Maruti Suzuki has been working on the next-gen Alto for the past few months and now the upcoming hatchback has been spotted as a test mule for the first time. It is expected to launch in the second half of 2022 in the Indian market. The small hatch will be the third Maruti product to get a major overhaul as new-gen Celerio and Baleno facelift are also in the pipeline with launch timelines of November 10, 2021 and February 2022, respectively. The 2022 Maruti Alto will rival the likes of Renault Kwid and Datsun redi-GO in India.
Going by the spy-images, the 2022 Maruti Alto appears identical to the current-gen model as far as the basic structure is concerned. The company has retained its hatchback character while not trying to give it an SUVish look. Though the heavily camouflaged test mule doesn't reveal much about the updates, one can see the clamshell bonnet, bigger upward tilting headlamp units, massive mesh grille, and front bumper with fog lamp housings on either side. The side profile boasts of a similar glasshouse and door design as the ongoing model. It is expected to get 13-inch wheels, fender mounted turn indicators and pull-type door handles. The rear end could boast a square-shaped tail-lamp cluster and flatter tailgate.
There is not much detail available of the cabin but we expect it to come with a fresh upholstery and modern features. One can probably see power steering, power windows, manual AC and dual front airbags as standard fitment while the top models could feature a touchscreen infotainment system. Mechanically, it will be powered by the same 796cc petrol engine as the current model. Though, it has been rumoured that it might be upgraded to DualJet technology similar to the new-gen Celerio which will be launched in the coming days. The new-gen Maruti Alto could be priced slightly premium to the preceding version of the hatch with prices starting at around Rs 2.50 Lakhs (Ex. Showroom).