The
Suzuki Alto Lapin 1st Generation was introduced in 2002 as a subcompact kei car with a front engine front/four-wheel drive layout. This modern kei car was designed with a "retro" styling and shared essential components with the standard Suzuki Alto and Suzuki Wagon R. The car was available in the market from 2002 to 2008 and received a facelift in 2007. The 2002 Suzuki Alto Lapin was available in 3 variants
G,
X, and
X2 and offered a competitive price when compared to other cars in the same class.
Exterior
The
1st Gen Suzuki Alto Lapin features a unique and distinctive design language. The front end has square headlights, an angular grille with a chrome accent, a rectangular air intake, and a flush design bumper. The rear end houses mid-mounted stacked vertical side swept taillights, an outward sticking bumper, and a standard case tailgate. The facelifted version features circular headlights that incorporate into the front rectangular grille with multiple chrome accents, dual angular rectangular air intakes, and a flush bumper design language. All variants of the
Suzuki Alto Lapin 2007 feature identical styling in every aspect.
Interior
The interior of the
2007 Suzuki Lapin Alto uses black and white plastic trim pieces and fabric-covered front and rear seats. Standard features include air conditioning, power steering, power mirrors, power windows, power lock doors, trip computer, tachometer, and a stereo speaker audio system. The higher-end X2 variant features climate control, cruise control, and heated front seats. Optional features include automatic climate control, a sunroof, and leather upholstery. The interior of the 1st Generation Suzuki Alto Lapin offers a good amount of interior space for a kei car of its compact exterior dimensions.
Performance
The Suzuki Alto Lapin 1st Generation is equipped with two engine options: a 0.66 Liter DOHC 12 Valve Inline-3 and a 0.66 Liter Turbocharged DOHC 12 Valve Inline-3. The engines are paired with a 5-speed manual transmission or a 4-speed CVT automatic transmission. The DOHC 12 Valve Inline-3 engine produces 54bhp@5000RPM, while the Turbocharged DOHC 12 Valve Inline-3 engine produces 64bhp@6000RPM.
Mileage
The Suzuki Alto Lapin 1st Generation can achieve an average of up to 15KM/L, resulting in an estimated driving range of up to 600KM from the compact kei car's 40 Liter fuel tank.
Competitors
The Suzuki Alto Lapin 1st Generation faced competition from other subcompact kei cars in the market such as the
Honda Zest,
Daihatsu Mira, and
Nissan Otti. However, the unique and distinctive design of the Alto Lapin allowed it to stand out from its rivals.