2013 Suzuki Alto GL 1.0 petrol from Australia and New Zealand
Summary:
Surprisingly good
Faults:
Nothing yet.
General Comments:
Downsized from Volvo 740 turbo due to high fuel costs. Kept the Volvo as a hobby car, as it has no resale value, but is too good to let go.
The Suzuki was purchased as a daily driver. I drive 500 - 600km weekly. This car has a 3 cylinder engine. My expectations were fairly low considering the A$11,990 drive away price tag.
It took a while to get used to the 5 speed manual after having driven automatics for the past 30 years. I soon learned that revs have to be kept high to negotiate steep hills (3,500 RPM plus). Once learned, I found that negotiating hills is a breeze.
I was surprised at how quiet the car is, especially on the freeway, and how well it soaks up bumps. The driving position is very comfortable and the controls are simple and very visible. I love the Bluetooth phone, ESC ABS, etc. The brakes are terrific.
So far, I am very impressed. I will update this post from time to time.
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes
Review Date: 2nd April, 2014
5th Aug 2014, 09:59
Have driven the car for 11,000 km now. A 6 week break whilst overseas. No problems so far. Drove Renault and Peugeot manual rentals in Europe where I drove 6,000 km. The Alto continues to impress. The gear change is extremely smooth and easy with the manual shift. Fuel savings are impressive as is fixed price servicing. In the UK, road tax for this car is only about $40 because of its low emissions. It's a shame we don't have the same incentive here to buy fuel efficient cars. I only drive my Volvo 740 turbo when I have more than 3 passengers, so it's going on club plates.
19th Jan 2015, 10:44
20,000 km now. Still no faults. Easy to park. Cheap to run.
7th Nov 2016, 11:27
Now at 50000km. New brake pads and upgrade to the tyres. No faults and no rattles, even though I live on a rough unsealed road. Love this car for its reliability and economy.
21st Apr 2014, 19:02
Interesting review. My feeling was they are very noisy and struggle to climb up hills. But it's good to hear from you. Would be interested to know on the follow up. Cheers.