dual fuel option. In contrast, the new Maruti Alto K10 is powered by a 1 liter-3 cylinder K10C petrol engine borrowed from the S-Presso. This engine makes 66 Bhp-89 Nm on the new Alto K10, and may prove to be underpowered for the compact sedan, which has to lug a boot, and could be heavier than the hatchback. Given the fact that the Alto K10 and the Dzire use the same HEARTECT platform, it may just be possible to shoehorn the K12 petrol motor into the Alto K10 compact sedan, if the car ever makes it to production. For now though, it firmly remains in the realm of speculation.
What’s coming next is the Alt0 K10 CNG
Maruti Suzuki’s next update to the Alto K10 range would be a CNG-Petrol dual fuel option. The Alto K10 CNG will come with a factory fitted CNG kit, which offers reliability, safety and warranty – factors that aftermarket kits fall short on. Notably, the 1 liter K10 engine is already available with a CNG option on the Maruti Celerio.
Also read: Tata Nano modified into a vintage car
Sub-4 meter compact sedans are a dwindling lot
At one point in time, there were more than half a dozen sub-4 meter compact sedans on sale in the Indian market: Maruti Dzire, Hyundai Xcent, Hyundai Aura. Ford Aspire, Tata Zest, Tata Tigor, Honda Amaze and Chevrolet Sail. Now though, there are only four sub-4 meter compact sedans on sale – Maruti Dzire, Honda Amaze, Tata Tigor and Hyundai Aura. This is because the Indian car market has shifted en masse towards compact SUVs, which offer much better street presence and ground clearance.
This trend has even affected the hatchback segment, which is seeing a proliferation of lifted hatchbacks that are being called ‘micro SUVs’. In the C-Segment sedan space too, ground clearance is now taking precedence and we’ve just seen the launch of two new sedans with SUV-like ground clearance: the Volkswagen Virtus and the Skoda Slavia. In such a situation, launching a compact sedan isn’t really a compelling option for a car maker, which is why a sub-4 meter compact sedan based on the Alto K10 is a very slim possibility.
The post 2023 Maruti Alto K10-based compact sedan: What it’ll look like first appeared on Cartoq.
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