1982 Suzuki Alto FX Mk1 Goes for a Drive
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- Опубликовано: 24 июл 2024
- The Mk1 Suzuki Alto Kei car was an amazing feat of packaging, squeezing 5 seats into a tiny body. What was it like? Lets take one of the last in the UK for a drive
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My son Donovan in Australia bought a Suzuki Alto brand new in 2012 and it is still his daily driver! He lives in Newcastle New South Wales and works in the northern suburbs of Sydney. His round trip is over 200 km daily and the little car has served him very well with very few repairs required over all that time. By the way it is a 4 speed auto and much of his daily drive is on the freeway where the speed limit is 110 km/h. Suzuki cars are so reliable! I owned two Suzuki Grand Vitara 4x4 (a 1998 5 door and a 2016 3 door) as well as a 2015 Suzuki S- Cross. None of them gave me any trouble. The 3 door Grand Vitara 4x4 is still the daily driver for a young relative of mine who I sold it to when I remarried and retired and moved to the Philippines in 2017. A big thumbs up for Suzuki!
A brilliant Japanese small car, nothing pretentious, nothing "cutesy", a car firmly aimed at the motorist on a budget who didn't have a large family to transport. Take note people, lots of cars on the road today with one occupant, stupid big SUVs (for example) who could do the journey in a tiddler like this. Want to make a difference to inner city pollution? Think small!
If you drive one of these, you are poor.
If you are driving one of these, you do not give a cent about the crunch zones that may protect you.
If you drive one of these, you are stuck in the past, you do not follow fashion.
Ohwait.
(Drive one of these, you'll most possibly won't even get to a stealership - no need to do repairs, it will not expire).
@@forresten if you drive these you will get rich. How many times have you totaled a car? Cars with less then 100hp are much less likely to get in a serious accident
@@forresten : who cares about fashion? Think for yourself.
That’s just an amazing little car! Love it! And that’s quite an impressive tea shelf. Small cars are so much fun to drive, less is definitely more. Great drive Matt!
They are, you can feel like you're flying at 38MPH!
I think 40hp sounds ample for this kind of car. The fiat 500 had 13, fiat Uno was available with 45 and was 400 kilos heavier and the Passat MK1 had 55. Proportionally this is a veritable powerhouse. :)
Base model Uno 45 was 710kg, Alto with the bigger engine in UK was 570kg. Uno was only 140kg heavier, 45 BHP engine from the 1960's but good enough to win European Car Of The Year. Alto is definitely cute though.
@@neilwalsh4058 I wasn't sticking it to the UNO and fiat has made some stonking engines over the years. Was just a comparative study of other cars that were available at the time. Fiat and Suzuki have both consistently made great tiny cars since forever. I'd have a UNO over a Lupo any day.
My Fiat 127 is 800kg with 45hp, and she loves to rev! And also works awesome in the city, highway is a little bit difficult for her but it's not meant to be use on the highway anyway haha
Oh by the way I'm 18 years old and I daily drive a Citroën DS3 cabrio 82hp and when I drive my fiat for pleasure I don't feel like I'm lacking horse power, it feels pretty fast even if on the outside it's slow asf ahahah
I had one with a different badge for years. Was an agile little puppy. 40 hp for a car that light was more than enough. Had a precise acceleration: pulled readily when you pushed the paddle, and abstained promptly when you lifted the foot.
I absolutely love you for videos like this. Remember reading car magazines back in the day featuring road tests of these & other curious Japanese vehicles and thinking they were some kind of joke. How little I knew!
What an amazing response you have had in the comments section for this little car, having owned many cars including a plethora of small cars over the years I am a now retired and run a Suzuki Celerio, I smile wryly at the money been poured away by the ‘owners’ , leaseholders really, of the majority of other car drivers. No car tax, 55mpg, £200 insurance, now that is luxury !!
Enjoyed this video massively. These are so rare nowadays, so cool that some people treasure these little gems. We had a Suzuki dealer in the region, and I saw these a lot in the 80s and early 90s. Like all cars of this era they all rusted away. But technical wise they where indestructible. I think that Suzuki plate next to the radio was for a clock, probably a option on this model and standard on the top of the range model. Keep doing these uncommon cars!
Good shout, it could well have been a clock there. Yes, Suzukis are always so well built. This ones safe as the owner loves it
Nice to see more Alto's still around, I love my 83 model, down here in Aus they were just called a Suzuki Hatch, I have the 4 speed 2 door 543cc, and she's quite happy around 80-90 KPH, keep up with the great reviews :)
Love this! Great that you always go into such detail with filming and discussing the interior, esp. the dash and features. After all, we live inside our cars more than we walk around them and a nice, interesting interior makes the whole experience so much better. This is a perfect example of book, cover and not judging it by that; simple looks outside but lovely inside.
Glad you enjoyed it!
Thanks for the memories 👍 we had one of these as our family car when I was a kid, it was metallic blue/purple with a tan interior I believe it was a B reg 1985
Remember going on holiday in it with parents and 2 brothers on the motorway in the slow lane being overtaken by everything
Love the tamiya sticker!
i had a do not wash hotter then 40 degrees sticker on my Alto.😁
@@obelic71 is dat die alto van AutoWeek?
Love the quality of the camera and drone work, clear that a lot of professional-level editing and research goes into you videos 👍👏
Thanks, they do take a while to put together!
Great to see this car! I have a 2010 Alto too, it used to be my daily driver. Hands down, it is one of the most reliable cars I've ever had with the most minimal running cost and decent fuel economy. Here in India, this model, the SS80 was lauched as the Maruti 800 (for it’s 800cc engine) with the F8B Carded engine. 15:30, you said that wrong. Maruti is an Indian company running on collaboration with Suzuki. In Pakistan it is known as the Suzuki Mehran, made by PakSuzuki.
hello, i just wanted to clear one thing that in Pakistan it is called the Suzuki fx 800. I myself have a 86 model of this beauty.
I remember when l was in Karachi on business being driven around in one of these circa 2005. It had AC!
On .8L engine when the AC was on the engine pretty much got stifled!
It's just lovely - I'd love to have one. I am a massive fan of these Kei cars.
I remember seeing an Alto at the NEC during the British Motor Show in the early 1980s. It was a metallic brown car and I was amazed by its small dimensions and attention to detail. Always a fan of those early Suzukis, the SC100 was a favourite too. A great review.
This was the maruti 800 in India and it was sold for 30 years with many updates small and big over the years . The car which brought India to the modern age of motoring because otherwise we only had old cars from 60s with steering column shifter till this arrived ❤😍😎. Most indians back then learnt driving in this 🚗 . They stopped the production of this car only because they couldn't get it to meet the safety norms which were getting stricter otherwise the demand was still there . Long lives the legend of 800 🙌.
I took my license on this car, in 1984. A no nosense car, quite roomy for its size, easy to drive, highly reliable and terrific for city use.
I still own one of these now.
It's a 1985 model, known as the Suzuki FX 800.
Here, people still use it, due to fuel efficiency, low maintenance costs and availability of parts!
Cool little car, I think you'd like an 80's daihatsu charade
I think I would!
Good car, peppy and as roomy. Only drawback the aircooling and thus high engine noise.
A wonderfull litle car. I owned one while I was studying in Germany. I drove every weekend back and forth between Netherlands (home/girlfriend) and Germany and in the summer to the south of France. It max cruising speed was 105 kmph. This was a little slow on the Autobahn /Autoroute but it performed outstanding. Only overtaking was a ordeal. Seeing big BMW,s appearing in your rearmirror, flashing their lights while driving over 200 kmph was not so relaxt. But I remember it was a very comfortabele car for it's size and age. Nostalgia!
I've become addicted to your channel! I'm loving your in-depth looks at the weirder side of the automotive spectrum.
Japanese small hatchbacks are always briliant - especially in the eighties
Thanks for the drive of an amazing little car. In Australia the three door version was available as the Suzuki Hatch. In the early 90's I bought an '83 Hatch 800. It was a little different from the model you drove, no back seat and an all vinyl interior. It also had square headlights and a digital speedometer. I lived in the Latrobe Valley, about 150 km from Melbourne, and the trip up the Freeway was foot to the floor most of the way. 80 km/h up hill and 130 down. On weekends, when no one else was at work I would drive it up the walkway where it would fit through the bollards and park it outside the front door (I did consider driving it through the front door into the building but the tire tracks and oil drips might be a little hard to explain). My only Kei car but unfortunately parts were impossible to find when it needed an engine rebuild. I have been looking for another but they have completely vanished from the roads now.
I still drive mine down here in Tassie :)
I still drive mine down here in Tassie :)
Fabulous. Yes, those really were the days when owners of small cars like this had to order a radio as an option or buy their own radio, and speakers, at the motor factors. Hardly any basic models had two wing mirrors. So this little gem was very well specced. The bonnet catch in the badge is so intelligent. Could listen to that wee engine revving all day,really sweet. We had a Mk1 Fiesta 950cc which could apparently do 85 mph,so to get 87mph from an 800cc triple really was advanced. Great test, as per. Top Hairy Tweedy Upholstery Fan , that you are.
Aaaah. what a little jem. Love the sound of that willing little power plant. Fantastic.
I miss the mechanical sounds of 80's motoring, cars these days cosset too much. Even my 20 year old S3 is too refined, the sounds from this wee Alto remind me of my Mk1 Fiesta Pop+ days 👌
Fab car. In the mid 90's I had a 1983 VX 3 door hatch, metallic blue, total beige interior, deck chair stripe upholstery, digital speedo, square headlights and big black plastic bumpers. I drove it from Melbourne to Sydney and back, to the country a couple of times as well as to college for my IT course most days. Wonderful little car and so characterful. Never thought I would see one on your channel (or any channel for that matter!) Thank you for showing it. Cheers
I like to surprise with a random car! Yours must have been a NZ built car?
No, fully imported as the van variant and sold as the Suzuki Hatch, attracted lower import duty. 3 door version only and, until 1983, no rear seat. Suzuki Aust Distributor fitted rear seat and seatbelts, added carpet and sold as VX model with digital speedo etc. Wikipedia has pages for Hatch and Alto. I wish I could post photos!
These dinky little motors are little gems. Always good fun because you're obliged to genuinely drive them - using the gears to keep the momentum going and reading the road to maintain progress.
The 3-cylinder items are a joy; my Kelisa sounds as if it's having as much fun as me.
Fantastic little car. Very well made.
Great indepth roadtest. Really enjoyed it. 👍
Awesome little thing Matt! The Japanese always know how to make a fun, but small little car! Also....that is one of the best-sounding turn indicator flasher noises I've ever heard! :D
Nice one. Reminds me of my civic mk 1 which i was blown away with in my younger days.
I love the sound of a busy little 3 cylinder. 😃👍🏻. Cool video mr.
If you want the power, you need to rev it like mad. It's near impossible to red-line it.
I currently own a 2010 model Suzuki Alto. would absolutely love to drive the Mk 1 version!
This was the nicest Alto. Love the thrum of the 3 cylinder engine.
For a brief period I owned a 1997 Daihatsu Cuore (Mira) TRxx Avanzato R4. Bloody brilliant wee thing to drive around the city and the equipment levels would have embarrassed any supermini of the time (electric windows, electric sunroof, air conditioning, electrical and folding door mirrors and, what would have been at the time, an ok stereo). It was also reasonably refined too. I really wish we still got Kei cars like this original Alto and the Mira here in the UK.
Japanese cars had synchromesh on all gears in the 60's. Love how you open the bonnet. A lesson for modern cars. My 70's Mazda has an 8.6m turning circle and it's a much bigger car than this. Never seen a 4 door. These also came as vans and you could get them with an auto gearbox. 2 speed I think. Please show more 70's Mazdas, Datsuns and Hondas if you can.
The days when these and FSM Niki's were a common sight on the road... perfect for 95% of commutes. Such a clever car - that back window is a brilliantly simple solution for rear access and keeping cost down!
Such a cute car. My mother used to have one (end 80ies/begin 90ies) and i always remember this 'purry' engine sound on those 50 km family trips (i was around 11 years old back then). Very reliable car unless the Fiat Uno (mk 1) she got later (the thing always had starting problems in cold weather)
I swear after every video you post I'm straight on ebay/etc looking for cars! Haven't seen a boring review yet!
I always remember Altos as those cars with a 10k rpm tachometer in 2000s models!
Funny, so am I usually!
Had two these: a 2003 model and a 2009 model. Both were ultra reliable. The 2009 was nicknamed The Black Bullet....
Its still getting sold in our country Pakistan ! And thank you so much for this video 👌👌❤️
Another great video Matt 👍 That looked tremendous fun 😀 It reminded me of learning to drive in my mum’s mk1 Honda Civic 🎌🚙
Showing your age with that as a learner car!
Nice! :-)
I have the last UK Alto, a 2015 model with the 1.0 K10B triple under it's stubby little nose; best daily driver ever.
So nice to see an early 80s model; great video!
Very nice! Thats worth hanging on to
@@furiousdriving Yeah, it's a great wee car. Bought it 3 year old, in January 2018, and it's been faultless.
It towed my Freedom caravan all over Ireland, tows the garden trailer to the tip regularly, and puts a huge smile on my face every time I drive it.
Couple that with free tax and 180 quid insurance, and it's hard not to smile, really. :-)
I quite like the brand Suzuki. Cool and reliable mopeds, motorbikes and cars thru the years.
The first brand new car I ever owned was a Seat Ibiza with a 900cc engine. I think it made about 45bhp on a good day, 0-60 was something north of 20 seconds and the official top speed was 80mph--although it couldn't actually hold 70mph in 5th when going up the "Slow, lorries" hills on the motorway. Still, was a surprisingly capable car, I managed to fit an entire armchair in the back once!
If you ever get the chance to, you should really test and review the (UK) 1997-2006 Altos. There were two separate models in that period, I believe they were UK Mk2 and Mk3, and I've had one of each (in Sweden) and the Mk2 was the most fun I've ever had while driving, and it's a surprisingly advanced car while simultaneously incredibly outdated. Got the Mk3 now, and it's my daily driver, a bit more practical for everyday use and still incredibly fun to drive. Love the video, instant sub for me!
I had the Suzuki Samurai with the one litre engine when I was living in Australia in the 90’s and it was brilliant. Of course I never took it 4 wheel driving. These cars are like tiny houses, some love them and most wonder why.
I've been driving a 1999 Alto last week, so a very fitting video indeed
I remember borrowing my uncle’s Alto in the mid to late 90’s when I worked at Nissan, fantastic fun to drive, only trouble it used to run hot because the radiator was knackered so I wired the cooling fan up to the horn (horn disconnected) so I just pressed the horn when it got hot at the traffic lights (temporary measure) Love little Suzuki’s especially the Swift. P.S There’s no live rails at road crossing’s just a gap in the 3rd rail (safety reasons) because it’s about 750v dc, the only time the running rail becomes live is if there’s a return fault I think ?
Nice video. There were many of these here in Greece. Probably some still existing. If you could find one and make a video for the Peugeot 104 would be great!
This was a lovely trip down memory lane for me. I had one of these back in the day, It was my first car and not much to look at as it was more on the shabby side when I bought it but I kept it for eight years. Not that I had planned it that way. I just fell in love with it and it turned out to be pretty reliable: only two major repair jobs needed in eight years which cost me like 500-600 Euros altogether. So this clip is acurate on the Alto Mk I. But I have to disagree on one aspect: the Alto may not have been built for country roads but it is perfectly suited for those. Who needs a Porsche or a Ferrari when you can achieve the same Adrenaline rush at 50 mph on a narrow country road. Or at its' top speed at about 80 mph once you have reached it: yes the accelaration is much better than your average Porsche's as it isn't over after seconds. And once you have reliably reached that kind of speed after ages - oh dear! - the road is bending slightly up ahead! Jesus, Joseph and Mary, what do I do now?
So my advice is: go on ebay and buy one of the last three in the UK. All you need then is a crafty cousin who can fit in a cassette machine and then the bliss will never stop.
30 years ago my dad bought a 1981 Suzuki ST 90 K pick up truck with an 800cc engine that shared similar characteristics of the Alto. It was a hoot to be driven around in.
Must be one little direct pulling car! You pressed the accelerator it surged, you released the paddle, it abstained.
Suzuki have a panache of producing fun little cars. As always fantastic review of a fun little car.
They do it so well, like Fiat but with bomb proof reliability
Looks an awesome car. Another great video 👍
What a cool little car! Also some great done shots too!
Love Kei cars! My uncle have an Alto from the fifth generation (1998-2004?). Very good cars for the price, reliable.
You need to review a daihatsu domino, they were just as tiny. My favourite though was the Toyota Starlet mk1, amazing little cars that fetch a lot of money in this day and age!
Ah, more of the rare tiny Suzuki content I signed up for.
I had one in blue. closing the doors was greeted with a wondrous clang and a smile like the joker everytime i drove it.
The SS40 version with 550 engine had the ten inch rims and the SS80 version with 800 engine had the twelve inch rims. The blank plate next to the radio with Suzuki on it is where the optional clock would be fitted.
I loved this car. It was my first car ever bought second hand with my own money. It was released in 1984 in India. Maruti Suzuki 800 DX. Mine was an ‘84 model in bright lovely red. Bought in 1996. Loved it very much. Sadly I had a prang and destroyed it. It went away for salvage parts and scrap. It was just such a lovely little thing. I miss its fun factor even now.
I have a Suzuki alto gl 2006 I love it! So fun to drive a tiny little car 🚗 and also they aren’t too common, I like cars that are different!
Great video delivered with enthusiasm. Glad you mentioned the cool MX5/Eunos. As an MX5 MK1 owner (which now sports a Furious Driving sticker), I would have to agree. Any MX 5 Mk1 reviews planned?
Excellent car apparel! Yes, I plan to do all the MX5 generations but in order, starting with a very original Mk1
Morning from cloudy and misty Slovenia. Watch you before coffee.
Morning!
I like this! Of course, never imported anything like this, and Suzuki left the market here in the US about ten years ago.
Dash does remind of Suzuki vehicles of that era.
I love the sound of that three cylinder motor!
Well done, another great video!
That was sad for you guys, there have been some great Suzukis in the last 10 years
@@furiousdriving The last one was the Kisashi, and that did not sell well. So, they pulled out the US market. It is such a shame!
Wow! I knew someone that had one of these in the 80s. It was unbreakable. Quite fun! Sounds like a Porsche! :-)
I had two of those cars back in the 80s. Great little commuter and very reliable, But Lancashire weather killed them both with rust
I love these basic little budget cars. Considered an '06 Alto about three years ago when losing a company car after being made redundant. I needed basic, reliable transport to tide me over, and wanted to spend the minimum I could for something sound with a ticket. Opted for £700-worth of '54-plate Fiesta Zetec in the end (which in the event I never needed, running it as a second car before giving it to my brother). Still have a soft spot for the Alto though.
Another Fantastic Video.! Love These Early Eighties Suzuki Cars.👍
Just playing catch up ! .. Great Vid, really enjoyed this one 😃👍
Wow very rare early Alto so tiny this car is and only 36,000 miles from new and a split rear seat sounds very throaty rasp the engine little gem of a car great video
What a great little JDM machine. I remember these. I had a fiesta and I can imagine this was 10 times more reliable minds me of a Mark 2 Civic
This was actually my very first car, its amazing. Also for the owner of this car, I can assist in providing parts of all categories (engine, body, accessories) for this car. feel free to get in touch.
From which country you are ?
And sir please give your number I want some parts for this
Quiero distribuidor
For some reason reminded me of the small yugo of many years ago. Keep up the good work.
Id say its a bit better built than the Yugo!
Yugos had less hp for more weight I think!
I love this car so much more than the hideous blob you reviewed a week ago (Grande Punto). I love the way Suzuki manage to get so much space inside a small car, the visibility looks to be excellent, I can tell just by watching that the steering is very responsive indeed. There is also the argument that modern cars isolate the driver too much making it difficult to appreciate the speed you are traveling at, although this one might get a bit tiring on long journeys (but, to be completely fair, it is not a touring car!). Love the car - love the review. Thank you. :-)
no, I dont think many of these will have done long journeys, most will have been commuter cars and been perfect for it
Nice little car. Good review!
GOT, that one started off in my neck of the woods near Portsmouth. They were very popular with the older generation here and there were quite a few around. But they all pretty much disappeared overnight not even being seen in breaker's yards. They did have the old Japanese propensity to dissolve badly in unseen places...
The Suzuki blanking plate in the middle next to the cigarette lighter is where the optional quartz clock would go in vehicles so equipped...
I think I heard they dont salt the roads in Japan so didnt used to rust proof much
@@furiousdriving Yes, they only salt the roads in northern Japan, and then only really in the most severe conditions. That's why you're always strongly advised to get a Japan import thoroughly rust proofed before driving it on UK roads...
That is one cute little car...I'd love to pootle about town in that. Looks great fun. Love the little Kei cars. They have so much character
totally, so clever how much is crammed into such a small space!
Lovely nippy little car. I had one exactly the same 1982 model and mine was a 2speed automatic.
Iam from india i own a maruti Suzuki 2019 model alto i always wonder how Japanese could produce kei cars like this with this much quality and low budget price for any developing nation. The alto is an amazing small car for city and gives reasonable mileage for middle class its very easy to maintain and low service cost which makes it ideal for middle class people to own... The Japanese known what exactly customers need
Hi Matt,nice review on this Suzuki alto,it's very small definitely,but goes well,ithe back of it reminds me of a Datsun Cherry,low mileage as well for its year.
Great little car and review, prefer the Suzuki Whizz Kid you tested though, now they were fun ! :o)
great little car, reminds me a lot of my K10 Micra.
I live in Wanganui NZ,where Suzuki is based. Your pronunciation of of our town gave me a right laugh. Wangoonie, no mate. 😂😂
Like the sound of the engine. What a great little car
Loving the runs in the laquer on the wheel arch lol
Great sounding car as well looks like fun.
Cracking little car. Love interesting and unusual vehicles like this
The Suzuki fx is very fit and easy to go anywhere car, I had this car for almost 30 yrs, and its made in Karachi Pakistan...
badged as a Suzuki or Maruti?
@@furiousdriving maruti in India and paksuzuki in Pakistan.
I learn driving on it....here in pakistan its been assambled locally in karachi by pak suzuki motors from 1880 to 1988 and its called suzuki fx .....here it came with same engine gear as yours ..... also come with ac ...... and it was the most fuel efficent cars of his time.....and its all parts available locally including that rear windshield strunt.....u can still find lot of these cars on roads and now all of them are used as a taxi car.....it tends to rot with rust very very easily but still a very reliable car....
Morning Matt.
Great review as always.
Absolutely fantastic drone footage.
I'm easily pleased 🤗🤗🤗🤗🤗
Stay safe. Stay healthy.
Alan L200
Evening! Thanks, the drone was a bit tricky as it was a bit windy and the baby drone Id packed was slower than the Alto!
I test drove one once in the 90's ... they called them Suzuki 800's in Australia. love your taste in cars lol
Too be fair, that's a really tiny car and that's the biggest tea mug I've seen.. Maybe its a UK thing. Always loved these, great fun to drive but very small inside. Here in Holland most of them had vinyl seats and always cracked very badly at the seems.
i had one for several years al thing are light ,you can lift it sideways buy hand haha , only one thing scared me , dont get invalvet in a side colission , the doors are nothing ,but i love it and laught to everybody wen i must got petrol , thanks for the great memories
Great review of a great little car!
Thanks! 👍
6.40. The snooky. Love it. THE SNOOKY ALTO 😊
Suzuki cars are usually hammered in reviews by motoring journalists in the UK. ‘3-out-of-5, not as good as Skoda’ sort of thing. Yet they’re often brilliantly engineered, fit for purpose, and fun in a basic way. And often characterful too. Even the positive outpourings over the latest Jimny were accompanied by a low ‘score.’ They’re a breath of fresh air in a sea of heavy complexity.
4:15 I had the same key for my 1999 Suzuki GS500E motorcycle and indeed, it looked cool. The car is cool too :)
That exact car was called "800" in India. Alto was only introduced to India in 2004.
In Peru has knowed as suzuki Fronte, and still running out... ruclips.net/video/kIMDB9EsKEQ/видео.html