Now comes the germinal aspect: fuel-efficiency. This is one question that buyers in this segment often ask even before asking about the price. Our fuel-efficiency figures suggest that the Alto 800 can go for a good 15 km in a litre of fuel in mixed driving conditions, whereas the Renault can go 2.75 km further, offering an overall efficiency of 17.75 km/l. I don’t need to mention the winner here, do I?
Safety-wise both the cars are also pretty well matched. Both are equipped with good brakes that stop the car quite decently, although both come without ABS, an essential safety feature which should have been made available at least as an option. Nevertheless, the presence of a driver-side airbag on the top-end variants of both the cars is a welcome feature. I hope both the both manufacturers take note and introduce more safety features in the future.
In the end it all boils down to which car is the better to own. The Renault offers a better-looking design, more features, a better engine, better fuel-efficiency, power, torque, amazing ride quality and handling at a similar price as the Alto. These features are probably the best in a small car. The Alto offers best-in-class after-sales service and a huge dealer network. Besides, the spare and service costs in general are also quite low. However, if you really want to buy a small hatch that is capable and can plaster a smile on your face, then the Renault is probably your best option in this segment.
