Suzuki Alto


The Suzuki Alto is a kei car produced by Suzuki since 1979. The model, currently in its ninth generation, was first introduced in 1979 and has been built in many countries worldwide. The Alto originated as a commercial vehicle derivative of the Fronte, but over time the Alto nameplate gained in popularity and by 1988 it replaced the Fronte name completely. The Alto badge has often been used on different cars in Japan and in export markets, where it is considered a city car.

Nameplate history

In Japan, the Alto badge was originally meant to be for the commercial use version of the Fronte passenger car. The word "alto" is a musical term. When introduced, the Alto was only available as a three-door "light van" and with bare-bones equipment. However, Suzuki generally did not use the "Fronte" badge in export, usually calling all versions "Alto" abroad. Most early export Altos were thus technically speaking rebadged Suzuki Frontes. These were exported with changes such as enlarged engines, sometimes modified bodywork. Thus the Japanese [|SS40] Fronte became the SS80 Alto with a 660 cc engine abroad. The Alto badge gradually took over in Japan as well, as the distinction between kei commercial vehicles and passenger cars was diminished in early 1989. The Fronte line was retired in March 1989. The Alto plate has been used on export versions of various Indian-built derivatives since the early 1990s, as neither cars are restricted by the kei rules and Indian cars are also considerably cheaper than Japanese-built ones.
Thus, the European-market models were actually:
In 2014, the Suzuki Celerio replaced the Alto in Europe and many other export markets. Outside of the Japanese domestic market, the Alto badge remains used on the second generation of Indian-built Maruti Altos which is generally sold as a Suzuki in export markets.

First generation (1979)

The first generation, introduced in May 1979, is a three-door cargo version of the Fronte passenger car, equipped with a folding rear seat. Front suspension comprised coils struts, with leaf springs at the back. The steering was of the recirculating ball type, and four-wheel drums were used. On introduction, the Alto received the T5B two-stroke three-cylinder engine, producing at 5500 rpm. The Alto was a "micro sensation" when introduced, largely due to its rock bottom price of ¥470,000. This low price was made possible by a number of Japanese special concessions for commercial vehicles: most notably, the engine was subject to less stringent emissions rules and did not require expensive twin catalysts. Two fewer doors provided another saving, as did the exemption from commodity tax. Initially, Suzuki only offered a single model to avoid additional development costs and to avoid making buyers feel short-changed by not buying more expensive variants. In spite of the relentless cost cutting, Suzuki did increase the safety standards with standard equipment not typically found in kei cars at the time, such as three-point belts in front and individually fused headlamps.
The Alto's success changed the kei-car market, and other producers such as Subaru quickly followed suit with cut-price "commercial" vehicles that were really intended for private use. Suzuki was unable to keep up with demand the first few years, particularly in the home market. The Alto helped Suzuki move into seventh place in Japanese production for cars and trucks. In the last full year of production for this generation, it was still by far the best selling Kei car, with the Alto outselling the passenger-oriented Fronte at a rate of about five to two.
In May 1980, a fully automatic two-speed option was added to the Alto SS30. In January 1981, the F5A four-stroke from the Fronte was also made available for the Alto; although it only had a single-barrel carburettor, it too put out but at 6,000 rpm. Torque was considerably lower, however, down from. 1981 was also when it became available in the United Kingdom, as Suzuki began selling cars there that year.
In export markets, the Alto name was used for the passenger car versions as well as on commercials, while the van was marketed as the "Suzuki Hatch" in Australia. The four-doors were not proper hatchbacks, only featuring an opening rear window. Export cars were also available with twelve-inch wheels, unlike the domestic versions which only used ten-inch units until the introduction of the 4WD version in October 1983. The 4WD "Snow Liner" thus gained an extra of ground clearance. Most export Altos were passenger car versions, and usually received the F8B engine and the SS80 chassis code. The 800 had better performance, and due to the higher possible gearing it saw an improved fuel mileage as well - by about ten percent according to Suzuki. The SS80 was also built in New Zealand, by South Pacific Suzuki Assemblers, at a rate of six units per day. It was introduced in New Zealand in March 1980. The two-speed automatic transmission became an available option in New Zealand-built Altos in the latter half of 1984, towards the end of the model's production run.
While Suzuki held on to the two-stroke engine concept for a half decade longer than any of its Japanese competitors, market pressures and ever tightening emissions regulations eventually spelled its end and it was discontinued in the Alto by September 1981. The Jimny, however, did use the same engine as late as 1987.
Between 1983 and 1986, this generation Alto was built in India as the Maruti Suzuki 800. By 1984, the 800 cc Alto/Fronte were introduced in Pakistan and were locally manufactured by Pak Suzuki Motors along with the 1000 cc Jimny.

Suzuki Hatch (Australia)

In Australia, the SS40V was sold as the Suzuki Hatch, only available as a two-seat commercial vehicle. This meant it was taxed at 35 percent duty as opposed to 57.5 percent for passenger cars, and sales were not affected by Australia's then-quota on import cars. The Hatch originally offered a single-carburetted engine with at 6000 rpm and at 4000 rpm. The side rear windows were covered with fibreglass by default, with glass panels optional. The only other option was air conditioning. The Hatch was by far the cheapest new car sold in Australia at the time, although equipment was limited: the buyer received standard vinyl seats and mats and cross ply tires, with the only concession to luxury being a push-button AM radio. M. W. Suzuki in Victoria, Suzuki's distributor for Southern Australia, introduced the "800 pack" in January 1981 that included the motor. The pack also added steel-belt radial tyres, 12-inch wheels, front-wheel disc brakes and bolder bumpers front and rear.

Second generation (1984)

The second generation was introduced in September 1984. This generation Alto echoed the design of the GM M-platform that underpinned the 1983 Suzuki Cultus. It continued with the F5A engine of the SS40, but also became available with turbocharged and multi-valve engines thereof, mainly in the "Works" series. In December 1984, a four-wheel-drive version was added; until it arrived Suzuki had kept the four-wheel-drive version of the first generation Alto on offer. Performance versions of the Alto family first appeared in September 1985, when a fuel injected and turbocharged engine with was made available; this could also be had in combination with four-wheel-drive. The Alto Turbo gradually acquired more performance-related modifications until the long running Alto Works version was introduced in February 1987. This was the first kei car to reach the legal limit of. It acquired considerable popularity, with models of it still made by Fujimi.
A five-door body became available on the Alto in October 1985. This was superficially identical to that of the Fronte's, but the rear seat folded flat and it was technically speaking a commercial vehicle. This was the first five-door commercial of its kind in Japan, and was originally a special model introduced to celebrate the one millionth Alto produced. The CB model code was not used on the Alto in Japan, as it signifies the passenger car version which was still sold as a Fronte in the home market.
In July 1986, the CA/CC71 received a rather thorough facelift. New wraparound headlights, a new dash and interior heralded the new available ITL rear suspension, a three-link rigid setup. Some lower end models retained the earlier leaf sprung rigid axle; those with ITL received the CA/CC72 chassis code. A "Walkthrough Van" was introduced in January 1987, while at the other end of the spectrum, the personal coupé Cervo on the CA/CC72 base was introduced in 1988 with a new F5B engine. In August 1987, higher spec Altos became available with a three-speed automatic rather than the two-speed unit that had been used before.

Other markets

Most export markets received the passenger car version, which would have been badged "Suzuki Fronte" in Japan, but were usually sold as Altos abroad. When equipped with the 543 cc F5A engine, the export model code is SB305. Most cars sold outside of Japan, however, received the larger F8B engine and the SB308 model code. The locally produced Alto went on sale in New Zealand in October 1985; as with its predecessor, it was the cheapest new car available in that market. It was now built by Suzuki's new, wholly owned subsidiary Suzuki New Zealand. South Pacific Suzuki Vehicle Assemblers, who had been assembling the previous generation, were taken over from the Coleman family in early 1984 along with South Pacific Suzuki Distributors. Suzuki shut down the plant on the last day of 1988, returning to importing fully built-up cars as production of all models had only been about four cars per day.