New Maruti Alto K10 vs Hyundai Eon 1.0 Comparison review

It doesn’t get bigger than this figuratively and smaller than this in reality. The new Maruti Alto K10 and Hyundai Eon are entry level hatchbacks with one aim, finding the best package there is for a first time car buyer. And considering the very low percentage of car owners in India compared to most developing and developed countries around the world, there are going to be a lot of first time buyers emerging in the coming decade or so looking for an affordable hatchback. Every month, 40,000-45,000 cars are sold in this segment, a lion’s share of which is shared by the Eon and the Alto. If you are one of them, the chances of you looking for one of these two cars over the rest of the pack are very high. So which car should you choose? Let’s find out.

Exterior Styling/Design

The K10 and the Eon 1.0 are the ‘performance pack’ so to say. They have the bigger 1.0-litre engine compared to the 0.8-litre units that were first introduced. The Alto differentiates itself to its 800cc cousin with an all new design while the Eon 1.0-litre is only another engine option. The Eon doesn’t need a new design though as its current attire is quite dapper for entry hatchback standards. It looks and feels upmarket for a car at this price and that’s impressive. There’s a genuine design language to speak of in the Eon, inside-out, where the Alto K10 that although looks much smarter than the car it replaces, feels somewhat put together.

With the new Alto K10, you get a more attractive car from the aggressive front end to the familiar rear that closely resembles the larger Celerio. The blacked out B-pillar is a nice touch as is the prominent waistline. With all the curves and swoops, the Eon is still our pick on the styling front. It is pricier than the Alto K10 but it looks and feels like it is more expensive to build.

Maruti Alto K10: 3/5

Hyundai Eon 1.0: 4/5

Interiors and Space

You’d be genuinely impressed with the insides of the new Alto K10 if you’ve seen its predecessor. It’s more welcoming and uses better materials and the dual tone dashboard is neatly contoured. It’s likeable no doubt. But then you switch to the Eon and the stylistic symmetrical centre console, quality of interior plastics and seat upholstery feel better than the K10. 

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Even when it comes to space, the Alto K10 falls short. While width and height of the new Alto K10 has increased marginally (15mm to be precise), it sits on the same wheelbase. All passengers sit snug in the K10 where the Eon is roomier. Maruti could have worked on the ergonomics of the new car more extensively. You tend to elbow the doors quite often while driving and the power window switches are just in the wrong location. Rear seat space is poor too. The back of the front seats are scooped out but they make little sense for a grown adult. In all these aspects, the Eon is better sorted. It is still a small car but has a lot more room on the inside with its clever packaging. 

The Alto K10 has a smaller boot as well at 177 litres compared to 215 litres in the Eon. It is easier to load the K10 though as the Eon’s boot is quite deep and the opening doesn’t feel wide enough. Overall though, the Eon is more spacious and ergonomically sound compared to the Alto K10. 

Maruti Alto K10: 2.5/5

Hyundai Eon 1.0: 3.5/5

Features and Equipment

Both cars being entry level hatchbacks, it’s harsh to expect a long list of features. The Eon 1.0 and the Alto K10 get front fog lamps, body coloured mirrors and full wheel covers on the outside and an integrated music system with USB and Aux-in, keyless entry and internally adjustable ORVMs on the inside. Maruti is also offering a driver airbag as standard on the top VXi trim while Hyundai has skipped it on the 1.0 Eon. The Alto K10 also gets a tachometer which the Eon doesn’t get. Neither car offers a prismatic rear view mirror. Although it isn’t a norm in the segment, the small feature will make it more comfortable to drive at night. 

Maruti Alto K10: 3/5

Hyundai Eon 1.0: 2.5/5

Engine and performance

Both cars are entry level hatchbacks agreed, but if someone is buying either of the two, is looking for a bit of performance to eke out of the 1.0-litre mills compared to their puny 800cc siblings. The Alto K10 produces 1PS and 4Nm lesser than the Eon 1.0 at 68PS and 90Nm. Both cars are very light though (sub 800kg) and that makes them quite sprightly at a slight dab of the throttle. The Eon feels quicker off the block with more torque on offer while the Alto pulls through a tad slower. Once on the move though, it’s where the Alto K10 earns its bread. 

Gearshifts are smoother in the Alto and it feels more enthusiastic and fun to be pushed than the Eon. It has been the Alto K10’s strength even before this new car and it just gets better now. The Eon is on par with the K10 though in the performance department.

Maruti Alto K10: 3.5/5

Hyundai Eon 1.0: 3.5/5

Ride and ease of driving

As commuters, both cars need to be easy to drive and park and squeeze through the tightest of spots. Compact dimensions make the Alto K10 and Eon 1.0 extremely easy to putter around town with their light controls and good visibility out of the driver’s seat. The Alto here is better with its slender A-pillar and lower set dashboard. Tiny 13 inch wheels, small wheelbase and light weight means you tend to bounce around on bad roads but that is expected of small cars as they will never feel as planted as larger hatchbacks do. 

Maruti Alto K10: 3.5/5

Hyundai Eon 1.0: 3/5

Handling and braking

The thing about lightweight small cars with decent amounts of power is that they can be fun to drive and on a busy road, can outrun almost anything. Both the Alto K10 and Eon 1.0 bring about that childish joy. The Alto K10 is more fun to drive of the two as it is more chuckable and despite plenty of roll and flex, it feels more confident to throw around corners. The lower 160mm ground clearance (170mm for the Eon), lower overall height and extremities of the car at little over a arm’s length give you plenty of confidence to drive it fast and hard.

Neither cars get ABS due to obvious cost sensitivities. Again, the relative lack of weight of the cars makes them easy to stop. Here too the K10 is better with more progressive brakes and better bite compared to the Eon 1.0. 

Maruti Alto K10: 3.5/5

Hyundai Eon 1.0: 3/5

Price and Fuel Efficiency

It is imperative for cars at this end of the spectrum to be efficient. At an ARAI specified 20.3kmpl mileage figure, the Hyundai Eon is an economical car to run no doubt but compare it to the Alto K10 and it makes you wonder how Maruti could manage to squeeze of 24.07kmpl out of the Alto K10. Even in normal driving conditions, the Alto K10 will be as fuel efficient as the Eon 1.0 in test conditions and we believe this will sway a lot of buyers in favour of the Alto. 

As far as prices go, the Eon is only available in the Magna and Magna with option pack trim, the latter being our test car. It is priced at Rs 4.03 lakh, ex-showroom Delhi. Maruti meanwhile has launched the Alto K10 today at Rs 3.06 lakh for the base variant while the toop spec VXi (O) trim in these pictures costs Rs 3.56 lakh, again ex-showroom Delhi. With the few extra features , the Alto K10 is Rs 47,000 cheaper than the Eon 1.0 and that’s quite something for a budget car.

Maruti Alto K10: 4.5/5 

Hyundai Eon 1.0: 3.5/5

Verdict

The Hyundai Eon starts off well with its smart styling, inside and out. It hasn’t been the Alto K10’s strong suite since its inception but we can see Maruti moving in the right direction with its latest iteration. Get behind the wheel and the K10 begins to impress with its agile handling and ease of driving. The Eon 1.0 isn’t too far behind though. But then you visit the pumps more often in the Eon and for a entry level hatchback, fuel efficiency and price take precedence above all else. That brings us to the Alto K10’s pricing. It is more than competitive with Maruti’s economies of scale being hard to beat.

You don’t get much less with the Eon where you should be getting more for the price Hyundai commands for it when pitted against the Alto K10. It’s where the new baby Maruti shines through.

Maruti Alto K10: 3.5/5

Hyundai Eon 1.0: 3/5