Car Performance - Zen vs i10

[Crank]

I am driving a 2002 model Zen VXI. Recently happen to drive an i10 (iRDE though). I found that i10 was not as sporty as the Zen and the A-pillar is a big hindrant. After seeing all the reviews and car of the year awards for i10, I thought it would be much better to drive than the old Zen. However the drive I had in i10 was very disappointing. Is my experience correct or it is something to do with the i10 I drove?

[v.anand]

I am sure i10 1.2 would be have a lot better drive than iRDE, but the whole USP of old Zen was its engine and flick-ability. Compared to old Zen, i10 is a more modern, safer comfortable tall-boy designed car but purely from driving point of view, you are right about Zen being better.

[breezydrive]

I have driven a relative's i10 kappa 1.2 on two long trips, but the overall performance is nothing as compared to my 7 year old Mpfi Zen.
Yes, of course i10 has better interiors than Zen.

[chncar]

Originally Posted by Crank

After seeing all the reviews and car of the year awards for i10, I thought it would be much better to drive than the old Zen.

A bit OT, but those COTY awards given away by motoring magazines are a bit of a sham. As are those magazines themselves.

I would trust the opinions of TBHPians any day over some journos biased opinion.

[ElantraGT]

I am a proud owner of Zen and after driving my friends I10 (iRDE) I felt my Zen is better in terms of peppy drive in the city traffic. I10 does take the credit for its safety features that Zen lacks. I wish Maruthi comes up with an upgraded version of the Old Zen along with new modern safety features.

P.S - I hate the looks of Estilo and I feel calling it a ZEN is a big mistake.

[Sankar]

Comparing stock to stock i10 Kappa is much better than MPFI Zen when it comes to straight line acceleration and roll on. Zen wins when it comes to handling. We had a 2002 Zen Vxi and now have an i10 Sportz.

[jkdas]

COTY awards are given based on cars currently sold :P
And it also happens that they also look into many aspects and not just a car's driving dynamics; else Cedia/Fiesta would have been taking it for 2-3 years now; continously.

Jelly boy Zen had a sweet engine and handles better than the i10. Stop. Nothing more; it wont even stand a drag.Stop.

[krish3]

I used to own a Zen '05 model MPFI model. I'd say that engine wise the i10 is better than the Zen. On a point by point basis as well, i10 beats the Zen hands down.

Do keep in mind that the Zen is a very old design and the engine was very underpowered.

One place where the Zen would beat most modern cars (read tall boy designs) is in handling and stability at high speeds. It was a treat to drive at high speeds.

[prince_pervez]

I drove my wife's manager's i10 and I was surprised at the number of gear shifts I had to make in bumper to bumper traffic. It was crazy. My zen pulls easily in 2nd gear even. The interiors are better in the i10. As I got down the vehicle I said in my mind, it could never draw a greater amount of inspiration than the zen on the highways.

[throttleman]

Interesting comparison. With AC OFF, driver as only occupant, tyres with proper pressure and lastly, consuming Shell fuel Zen could match with i10 as far as performance is concerned. Not to mention about the handling of zen too. Driving Zen is more like go-carting I feel sometimes!! But you've to give it to i10 just for the ride quality it offers compared to the zen. It absorbs bad roads so well.

[reignofchaos]

The Zen has no body roll at all. Its super low and the suspension is quite stiff. Add to the fact that the car weighs nothing.

In contrast the i10 is unstable and rolls like a boat around corners.

[neotraveller]

We still own a 2002 MPFI Zen lx.
I feel due to its low-slung design, it has this kind of sporty handling and cornering ability. Also its quite powerful to drive still ... especially 40-80 kmph comes up in a jiffy.
It feels very underpowered on full-load with AC on, though.

Now tall-boys are not really good for high-speeds and cornering ..... Maybe this is the reason why the i10 doesn't impress?

[abhibh]

Well both serves different purposes too. I have driven around both and you all are right when you say i10 has body roll and not good high speed stability. But on other aspects its more practical than Zen. Zen was peppy and i10 is too, you just have to get the hang of the car and it drives as good as Zen within city.

[blackasta]

Originally Posted by abhibh

Well both serves different purposes too. I have driven around both and you all are right when you say i10 has body roll and not good high speed stability. But on other aspects its more practical than Zen. Zen was peppy and i10 is too, you just have to get the hang of the car and it drives as good as Zen within city.

Surprisingly I do not experience body roll + high speed instability (2-3 people have said what you did). I regularly do 90 degree corners at around 50-60 and straight line speeds of 110-120 on highways(if those can be considered high enough)

But I too think classic zen looks more stable (low stance) than i10, and have heard about its good handling characteristics.

[Mr_Bean]

myself driven a zen/esteem for almost an year, I like the peppy engine and handling of the zen. but the zen is not a free revving engine & it is fun to drive.

I am very sad that maruti screwed the image of this car by launching the estillo. Maruti please relaunch a sporty 2-door zen with the new k-series engine. It would sell like hot cakes.