With a lightweight profile, new Alto will have improved performance, lower emissions and higher fuel efficiency
In its home market Japan, Suzuki Alto is one of the bestselling kei cars. The existing Alto is in its 9th generation, which was introduced in 2021. Latest reports indicate that Suzuki could introduce the new, 10th-gen Alto in Japan in 2026.
10th-gen Alto – Focus on losing weight
Alto has a long history in Japan, having debuted in 1979 in its first-gen format. In comparison, Maruti Suzuki Alto was first introduced in India in 2000. For the Japan-spec Alto, Suzuki is likely to be working on the new-gen model. In its technology briefing earlier this year, Suzuki had stated that the 10th-gen Alto will be significantly lighter in comparison to the current model. The new Alto will shed around 100 kg weight. That’s a significant drop, especially considering that the existing Alto is also quite lightweight at around 680 kg to 760 kg.
With 100 kg removed, the new 10th-gen Alto will have a weight in the range of 580 kg and 660 kg. Interestingly, even the 3rd-gen Alto had a weight of 580 kg. But those days were different when cars did not even have airbags. The same was the case with the 3rd-gen Alto. Things have changed, as safety aspects are now among priority items for most customers. Safety equipment adds to the weight of the car, making the task of reducing overall weight a bit challenging.
But Suzuki already has a plan, as it will be utilizing a more advanced version of its lightweight Heartect platform. This platform utilizes ultra and advanced high tensile steel (UHSS & AHSS), which is lightweight yet quite strong. Moreover, the Heartect platform has carefully designed crumple zones for absorbing impact energy. For the 10th-gen Alto, Suzuki will also minimize the use of plastic parts.
New Alto – Enhanced fuel efficiency
In addition to reducing CO2 emissions and enhancing power-to-weight ratio, the new Alto will also deliver higher mileage. The current Alto in Japan offers fuel efficiency of 25.2 km/L with the petrol and 27.7 km/L with the mild-hybrid variant. For its existing small cars, Suzuki utilizes a 12V mild hybrid setup. It comprises a 49 PS naturally aspirated petrol engine and a 2-kW electric motor. For the new, 10th-gen Alto, Suzuki is likely to use a 48V Super Ene Charge system.
The new Alto will utilize a lean battery and focus on enhancing motor output. Even with a 10-kW electric motor, the power supply can be 30% of the vehicle’s overall power delivery. That means the 48V mild hybrid setup will be lightweight and also deliver the required performance. It will play a key role in achieving the weight target for new Alto. While an official figure is not available, the new 10th-gen Alto could deliver mileage of over 30 km/L.
New Suzuki Alto – Pricing
Existing Suzuki Alto is available at 1,068,000 yen (Rs 5.83 lakh) for the petrol model and 1,218,800 yen (Rs 6.65 lakh) for the mild-hybrid variant. The new Alto is expected to be offered at a starting price of around 1 million yen (Rs 5.46 lakh).
