Suzuki Alto MF (2009-2014)

Great little car – Best little car ever for me a solo driver good road manners would highly recommend for any buyer.Just keep your revs up and remember it's a 3 cylinder NOT A V8 the manual is a better option than the Automatic. Show details

False economy/Planned obsolescence – This is a low quality car that will bite you or the next owner hard when it inevitably blows something expensive. Avoid. Don't be fooled by the "Suzuki" brand - this is really a Maruti, made in india, and has more in common with a mahindra than a japanese-built suzuki from the 1990s. I wish somebody had warned me about these cars, because most of… Read more

what I'm about to write isn't mentioned in any of the new car reviews online.

That is to say, this is a very plasticky little car that is already past its 'use by' date. So much of how this car is designed dooms it to an early death, here's some examples I had to deal with: -The airbox covers the engine and has to be removed for almost every routine maintenance task. It's made out of nasty cheap plastic that goes brittle and then breaks without warning. Replacement has to come on sea freight from india, 2-3 month wait. -Strut top bearings are about 2 inches diameter and made out of cheap plastic. Worn out at 55k. Every other small car I've worked on has had a 4+ inch metal bearing that has lasted the lifetime of the car (250+k). -Valve adjustment is due every 60k. Suzuki uses proprietary shims and doesn't carry any stock in australia, new zealand, indonesia, timor, or japan. When I checked in 2020, it was going to be a 3 month wait for sea freight from india while the car was off the road. -Starter motor is absolutely buried under the back of the engine. -Pointlessly complicated procedure for changing gearbox oil - fill port is jammed up against the firewall instead of on the front of the transmission like 99% of other small cars. -Suzuki absolutely refuses to release or sell the service manual. This is a global car, so to compensate, you can google how to make an account on the european dealer portal (you have to pay for hourly/weekly/monthly access), and try to piece together (probably wrong) information from international models with slightly different engines. That's just the stuff off the top of my head, and I didn't have the car for that long. All this stuff can render your car undriveable for months at a time and/or rack up a mechanic bill for more than the car is worth. It's frustrating because so many cars are NOT like this - look at any 90s toyota still on the road and find none of the above issues. It's almost like they made it intentionally cheap so it would wear out quickly and make you buy a new one.

Interior plastic trim is that really cheap and nasty stuff from 90s korean cars - expect snapped trim covers, missing stereo controls, broken door handles, nasty seat recline lever, faded seats etc etc etc on your average example. Even slight abuse (big keyrings, fake nails etc) will make the trim and paint scratch up and look extremely tatty. Most side airbag covers will be detatching from the seats as the foam/cloth deteriorates; the cover can't be replaced... you have to replace the whole side airbag at about $400 per side.

The nice fuel economy (5.1L/100km gentle urban driving, 6L/100km touring at 110km/h fully loaded) isn't so great when you realise it needs 95 octane fuel or higher - the price per fill works out roughly the same as a 1.3 four cylinder that can take 91 octane.

The car performs nicely, it's got great sporty handling, the safety features are great, and it's got a lot of sound deadening. Combined with a tall 5th gear, it's surprisingly quiet for motorway driving.

On the whole, this car was destined for landfill the day that it was made. I really wouldn't recommend it; get a little toyota or honda instead.

Little Red Bug – My 2014 Alto has exceeded my expectations. It's quiet at cruising speeds, handles reasonably well despite the skinny wheels and squeezes a lot out of its 1 litre engine. The mechanic at my service centre even remarked on how smooth it was! I drove it from Melbourne to Canberra and back and could do most hills easily by dropping back to 4th… Read more

(without any extra noise). For steep hills 3rd might be needed, but the noise and extra revs are still perfectly acceptable. The seats are comfy enough - and I experience far less driver fatigue on longer trips than from my previous car (an early 90's Corolla Seca). The motor is extremely quiet at idle - and produces some obvious noise on acceleration - but when cruising the cabin is remarkably quiet (good soundproofing?). With its frugal economy, feature set and safety package its great value. Boot is very small, but I have a roof rack to partly compensate for that. Internal finish looks a bit cheap compared to some others (such as the Honda Jazz) but thats a minor gripe. Highly recommended.

Great little car – I've bought my manual 2013 alto new and have owned it now for 2.5 months and have done 11000ks in it. I drive a lot of hills to my favourite fishing spot with a mate (200kg plus fishing gear) and have had no dramas except for a rattle in the door which was rectified under warranty. With this drive it's mostly 100kph but as I said half of it is… Read more

hills and I get on average 600km out of 30L so I could in fact get to the 700km range out of the tank. This astounded me because of the amount of time the throttle is wide open. I cannot wait till the 2500k trip to Queensland to find out what it gets on flat roads. This is my first ever new car and I have to say that the dealer wasn't the most reliable person. I started to get annoyed to the point of going to another manufacture but I'm very glad I didn't and thank you southside suzuki for throwing in cruse control for free as an apology. All in all I bought the car for it's fuel consumption and that's all but I'm finding myself enjoying this car more and more everyday. I'd recommend this car to anyone. The only thing I have an issue with on this car is the boot lid not having a string to lift it and keep it out of your way.

What a Ripper!!! – I recently had a change of circumstances when i needed to change vehicles as my V8 was killing me in fuel....due to the constant running around of approx 600 to 800 kms i do per week i decided to upgrade my Fairlaine chose the Alto for the fuel benefits and safety features....well what can i say....average 4.8 to 5 lts per hundred city cycle...I… Read more ·  2

just love driving this car everywhere...Suzuki service have been fantastic with warranty claims as I had a small issue with clutch and Suzuki replaced clutch with a new one and also loaned me a Suzuki Kizashi which was nice of the dealer at no cost to me....I must admit I did like the Kizashi but missed my little Alto whilst waiting for repairs....Mine is a Glx and I'm very satisfied with my purchase....if I was to make a criticism. ..it would be the rear parcel shelf has no cord so it lifts up with the tailgate when raised....but I fixed that myself by adding a cord.

I highly recommend this car for someone on a budget...I paid $10,700 driveaway for a demo with 59 kms....so virtually brand new.

Best second hand tiny car ever – I bought my 2012 model with 130k on the clock. The car was only $3400 from gumtree in 2017! Cute, practical, fantastically efficient. No fancy features, but adequate AC and a working Soundsystem. Drives fantastic (manual) with plenty of zip for city driving.  Show details

Best car I have ever owned! – I bought my car when it had 20000km on it, it now have 80000, I drive roughly 100km per day on a rural road, lots of hills, bends and bumps, I have never had a problem with it in the 2.5 years that I have owned it! Fuel economy is amazing and is very comfortable for what it is.  Show details

Cute Little Car – The car drives well - the only problem is it has no guts! The interior is cute, lots of headroom, the sound system is average,however there are no speakers or power windows in the back, Quite reliable, has never broken down on me and costs about $45 to fill the tank at an average 550km per tank!  Show details

Paint loss & rust on rear window strips after 2 years old & pinging motor – We expected that modern cars are constructed using superior materials no longer rust. There must be no quality control at the factory for this to happen. Disappointing that we reported the problem to the Dealer & Suzuki Aust. without any response to our emails. The poor response has convinced us never to purchase another Suzuki or use the Dealer.  Show details

Mechanically can't fault it, but it's cheap plastic parts leave a lot to be desired!! – Have a 2009 model, engine wise it is brill no problems!! But I have had a lot of other things go wrong with it ie. the passenger door handle mechanism has broken twice, the drivers side electric window switch fell down inside the door, the windscreen washer valve got stuck and flooded the inside of the car twice, soaking the carpet.

Side mirrors can't be adjusted for blind spot – Stalls on hills with passengers or air con. Asked dealer and Suzuki to fix my drivers side mirror. Suzuki say it not a design fault. The dealer agrees it's not able to be adjusted to see, they can't fix with a new part because that is the way it's designed. Great economy, great turning circle, great to park - dangerous in traffic. Recommended for roads with only one lane each way.

Drove 2012 Alto Sydney to Perth and Return – I was driving 8-10 hours per day from Sydney to Perth. When I left Sydney ODO was 76000. The car had absolutely no issues whatsoever which was lucky as a female solo driving and often 120 mins before I saw another vehicle. My Alto looked tiny up against Nullabor road trains. I drove the return trip a week later. Nov 2016 I have had the Alto… Read more

since new and only real issue was replacement front engine mount under warranty and rear wheel bearing.

I bought my 2011 suzuki alto 2 years ago 'and i must say its been a bloody great little car – Brisbane to gladstone qld cost me $28 'and the car didnt miss a beat 'i had owned a 2011 greatwall dual cab ute and i traded my ute in for the suzuki alto i find this vehicle the alto is a very good small vehicle and it has never caused me any problems from day one'i would buy another one in a heartbeat 'i travel from brisbane to newcastle quiet… Read more

abit and the alto handles the trip really well 'i have been a holden man all my life but now suzuki has won me over '

Surprisingly capable – 2014 automatic: great little car only problem was a rattly disc brake calliper replaced under warranty. Short trips around the suburbs regularly give 5.2 litres per 100km, better than the sticker. Challenged up hills but surprisingly quick off the mark and quiet and stable on the freeway. Seats quite supportive but yes, cheap plastics abound, who… Read more

cares I don't study them! Despite the skinny tyres leaves most behind on twisty roads. Tailgaters and four wheel drives can be a problem like in an old mini. When you are this small on the road people think they are further away than they are and damn those convex side mirrors that add to the problem. You adjust to this in time.

Overall great little city car with hybrid like economy without the price premium.

Love this car – This car is the best car I have ever owned. I bought it second hand with 50,000km on the clock. It is reliable, easy to park and good looking. I have had no probs mechanically and the car is cheap on petrol. This car has a tight turning circle. The air conditioner is amazing as well  Show details

Love my little Alto – Cheap to run, and never misses a beat. Great to drive, and remarkably good power for a 3 cylinder car. It's nothing flash but I haven't regretted my purchase once in the 4 years I've had her. Great on fuel, and you can fit into any car space you like. I've squeezed 4 people in on occasions and it can be done but certainly not for a long trip. Very spacious in the front seats. I'm definitely a bit smitten with her :)  Show details

Was Reliable and Fuss free – had a black auto alto from new for a bit over two years (November 2011 to early 2014). It was basic but did the job. Did not have a single problem unlike our Mercedes. Sadly needs changed and it was no longer needed. The 1 litre 3 cylinder engine was alright even with the 4 speed auto once took it on a trip from Sydney to Wollongong with 4 people and luggage.  Show details

Good car – Bought this car brand new over three years ago. Very happy with the product and performance for the price I paid. Very economical and I have saved a lot on petrol costs compared to my previous car. I would recommend it to anyone who is looking for a small car and would like fuel efficiency.  Show details

Fantastic – We purchased this car in 2014 as a second car for a run around when the other family car was in use. We are very happy with the purchase! It's fantastic on petrol. The only gripe we have the car is the 6 monthly servicing when other small cars have 12 months. We can easily fit us and our 2 children in whom are still in boosters. This car will be staying in the family for many more years to come! LOVE THIS CAR!

Super car looks small and cheap but is well worth the money and I find it Great – We bought an alto 2010 and it has been amazing easy to drive holds the roar well economical beyond belief has all the bells and whistles ABS 6 airbags Just a really good car I am 6'3 and have a very comfortable ride I give it a 9.5 rating

5 stars for value for money – Bought 2014 model new for $12,000 drive away including window tint and auto. 5 year warranty. I get 450-500km out of a 30 litre tank. Smallest boot I've ever seen. Air con works well. No guts but fine for potting around town and driving down the highway. Big enough for 2 adults and 2 small children. Cheap for insurance. I would recommend if you want to drive around for next to nothing.  Show reply

Great Little Car – I am unbelievably impressed with my Alto. I've typically owned more luxurious / high performance vehicles but wanted a great little runaround with excellent fuel economy. I was very skeptical of the build quality (have never owned an Indian made car) and have expected problems but there have been absolutely none to date. The car is significantly… Read more

outperforming my expectations in every way and highly recommend. I can't imagine a better vehicle at this price point (or double the price point for that matter).

Good for what its meant for – I have owned several cars in my life time, and bought this little one for my wife to use. My main reason was it was cheap, Frugal on fuel, efficient and just the right size for school and grocery runs and has better safety than most in its class. Its a very simple car and has cheap plastics to keep cost down but it is a car which will keep… Read more ·  5

going on and on. It has absolutely no issues keeping up with rest of the cars on the freeway at 110-120. and its quite quick (Light and Zippy) in the city. It does struggle with four people and aircon uphills, though we have other larger car for that.

It needs one service a year which saves cost, and rego and insurance is cheapest from what i know.

You will always find a parking spot around train stations and shopping centre where others could not fit their cars.

If you know what u want from this car it will always deliver. Shall, Light, compact and keeps going, great as second car. Struggles uphill with fullload and Aircon.

Best car Ive owned so far – If your looking for a small affordable reliable car the alto is definitely the car to get. I got my little Alto (Brand New) last year and have not had one problem with it servicing is ridiculously cheap and fuel is $35-$40 for a full tank!!! its got all the safety features your looking for air bags automatic stability control you name it. Been to… Read more ·  1

Canberra a few times and up to the Gold Coast and it went very well little slow up hills but cruised very nicely along the highways. Would seriously recommend this car to anyone looking for a small reliable car. performance for such a little engine and fuel efficiancy.

Fantastic Student or Young Family car – My wife and I have had our Alto for 2 years now. We have a 7 year old and a 4 year old and the space is just fine for the four of us. We have been to Canberra a couple of times in it (from Sydney) almost as a joke but it actually performed okay. 1.0L engine leaves me grinning from ear to ear. I pay $20 at the bowser when the mug next to me in the… Read more ·  4

Ford Explorer pays $120. You really have to experience this at least once in your lifetime! You can park it in those "oh that's too small!" gaps in the road too which means you are seldom without a park. It looks a bit ugly. Kind of fun for the kids though, so whatever.

Great Second Car – I have had my Alto Auto for nearly 2 years. Have had no trouble with it apart from glove box handle braking but aprat from that Very Good. Fun to drive i drive around 400 kms a week counrty roads and High ways ,Freeways etc no promblem I keep up with traffic. But with a 1 litre house power you have to know you limits about over taking and… Read more ·  6

starting off. I was told by sales people these cars can do up to 400,000 so its a bargin new for $13450 Fun to drive Excellent on petrol Cheap plastics and small boot.

Good small car with some character – It's a good value car, for one of the cheapest cars on the market they have done well of making it a desirable package. I have a manual 2012 Alto in dark grey which is a new colour. Also updated for 2012 is the interior colour, which is now darker overall and loses the odd light grey dark grey combination. The upholstery pattern is new, previously… Read more

it had flowers, now a more gender neutral geometrical pattern.

The 3 cyl engine has a bit of character to it and has a good sound above 4-5k rpm. It can be fairly cruisy too, if I'm not in a rush I change up at 2k rpm and the acceleration isn't bad.

It feels solid to drive and excels in tight city streets, on average two lane roads you can go from parallel parked straight in to a U-turn, fairly handy.

Seems fairly well built and thought out, the plastic molding could be a little better.

It's very frugal on petrol, the best I've had is 5.5L/100km in city driving conditions. I usually average 6L/100km in the city and get at least 500km out of the small 35 litre tank. I'd like to see how many km's it could do on the highway.

Impressive and versatile wee car – Bought my 2001 Suzuki Alto used in 2012, as I was pleasantly surprised by its responsive 1-litre engine. Wife said I was grinning while test driving it! Didn't realise I was grinning, though I was enjoying the drive! Actually meant to buy an auto for her use, but this is a 5-speed manual. So baby car became my everyday transport instead; wife now… Read more

drives my Honda Civic.

Anyway, have had no complaints with it. 5 doors means great versatility and easy entry/exit for rear passengers. Most impressed by its carrying capacity; with its rear seat back(s) down, and the front passenger seat pushed forward (with seatback reclined), it has carried home a flat-packed full-sized cupboard, long wooden battens of 2.4m, and long and big acrylic sheets for window glazing (on 3 different occasions of course :) ).

Despite its 136,000 km, its engine is going very nicely after my fastidious attention: new distributor rotor, new distributor cap, new spark plugs, new air filter, new synthetic oil and filter, new coolant, new brake fluid, new battery and new front tyres (used ones). Torquey engine is pleasing as 4th gear can be used at 45 km/hr, and 5th gear at 55 km/hr. No noticeable reduction in performance with 2 passengers. Oh yes, Caltex petrol with Techron also cleaned its injectors and valves. I've always enjoyed my drives to and from work!

And of course, very pleasing fuel economy.

At 15 years of age, at 150,400 km, the Alto is still going strong. It climbs inclines strongly, although carrying just the driver. It climbs at 35 to 45 km/hr in third gear. One part needs replacing though - the tailgate gas struts had weakened and could not raise the hatch. The used set of struts cost $70 used and the labour to replace it was free - my DIY. Recently replaced its PCV valve - actually long overdue. This resulted in a slightly smoother and more responsive engine. It may have reduced its previously higher engine oil consumption too. By the way, it's really easy to find free parking on the street on weekdays, due to its small size. Size does matter :)

November 12, 2017. 16 years old! Little Alto is still my reliable workhorse. I was lucky to detect a torn CV boot, and replaced it with a new one with no damage to the CV joint :) I've also replaced the front disc brakes - a straightforward job after learning from YouTube videos and websites. Removed, cleaned and lubed the caliper pins properly. Also bought four new tyres.

I've been a bit tempted to replace baby car with a newer one, but the newer Alto has the three-cylinder engine that is likely to be less smooth and less vibration-free than my Alto's four-cylinder engine. Also, my car has always got me from A to B to Z. Once, during a morning commute to work, I even drove past a rather badly flooded area, without stalling. No water ingress into the cabin too :) What a car! Surprising capacity to transport bulky and long cargo, torquey and responsive engine, great fuel economy.

Zoomy Little Beast! – Hmmmm.... Where to begin? My initial views of my Alto weren't particularly strong. I lived on a very rough country road and I bought the car during a run of extremely bad weather. I guess I wasn't used to its driving characteristics and found moving towards oncoming traffic on a bumpy 1 lane highway quite a harrowing experience. But as I… Read more ·  1

have driven the car more, my feelings of its sure footedness have grown. It is just that the wheelbase and width seem to require a degree of experience to keep the little car doing the right things in extreme weather. So I think it isn't one for little old Grandma (unless she lives in town) or a newly passed P Plater (unless restricted to town).

But having gotten through the negatives, this is a little rocket that is loaded with features including a/c, cd, remote central locking, adjustable seat height and fog lamps. THe car is comfortable at highway speeds and does well in the city. Suzuki sometimes do sales and I picked mine up for $11,500 total with a year's registration.

Some more positives are comfort. The seats are firm and there is enough headroom for me. The aircon is effective and the heater is great on a cold winter's morning. Pwr steer is light and easy.

The car also has good safety features: ABS, ESP and traction control (I believe). Add 6 airbags and it is jam packed with the 'look after you' stuff! Well done suzuki!

Negatives include the tiny boot! Bring much more than a pair of shoes and you're in trouble. But the seats do go down in the back. Also, the front (inside) is a bit arrow shaped, so it takes a while to get used to parking it. You often thing you aren't right over in a space when you are. Manual back window, a lack of an anti-glare rear mirrow and manual side mirror adjustments add a touch of yester-year. Hmmm... And I'm not sure where they got the figure of 4L per 100km on the highway. Mine is around 5L (maybe others get 4L), but it is still cheap to run.

But overall, I am starting to really love this car! It's fun and I'm glad I bought it. Fun, feature packed, easy to drive. Small boot, some manual controls that don't belong.

Good car, does what it is supposed to, but takes some getting used to – Have had the car 1 week so far. The biggest thing to get used to is that the engine has very little torque below 3000rpm. This means that one has to hold the lower gears longer, revving the engine up to around 4000rpm before shifting up. Also, downshifts must be done earlier. The car also feels light on the road. The ride is comfortable,… Read more ·  3

with the suspension smoothing bumps adequately, but it is a very different feeling when compared to a heavier sedan or station wagon.

So far I am very happy with it. Relatively cheap, good fuel economy Requires a slightly different driving technique, boot is tiny.

Stay away from this car! – I had an Alto for 14 months, except the motor running well, nothing else are. Door handle has been replaced 3 times, glove box handle snapped, side strips of the back windows were totally rusted, paint on top was fading, driver side airbag cover has been replaced twice. Just don't know why SUZUKI put its reputation on such a bomb!

Great little car – Have owned a Alto GLX for ten months now, racked up a bit over 17,000 kilometres and no problems. I brought the Alto to run to work as cheap transport and never looked back. I do about 500km a week on a mix of road conditions in the high country of Tasmania. Nonadjustable window wipers Show details ·  1

Easiest car to live with!! – Having only ever owned small cars the size of the Alto doesn't concern me. Having driven a Mazda 626, Suzuki Swift and my previous car being a 2007 Kia Rio, the alto feels no less substantial when driving, except when parking. That's when you really appreciate how small the car is. Reverse parallels are so easy, and I haven't had to do a 3 point… Read more

turn yet. I've only had the car for a few months so can't comment or reliability, but I'm confident it won't have any trouble. After test driving many other more expensive small cars, I originally only tried the alto because it was so cheap, I didn't think it would be any good. However I found it to handle and perform noticeably better than the other new cars I test drove (micra, barina spark, s16, satria ect) I was in a very tight budget after loosing my Rio in the Qld floods. The alto also felt more solid and had a more confident/direct steering feel and s better stereo. There are little things that are annoying like no passenger window switch on the drivers side, no dimming rear view mirror and external door mirrors, but they are easy to live with when you remember how much you paid for the car, how cheap it is to ensure and run and how easy it is to park. Cost, ease of use I don't like the way it looks, it's definatley not a beautiful car, more 'quirky' if you want to be nice. But hey, you can't have everything for 13k.

Rust bucket – Performs well enough but I've had no end of trouble with body work. First dust adhered to it and had to be cut and polished off - wouldn't wash off. Now the strips of metal between the hatch windows and the rear passenger windows have rusted badly. I've also had a lot of trouble with Suzuki service. They are very unprofessional and deny warranty… Read more

and are unhelpful.

Because it is so lightly built it crushes at the slightest impact and gets bogged in a puddle. Energy efficient Very bad body work, bad service, warranty excludes anything you find wrong with it