Should you buy a used Hyundai Eon or Maruti Alto 800?

Hatchbacks – Hyundai Eon or Maruti Alto 800

Hatchbacks are the most popular cars in India for their fuel efficiency, ease of turning and operating on city roads and affordability. Ever car manufacturer in India has a few hatchback models on offer. Previously makers such as Toyota and Honda did not offer hatchbacks but they have now introduced hatchback models into the Indian car market. Those living in cities find hatchback cars to be highly useful and drive-able by all.

Currently in the Indian market, there are two entry level hatchbacks which are doing very well- the Maruti Alto 800 and the Hyundai Eon. Both of them are sub Rs 4 lakh cars and meant for city roads. The Maruti Alto 800 was launched as a replacement for the hugely popular Maruti 800 in October 2012. Soon, it climbed the charts of Indian cars and is currently placed at number one among the cars selling in the country. The Hyundai Eon is also highly popular and was particularly designed for the Indian market. It was launched around the same time as the Maruti Alto 800 and has been doing very well. The car is also among the top 5 cars selling in the country.

When it comes to picking between used versions of both the cars, buyers would be much benefited from their purchase as both cars have been launched recently and hence would be in near mint condition. The used Hyundai Eon or Maruti Alto 800 which are available in the pre-owned car markets have been owned only for a couple of years. Moreover, they have not been driven extensively which is why their engines would be almost new. You can find cars which have been driven under 5000kms.

Between the Hyundai Eon and Maruti Alto 800 in the first hand market, the sales of Maruti Alto 800 have been more. This may be because of the faith that people have on the Maruti Suzuki brand, ease of getting the car serviced at lower costs and other factors. However, the Hyundai Eon is available in eight different trims which offer people a wider choice of cars to select from. The numbers of colours in which the Hyundai Eon is available is the same as that of the Maruti Alto 800. Moreover, the cost of the standard Hyundai Eon is more than that of the Maruti Alto 800. In the used car market, you would find the Hyundai Eon available for Rs 3 lakhs to Rs 3.25 lakhs at an average price. If you are lucky, you can get some models within Rs 2.8 lakhs as well. However, Maruti Alto 800 costs lesser in the used car market. The average price of a used Maruti Alto 800 is around Rs 2.4 lakhs or so. Even in the new cars market, the price of a Hyundai Eon is more than that of the Maruti Alto 800. The price of a standard Maruti Alto 800 is around Rs 3.4 lakhs while that of the Hyundai Eon Era is around Rs 3.8 lakhs.

When it comes to specs of the two cars, they are quite identical to one another. For example, both of them have comparable engines, with the displacement being 796cc in the Maruti Alto 800 and it being 814cc in the Hyundai Eon. Both cars have seats which are made of fabric and their front brakes are disc brakes while the rear ones are drum ones. The base trim does not come with power steering, power windows or air-conditioning.

Despite being quite similar in build and functioning, there are subtle differences between the two cars. The ground clearance in the Hyundai Eon is 170mm while in the Maruti Alto 800 it is around 160mm. The wheelbase of the Hyundai Eon is also slightly larger than the Maruti Alto 800. The engine of the Hyundai Eon is slightly larger compared to the Maruti Alto 800 which makes the maximum power and torque produced slightly more in the Eon compared to the Alto 800. The maximum power available in the Maruti Alto 800 is 48 bhp at 6000rpm while in the Hyundai Eon it is around 55bhp at 5500rpm. The maximum torque available in the Maruti Alto 800 is around 69Nm at 3500rpm while for the Hyundai Eon it is around 75Nm at 4000rpm. The Hyundai Eon is also available in a 1.0L Kappa petrol engine which has a displacement of 998cc. The Maruti Alto 800 does not have any variation in its engines. The better trim of the Hyundai Eon have got remote controlled central locking which are unavailable in the Maruti Alto 800.

Check On Road price of a car in your city

The points where the Maruti Alto 800 does better than the Hyundai Eon is that it is available in a CNG version as well apart from petrol version while the Hyundai Eon is available only in petrol version. The fuel efficiency of the Maruti Alto 800 is also more than that of the Hyundai Eon. The ARAI rating of the Hyundai Eon is 21.1 kmpl while that of the Alto 800 is 22.74 kmpl. On road, this rating would turn out to be lower as the ARAI rating is conducted in an isolated environment where there are no traffic jams or potholes on the roads.

If you are concerned about fuel efficiency, then it would be best if you opt for the Maruti Alto 800. However, if power and performance are your main concern along with certain bells and whistles, then you should opt for the Hyundai Eon by all means.

Both the cars are available in the used car market and you can also look them up at certified used car dealerships. Certified used cars dealers offer warranty and free servicing on the used Hyundai Eon or Maruti Alto 800 that you opt to buy. Moreover, the cars are inspected on more than 100 points which assures that the qualities of the cars are good. These used car dealerships also offer finance for the cars that they sell. The finance schemes have the lowest possible EMI and reasonable rates of interest.