Maruti A-Star

To be sold side by side with the popular Alto, the A-Star is targeted at a younger, more style conscious customer. Maruti Suzuki has targeted the young and the successful as the prime customers of A-Star. A buyer who wants a more attractive-looking car and one that is better to drive, without actually sacrificing anything by way of fuel economy or price.

Maruti Suzuki A-Star design is a refreshing departure from the existing Alto’s basic boxy shape. There is no traditional grille, the inlet to the radiator is placed really low down and the headlights are mounted high up and then the turning lights pop out which give this car a sporty look. Also the A-Star’s glass area tapers like a leaf towards the rear, an effect achieved by raising the beltline, using a steep kink in the rear door and dropping the roof down towards the rear. The rear windscreen is shallow and the car comes with a compact cabin area with wide haunches. The sole reminders of the Alto are the taillights and the thick C-pillar.

What is absolutely fresh is Suzuki’s new KB series engine. This thoroughly modern all-aluminum motor is a marvel of Japanese miniaturization and will power all manner of Suzuki small cars of the future. A twin cam, four valves per cylinder unit, it uses a maintenance-free chain drive system, low mass pistons, distributor less ignition as well as rocker-less camshaft actuation. The new Maruti A-Star has a substantial cushion of air and generous sidewall rubber to handle our worst roads.

The A-Star is perfect for city travel. At low speeds the motor is pretty smooth and hugely responsive even just off idle; this means the A-Star feels alert and ready to skip forward.

The big surprise is that the car is light-footed through rough patches, well-composed over large bumps and provides a hassle free ride over broken stretches of tarmac.