Any Maruti Versa lovers on-board?

[dtgada]

hi.. i just joined the teambhp site. my preliminary surf on posts find that there arent many pro-'Versa' people here and hence this thread.

I own a Versa since the last 20 months and find it to be a superb vehicle. The joy of driving a tall car, with super manoevurability needs to be experienced to appreciate it fully.

True that it is probably the only car of the Maruti stable that didnt sell much - but the reasons arent about the vehicle per se - bad marketing is solely responsible. Expensive advertisements (by getting bachhan family) and hence bad pricing (the launch was at 8 lakhs plus and now at about 5lakhs) screwed the sales.

For people who talk about the looks, my simple question to them is why are people now comfortable with a wagon-r looks. people are looking at their sales and blaming it on the looks. sure, it doesnt look awesome but the overall vehicle makes the look unimportant and absolutely acceptable.

So, if one stops thinking about the bad marketing/low sales for a change, and look at the behicle before commenting, it certainly would result in a more unbiased opinion.

wot say?

[GTO]

I agree that the Versa was badly marketed.....but if anything, it should have been marketed as, and a replacement to, the Maruti Omni. It is a van after all.

Some reasons for the Versa's failure:

1. Extremely harsh ride quality
2. High price tag (initially)
3. Lack of image (could be due to its looks also).

[dtgada]

I beg to differ on this - the Omni is no comparison to Versa. Versa is much more comfy as a car (or a van if u want to call it that way). I think its quite mean to say that the ride quality is harsh. The ride is very comfortable compared to any small car. (the reason for comparison with small car is keeping the price range in mind).

[JayD]

I used to have a versa sdx model. (was one of the few here)! It was a good vehicle overall, but sold it off within 11 months rhanks to its HORRIBLE ride quality!!! Lost a loot of money on that one!!!

[speedmiester]

I had been on a drive in a Versa, the ride is really bad in the second and third row seats. Apart from that it was ok. The power was good, we were cruising at 120 on the highway.
If maruti could do something about the suspension and bring in the 1.3 diesel unit for the versa, it would be a good vehicle for the taxi market.

[FERRO]

yeah why not Versa sales will skyrocket once we fit in the 1.3 diesel engine in it but then where will Maruti get the engines from bcoz its already having shortage of award winning Fantastic engine. Maybe they can source the engine from Fiats Ranjangaon plant once they start making 1.3 Diesel engine after they get license from GM & Suzuki to manufacture it

[CrAzY dRiVeR]

Originally Posted by GTO

Some reasons for the Versa's failure:

1. Extremely harsh ride quality
2. High price tag (initially)
3. Lack of image (could be due to its looks also).

Forgot the most important one?

A DIESEL ENGINE!

Would have been a different story with a diesel option. 5-6L, 8 seater, diesel option, Maruti service and reliability, mileage= makes economic sense (and a lot of Indians look for that)!

[1100D]

For most, it actually is a vehicle that fails to be the minivan for the Indian market as it is. Plonking 3 row seating and dual AC does not make a minivan out of a delivery van. Unless the thing was streched, was given a suspension catering to passenger carrying requirements. The pricing was correct but the van was wrong.

It was just an indicator of the sorry state of affairs with the Indian consumers (being at the receiving end of foreign garbage), but thankfully consumers, this time, responded by giving it a big kick.

[mail4ajo]

Originally Posted by GTO

Some reasons for the Versa's failure:
1. Extremely harsh ride quality

I would not agree with this.

All others reasons are sufficient causes for its failure. I have driven and also been in the rear seats for about 25kms on bad village roads. Its fine to drive provided you have some weight at the rear.

[1100D]

A minivan is for longer than 25km trips with the family.

[Mpower]

Originally Posted by JayD

I used to have a versa sdx model. (was one of the few here)! It was a good vehicle overall, but sold it off within 11 months rhanks to its HORRIBLE ride quality!!! Lost a loot of money on that one!!!

Any time you have an 8 seater vehicle that driven with only 1 person, the ride is going to be stiff.

Omni also has a harsh ride and so do many mahindras.

[diabloo]

Originally Posted by 1100D

For most, it actually is a vehicle that fails to be the minivan for the Indian market as it is. Plonking 3 row seating and dual AC does not make a minivan out of a delivery van. Unless the thing was streched, was given a suspension catering to passenger carrying requirements. The pricing was correct but the van was wrong.

It was just an indicator of the sorry state of affairs with the Indian consumers (being at the receiving end of foreign garbage), but thankfully consumers, this time, responded by giving it a big kick.

Versa is not foreign garbage. Its part of Suzuki Carry lineage and the latest. Its a new version Omni. Unfortunately Maruti sells both Omni & Versa, just like Accent & Verna, Ikon & Fiesta, Lancer & Cedia, Octavia & Laura are sold together. Maruti should stop Omni immediately & sell Versa at a similar price.

[weejai]

hey, I have been driving a versa for 2+ years now and I beg to differ on a lot of listings here:

1. Comfort: The vehicle is certainly comfortable and cannot be compared with Omni van. Someone also called it a 'delivery van' and I am sure this person sat in a metador van and not in versa. People with average height of about 5.6 can easily sit in all three rows for a non-stop 4 hours.

2. Ride Quality: Now this is quite subjective, but it is certainly not 'Harsh'. It is comparable to Swift and a lot better than any Mahindra or TATA vehicle. Unless you ONLY sit/drive cars that have independent suspensions, it is not all that bad.

3. Looks: It certainly is taller than it should be compared to the width..or the other way round. I agree it does not have that 'wow' look, but if wagon R looks good, santro (old one) looks good, logan looks good, then versa also looks good.

4. Sales: The bad sales could be because of high initial price, the bachchan family or bad marketing, but one must observe that versa being a 6 to 8 seater, how many people have 6 to 8 people living together that need to travel together. Since the city population is more or less adapted the nuclear family concept, even of two families have to travel together, they would in their seperate cars or hire a taxi. I stay in a joint family and have a minimum of 6 people always in the car while we go out and this suits the purpose very much. So the buyers are less because the requirement is limited.

Versa is a 82BHP based on the 1.3 ltr petrol engine from Esteem (though enhansed) and has good power and FE and a good vehicle.

[diabloo]

FYI, top speed of Versa is 150Kmph. Maruti should launch diesel, LPG/CNG Versa and market it as little cousin of Innova.

[1100D]

Originally Posted by weejai

:

1. Comfort: The vehicle is certainly comfortable and cannot be compared with Omni van. Someone also called it a 'delivery van' and I am sure this person sat in a metador van and not in versa.

Yes a Matador van rides much better cos underneath its badges there is a Mercedes somewhere. Moreover its a common general knowledge that Versa is nothing but the Suzuki Carry a contraption used for delivery.

Originally Posted by weejai

People with average height of about 5.6 can easily sit in all three rows for a non-stop 4 hours.

Our apologies for not being of the average height, thats the real issue, had some of us been shorter, we would have considered the versa our desi Limo.

Originally Posted by weejai

2. Ride Quality: Now this is quite subjective, but it is certainly not 'Harsh'. It is comparable to Swift and a lot better than any Mahindra or TATA vehicle.

Quite true,The bold part of your statement is also applicable to the non bold part of your statement. But for the rest, comparing the Versa ride quality to that of the Safari's ride quality (a Tata vehicle) can be taken very seriously, as we never heard such a thing in the past!!!