Ergonomically, the Santro is the winner. You walk straight in, with none of the callisthenics required to enter the Alto. The Spark is roomy too, but the low seating isn’t as ergonomically friendly as the Santro’s high perch.
Space-wise, all three cars are snug, but the Alto is more ‘intimate’, to use a euphemism for some elbow-tangling action! With two healthy CAR India testers in the front seats, there was definitely a dispute for space. The Santro is better in this regard, but the Spark surprisingly has the widest cabin, which, at 1,250 mm, is 40 mm wider than the Santro’s and 60 mm larger than the Alto’s. The Santro gives the feel of a more solid build too, with both the Alto and Spark feeling more tin-foil than sheet metal in comparison with the Korean.
On the road, each car has attributes that delight or infuriate in equal measure. Let’s start with the Santro. It has a good driving position and great visibility, but the pedal ergonomics are awkward, leading to some ankle ache after a couple of hours. The pseudo dead pedal makes things a little better for your left foot, but your right one will grumble. The 1,086-cc motor is the largest here, but breathes through 12 valves, with three valves per cylinder. The gearing is short and the Santro gets off the line smartly, going past the 100 km/h mark in 15.6 seconds. The Santro rides a little stiffly and sometimes you find yourself wishing for a little more compliance at low to medium speed. The electrically assisted steering is precise, though a little nervy immediately off centre.
