Category: City Cars 
Price Range: £5,999 to £8,750
Price, running costs.
Rough ride, whiny, underpowered engine, poor build quality.
The Alto is one of the UK's cheapest cars to buy and run, but that's all it has going for it. Tinny and tacky, there are many better choices.
The one justification for buying an Alto: high fuel economy, cheap tax, Group 3-5 insurance. The Daihatsu Cuore's now cheaper, but the Alto is still one of the most miserly.
Trouble is, there's plenty of others offering much more for similar prices and running costs. The lack of even the most basic equipment is a big oversight - most buyers demand more these days.
However, if you're really into such basic motoring, some dealers are desperate to shift them - get a substantial discount off list price, and metallic paint (a £200 option) thrown in, and it might just make an acceptable budget buy.
