Maruti Alto 800 Discontinued In 2019 — Maruti Suzuki Rubbishes Rumours

Initial reports also suggested that Maruti will halt production of the Alto 800, either in the second half or third quarter of 2019. This was due to the upcoming safety norms, mandating the airbags, ABS and addition of other features. Maruti would have had to update the engine and the entire structure of the Alto 800, in order to meet the new crash test norms.

However, Maruti Suzuki has come out and stated that they will not discontinue Alto 800 sales in 2019, rubbishing all reports and rumours. Although, the company has confirmed the halt in production of the Omni.

The Maruti Omni will be discontinued from production, ahead of the implementation of the Bharat New Vehicle Safety Assessment Program (BNVSAP) in October 2020.

Both the Maruti Alto 800 and the Omni are powered by the same 796cc three-cylinder F8B engine. It produces 47.5bhp and 69Nm of torque and is mated to a five-speed manual gearbox as standard.

The Maruti Alto is one of the first products from the brand in India. The car has been on sale now for almost 34 years and still remains one of the most popular entry-level hatchbacks in the market.

Thoughts On Maruti Alto 800 Discontinuation

Maruti Suzuki has rubbished the rumours surrounding the discontinuation of the Alto 800 in the Indian market. However, it will be interesting to see the changes and updates made (if any), ahead of the upcoming stringent safety and emission norms. The Maruti Alto 800 rivals the likes of the Renault Kwid and the Datsun GO in the market.