THE Suzuki Alto is at the cheap and cheerful end of the motoring chain. Its cheap to buy, cheap to insure and cheap to run.

Fuel economy is excellent on a long run, up to 70mpg, and even in the city you will get upwards of 43mpg. With CO2 emissions running at 119g/km, it is a great deal cleaner and greener than many of its more expensive counterparts.

But this is very much a what-you-see-is-what-you-get motor. There are no fancy extras or softening touches; strictly A to B motoring at its most basic.

On the outside, it is a boxy little hatchback. Inside, the cabin is roomy enough for four, with plenty of head room, though at the back, leg room is snug for the taller members of the family, but it is all very utilitarian - no frills or flights of fancy in here. Back seat passengers have no head rest, seat or door pockets.

The rear seat has a 50:50 split and the boot is very reasonable for a car of this size , being spacious enough for a buggy and the weekly shop. From the driver's point of view everything is where it should be. There are small door pockets and a glove compartment, plus a couple of cup holders. The front windows are electric and the car has central locking, though not remote. The radio is of the small and fiddly variety, with the controls at the base of the central console, making them hard to reach while driving.

No CD, but it does have a tape player, described by one passenger as quaint.

On the road, it is solid enough and performs well in city centre traffic. In areas where the traffic flows more freely keeping well within the speed limits is no problem for the 1.1-litre, 61bhp engine which has an official maximum of 96mph, but in reality would have to be pushed to reach that.

Motorways are more of a problem. High speed traffic, crosswinds and slipstreams will all cause a tensing in shoulders and arms; best to keep to the more sedate roadways.

Suzuki statistics show that it has a towing capacity of 750kg (about 1,653lb in old money) - enough to pull a small boat or a couple of bikes on a trailer - so if you are prepared to put up with the unexciting driving experience there is no reason why you should not take it on holiday with you.

It is light, manoeuvrable and undemanding.

On-the-road prices start at £5,995 for the manual five-speed transmission and includes power steering, electric front windows, central locking, immobiliser, dual airbags and radio/cassette player and child-proof rear door locks. If you prefer the three-speed automatic, it is available at £6,745.

The Alto, which is built in India, was first launched in 1979 and is due for replacement soon, so this might be a good time to look for a bargain, particularly given the fact that it comes with a three-year/60,000 mile warranty plus 24-hour roadside assistance and vehicle recovery for three years.

Updated: 11:25 Friday, August 01, 2003