Plans regarding buying the first compact car usually comes down to selecting among Tata Nano or the Maruti Alto 800 as usage and budget is what governs the selection between the two. We, at CarTrade.com, have performed a detailed analysis of both of the models. Starting with Tata Nano LX, which is priced just below the Rs. 2 lakh range, whereas the Maruti Alto base variant comes at Rs. 2.40 lakh, a difference of about Rs. 40,000 can be easily seen. For air conditioner, one must go for the Alto 800 which has been priced at around Rs. 2.5 lakh; however, for the budget conscious, Tata Nano is the car to be picked, as it would come at around Rs. 2 lakh.
Talking in terms of features, Tata Nano being cheaper does not make any less than the Maruti Alto 800. With the top-end LX Nano, we can expect two front power windows and an efficient air conditioning system as well as fog lamps, which surprisingly are not available in the Maruti Alto STD. In terms of space, Maruti Alto 800 is the favourite, with ample space to carry four individuals easily (five at a squeeze) and luggage carrying volume of close to 170 litres compared to 80 litres of Nano. That said, the Nano has as much head room and leg room as the Alto for all the four passengers, which makes it unexpectedly spacious.
The Tata Nano is run by a 624 cc two-cylinder engine, giving out 38 bhp of maximum power and 51 Nm of peak torque, from a four-speed transmission, claiming mileage figures of 24 kmpl. Maruti Alto 800 on the other hand, is powered by a revised 796 cc three-cylinder powertrain resulting in a 47.5 bhp of highest power and 69 Nm of peak torque with a five-speed transmission. Thus, Alto is a superior performer overall at both highways and city traffic conditions easily, unlike the Nano which comes with a restricted top speed of 105 kmph and practically touching only 90 kmph.
The overall result one gets from the above comparison is that, individual should opt for Nano only if he is on a real tight budget and want a vehicle for driving in city. On the other hand, the Maruti Alto 800 can perform on and off the highways decently, costing only around Rs. 1 lakh more.
