Maruti's Alto and Esteem, Honda City, Toyota Corolla and Qualis have topped JD Power's initial quality study even as the total number of problems reported by owners of new vehicles has increased in the industry.
It beats popular cars such as Volkswagen Gold and Toyota Prius.
Renault Kwid is also the longest of the lot and at 3680mm length, the vehicle may turn out to be the most spacious in its segment.
The first month of the new fiscal year saw a slight change in sales trends as market leader Maruti Suzuki saw a decline in sales of its popular models.
The Alto received this title in 2010 and retained it for the following year as well, however in 2012, the top spot was stolen by VW Gol which is a sort of Brazil's Alto.
Maruti's Alto retained the best-selling model tag in January with 22,998 units as against 21,462 in January 2016.
Sensing stiff competition from Maruti Suzuki with the all-new Alto 800 with an aggressive price tag, Hyundai and Tata Motors announced deep price cuts and launch of new special edition variants, respectively to beat the market leader.
Eon wins in design and style. Alto is powerful and cheaper.
The Alto was first launched in September 2000 and has registered sales of over 2 million units so far.
India's entry-level passenger vehicle market is experiencing a significant recovery, with mini car wholesales surging 86.3 per cent year-on-year in the first half of FY27, driven by improved affordability and stronger overall demand.
The company has also exported over 3.8 lakh Alto cars to over 70 countries.
The scheme, called 'Suhana Safar', targeted customers who aspire to own a car but were hesitant because of concerns around arranging the down payment or managing future EMI obligations.
The small car, initially supposed to hit the market by 2011, was delayed by a year due to differences between the partners over pricing and design.
Code-named Pelican, bigger hatchback with new petrol and diesel engines may hit the road next year.
The list clearly shows the dominance of Maruti and Hyundai in the Indian passenger vehicle market.
The Kwid was launched in the last week of September.
Faced with rising input costs, Maruti Udyog Ltd on Monday effected a price hike, including on the popular Alto model, but made no changes in the prices of entry-level car M800 and multi-utility Gypsy.
Maruti Suzuki India reported a significant 147 per cent year-on-year increase in mini-car sales (Alto and S-Presso) during April-May 2026, reaching 32,341 units, driven by eased production constraints and a surge in demand for CNG vehicles amidst rising fuel prices.
MSI launched the Alto in September 2000. The company then introduced a 1,000-cc version of the car, the Alto K10, in August 2010.
Indian carmakers, including Maruti Suzuki and Kia India, reported robust sales growth in May 2026, with both companies achieving their highest-ever monthly sales despite rising fuel prices. Maruti Suzuki's domestic sales surged to 1,93,535 units, while Kia India recorded 27,586 units, driven by strong demand in mini and compact segments and a shift towards electric and CNG vehicles.
The government is working on a recall policy.
The model will get new upholstery and audio system.
Eon has enough substance to disrupt Alto's free run.
'GST reduction will help larger and high-end cars too.'
This follows three other special edition Maruti launched recently - WagonR Madhavan Signature Edition, Alto K10 Musik edition and Ertiga Feliz edition.
The high-selling model now comes with various safety features like anti-lock braking system with electronic brake force distribution, driver airbag, reverse parking sensor, seed alert system and driver and co-driver seat belt reminder.
Leading automakers in India, including Maruti Suzuki, Tata Motors, Mahindra & Mahindra, and Hyundai, reported increased vehicle dispatches to dealers in February, driven by sustained domestic demand.
Leading automakers in India, including Maruti Suzuki, Tata Motors, Mahindra & Mahindra, and Hyundai, reported increased vehicle dispatches to dealers in February, driven by sustained domestic demand.
It has a variant with automatic transmission that costs Rs 380,000.
Oh, what a strange 'tangled web' these two men and one woman have been caught up in for the last nine years. Or allegedly 'weaved'.
Indian carmakers experienced a robust start to the new fiscal year, with an estimated 4.5 lakh passenger vehicles sold in April, marking a 27 per cent increase year-on-year, attributed to factors like GST 2.0, repo rate cuts, and income tax benefits.
She added 148 workers from Maruti Suzuki had been imprisoned for two years without bail, on charges of killing a plant manager.
Companies with "gas guzzlers" are trying to set up the wrong narrative against small cars getting relaxation in the proposed corporate average fuel efficiency (CAFE-III) norms on the basis of weight, Maruti Suzuki senior executive officer corporate affairs Rahul Bharti said on Monday, bringing to the fore deep division among carmakers regarding the upcoming rules.
For hatchbacks and sedans, offers range between Rs 40,000 and Rs 80,000 while SUVs and multi-purpose vehicles carry benefits exceeding Rs 1 lakh.
India's largest car maker Maruti Udyog Ltd on Monday introduced a new version of its hot-selling model Alto with enhanced interiors and exteriors.
The car has been launched in two variants.
Maruti Udyog on Friday launched a special limited edition of its premium small car 'Alto LX'.
Automotive (auto) stocks have been among the best performers in the BSE 200 index in recent months. More than half of the top 15 gainers over the past one, two, and three months have come from the sector.
Alto, the Maruti brand synonymous with small cars, introduced the new generation K10 on Thursday, aiming to consolidate its position further amid shrinking demand for hatchbacks. With prices starting at Rs 399,000 and going up to Rs 533,500 (for manual transmission), the new model claims fuel efficiency of 24.90 km per litre. The Japanese car maker, which has been selling 100 Altos every hour for the last 22 years, had discontinued the model in February 2020.
