Which is better Car? New Alto 800 or Hyundai EON

Comparison: Alto 800 and Hyundai EON

Maruti Suzuki has finally launched its much awaited small car, Alto 800. Interesting news is that Maruti got around 10,000 bookings for Alto 800 even before the launch or announcement of its price. This is a good example of brand loyalty and Maruti has definitely succeeded in cultivating loyal customers.

Maruti Alto 800

Alto 800 will be competing with Hyundai Eon. Eon was launched few months back and has been doing well in terms of sales. Both Maruti Suzuki and Hyundai Motors have started all possible marketing strategies to lure customers.

Hyundai Eon

We received a lot of emails asking for the comparison between the two. So which is the best car to buy - Alto 800 or Hyundai EON? 

First of all, we need to know the type of customers who buy the entry level cars. The important factor that one would look for would be low price, better mileage and a car with basic (essential) features that includes an air conditioner too. We are happy if we get any additional feature for the same price. Customers can be first time car buyers or the one who want to upgrade their small car. 

Alto 800 vs Hyundai Eon

Design and Styling:

Alto 800 looks much better than old Alto. As said in our earlier post, Alto 800 has various design elements taken from other cars. The front design has similarity with Ford Figo, the side looks similar to an A Star and the rear design has touches that of an A Star and old Alto. Maruti engineers had tried to make this car look modern and compact. But somewhere this car lacks the punch and looks very disproportionate. This is mainly due to the high ground clearance and increased height that makes it look uneven.

Maruti Alto 800 Interiors

In design and styling, Hyundai Eon is far ahead than any other small car in its class. The new fluidic design with its uninterrupted flowing curves and awesome styling has made Eon look like a premium compact car. No doubt, Eon completely out performs Alto 800 in looks and is in no match for it. 

Hyundai Eon Ineriors

Engine Performance

Maruti Alto 800 is powered by the same old 796CC three cylinder petrol engine. It generates maximum power of 48 PS @ 6000 rpm with maximum torque of 69 Nm @3500 rpm. Here, Maruti engineers have done few changes to improve power and torque output. They have also tuned the engine to improve the mileage and meet the Bharat Stage IV emission norms.

We see the following changes in New Alto 800:

• More power and torque
• Improved ride quality and suspension
• Smooth gear shift
• Suspension set up is slightly stiff for better handling.
• Quicker engine
• Good braking but no optional ABS in Alto 800.

Hyundai EON is powered by 814 cc three cylinder SOHC engine. It generates maximum power of 56 PS @ 5500 rpm with maximum torque of 74.4 Nm@ 4000 rpm. Here, Hyundai Eon is more powerful and has bigger engine to draw more power. It has more speed and pulling power to overtake vehicles and performs well on the road.

Key Specifications: (comparing Eon Era+ and Alto 800 LXi)

Specification	Eon Era+	Alto 800 LXi	What this means?	Who scores?
Engine Size (in cc)	814 cc three cylinder	796 cc three cylinder	Big engine can   draw more power	Eon
Max Power	56 PS @ 5500rpm	48 PS @ 6000 rpm	More power means more speed to zip through.	Eon
Max Torque	74.4 Nm @4000 rpm.	69 Nm @3500 rpm	More torque means more pulling power	Eon
Overall dimension (Length*Width*Height in mm)	3495*1550*1500	3395*1490*1475	Spacious cabin, Shoulder and head room	Eon
Boot Space (l)	215	177	More luggage space	Eon
Wheel Base (in mm)	2380	2360	More front and rear  legroom	Eon
Ground Clearance (in mm)	170	160	Good under body protection	Eon
Mileage (ARAI Tested in Kmpl)	21.1 Kmpl (Petrol)	22.74 Kmpl (Petrol)	More Fuel Efficient	Alto 800
Price (in Lakhs, Ex showroom New Delhi)	3.17 L	2.99 L	Saves money	Alto 800

Key Features: Just a quick look into most common features.

Features	Hyundai Eon Era+	Maruti Alto 800 LXi
Air Conditioner	Yes	Yes
Power Windows (front)	Yes	Yes
Power Steering	Yes	Yes
Central Locking (driver side)	Yes	No
Anti-Lock Braking System	No	No
Immobilizer	Yes	Yes
Tubeless Tyres	Yes	Yes
Folding Rear-Seat	Yes	No
Remote Fuel-Lid	Yes	Yes
Steering Adjustment	No	No
Tachometer	No	No
Child Safety Locks	Yes	Yes
Front Fog Lights	No	No
Audio System/FM	No	No
Leather Seats	No	No
Tachometer	No	No
Full Size Front door arm rest	Yes	No
Alloy Wheels	No	No
Driver side Airbag	No. Only for Eon Sportz model	No. It’s optional.

Maruti Alto 800

Hyundai Eon

Mileage

Maruti Alto 800 outshines Eon in terms of fuel efficiency.  The ARAI tested mileage figure for both the cars are given below:

Alto 800	22.7 Kmpl (petrol)	30.46 Kmpl (CNG)
Hyundai EON	22.1Kmpl	NA

In actual road conditions, we can expect an average mileage of 18 Kmpl for Alto 800 (petrol model) and 17 Kmpl for Hyundai Eon.

Price

Alto 800 is comparatively cheaper than Hyundai EON.

The base version of Alto 800 starts from Rs. 2.44 Lakhs and goes up to Rs. 3.56 Lakhs. 

Hyundai Eon base model starts from Rs. 2.78 Lakhs and goes up to Rs. 3.8 lakhs for the higher end model. All prices quoted are ex-showroom price at New Delhi.

Hyundai is offering specials offers up to Rs. 29,250 for Eon during this festive season whereas there is no offer for new Alto 800.

Verdict

New Alto 800 is a better car than the India’s bestseller old Alto. There are lot of improvements in terms of ride quality, performance, features and overall quality. But if we compare with Hyundai Eon, Eon looks promising and performs better than Maruti Alto 800.

The positive side for Alto 800 is its mileage, price and of course, the ‘Maruti’ brand known for trust, good after sales service, wide network and cheap maintenance. If you are not bothered about the style, design or overall comfort and very tight on budget, Maruti Alto 800 is a good option to choose.

Hyundai also has good service network and enjoys excellent after sales support. If you can compromise little on the price and mileage, Hyundai Eon is the best among the two and definitely outshines Alto 800 as an overall package.  

Related Post:
Click here to read our latest 2014 review - Best diesel hatchback in India - 2014. 
Best Diesel Hatchback in India 2013
Best entry level SUV in India
Best entry level sedan in India
How to test drive a car

If you enjoyed this post, why not subscribe to my feed?