Set the Alto 800 tyre pressure to 30 psi on each front tyre and 30 psi on each rear tyre, read cold, on its 145/80 R12 rubber. Because base, LXi, VXi and factory CNG cars all wear one tyre, that single number serves the whole range.
A cold reading is one taken after the hatch has rested for some hours, or has only crawled a kilometre or two to the pump. With the driver door open, the maker's printed tyre chart is stuck to the frame just behind it; the manual repeats it, and if either shows another figure for your car, go with it. The big figure embossed on the tyre wall is a limit the tyre can survive, never what you fill.
Alto 800 fitment card
- Status
- No longer sold new; figures are for the last version
- Tyre size
- 145/80 R12 on every variant, petrol and CNG
- Wheels
- 12 inch steel on every variant; full wheel covers on upper variants such as VXi
- Tyre pressure (cold)
- Front 30 psi, rear 30 psi; check the driver door sticker
- Spare
- 145/80 R12 on a 12 inch steel wheel
- PCD
- 4 x 100 mm, centre bore 54.1 mm
- Wheel cap
- 12 inch full cover
- Wiper blades
- 21 inch driver side; measure the passenger blade (13 or 14 inch listed)
- Fog lamps
- Not fitted at the factory; later cars have a covered slot in the bumper
Alto 800 tyre pressure, front and back
| Variant | Front (cold) | Rear (cold) |
|---|---|---|
| Std, LXi, VXi, VXi+ | 30 psi | 30 psi |
| LXi CNG | 30 psi | 30 psi |
| Spare | 30 psi, or a little more since it loses air while stored | |
Front and back, then, the alto lxi tyre air pressure reads 30 psi on each corner. A few websites print 27, or 30 up front with 32 behind; the majority, along with the manual value owners have quoted, agree on 30 everywhere. We found no separate laden figure from Maruti Suzuki, so this page leaves that blank instead of guessing.
Same figure in bar and kPa
Newer digital machines at some pumps show bar or kPa. In metric terms, 30 psi comes to about 2.07 bar, which a kPa screen shows as near 207. Older Alto manuals wrote it as 2.1 in kilogram units. Our psi, bar and kPa converter sorts out any other display.
Topping up at the fuel station
- Stop for air at the start of a trip. After a run, warm rubber shows 2 to 4 psi extra.
- Drop the little valve caps into a cup holder; they vanish easily on a forecourt.
- Key 30 into the machine and push the chuck squarely onto each valve till it beeps.
- The spare under the luggage floor needs air too.
- Replace each cap; grit lodged in a valve core lets air creep out overnight.
Air station dials drift out of calibration in a dusty forecourt. A personal dial gauge, checked against the machine, settles any doubt. Our pressure checking guide has more detail.
Why low pressure hurts this small car
A soft 145 mm tyre bends harder with every turn of the wheel, runs hot and scrubs away its outside edges. On the Alto 800 you notice it as heavier steering, especially on cars without power assistance, and a drop in mileage on a car people buy mainly for economy. Very low pressure on a 12 inch tyre also risks a pinched sidewall when you hit a pothole edge, which ends the tyre. Check once every two weeks; tubeless tyres leak slowly and you may not see it.
Over inflation and the light rear end
Some attendants pump 35 or 40 into every car that rolls up. On this hatch that gives a jittery ride, eats the middle strip of the tread, and in rain leaves less rubber on the road. The rear of this light hatch can step out on a wet roundabout with hard tyres. Stick to 30 psi cold.
Full car, highway runs and the CNG version
With four adults and luggage for a family trip, many tyre shops add 2 psi at the rear. That is a common practice, but the maker's only published figure is 30 psi, so read your door sticker and manual first. The CNG car carries a heavy cylinder over the rear axle every day; check its rear tyres more often. On an expressway run at steady speed, a correctly filled tyre runs cooler and lasts longer. In the monsoon, correct pressure helps the grooves clear water on flooded underpasses.
Questions owners ask
How many psi should an Alto 800 run?
Fill 30 at each corner when the tyres are cold. If your own door label shows something else, follow the label.
Is the Alto LXi tyre pressure different from the VXi?
They match. One 145/80 R12 tyre serves all trims, so the LXi gets 30 psi cold just like the VXi.
Should I put 35 psi in my Alto 800?
Not for everyday driving. The car bounces over joints and slides sooner on wet roads. Keep to 30 psi cold.
Why does my reading go up after driving?
Heat from driving swells the air inside, so a 20 minute drive can add 2 to 4 psi. Leave warm tyres alone and recheck after the car has stood.
How often should I check Alto 800 tyre pressure?
Every second week, and again before you head out of town. Remember the spare; it is usually the one found empty on puncture day.
Is nitrogen better for the Alto 800?
Ordinary air does the job on an Alto; nitrogen only leaks marginally slower. Checking often is what keeps an Alto's tyres healthy, whichever gas is inside.