Suzuki SX4 1.6 ZXI Test Drive Report

[GeekSrik]

hey lets all restrict to sx4 discussions here please. for swift there is another thread !!

[sathya_nars]

Originally Posted by adityamunshi

@nirav. I know most of the reviewers dont mention the bad quality of interiors or some say its a minor issue. But i've seen the car thrice. And the last time i even insisted on seeing a new car (other than the demo car) and i found the same. Slightly cheaper quality you can live with but not if The plastics arent well fitted and they'll probably come off after some months of use.

The demo and display cars seem to have this problem, plastics are coming out (saw it in few cars in show room) - guess shouldn't be issue normally.

[king_julian]

Geek: I think what snaronikar meant is that when he went to test drive Swift Diesel, he happened to sit inside the SX4 which led to the observations listed - I realized this after reading the observations - I guess none of us would say that the Swift has a big boot

Amit.

[IronWolf]

I feel that the SX4 looks too tall body. (Is) this is the new design trend (?)

almost all the cars now seem too tall for my liking, unlike the OHCs, balenos zens and esteems. Agreed : diving the new tall cars itnt different with limited body roll etc ... however I would not feel like picking up a SX4 / Fiesta / NHC etc... as you dont feel like modding it and making it look fast.. Bottom line tall body does not look fast... no matter how much side skirts you put.. which is why NHC is not as popular as the OHC on this forum..

Am I alone in this frame of mind?

A shorter SX4 is what I was waiting for even though many have confrimed on the thread that the car is stable and quick..

Other than that I agree VFM !! should be a good seller.

[hmishra83]

Originally Posted by DCEite

NHC GXi FE=x km/l
SX4 VXi FE=x-3 km/l

Total running per month=y km
price of fuel per litre=Rs. z per litre

Total Fuel consumed by NHC GXi in one month= y/x
Total Fuel consumed by SX4 VXi in one month= y/(x-3)

Total yeary running cost of NHC=12zy/x.
Total yearly running cost of SX4=12zy/(x-3).

Now let us take some figures. Let,
Typical monthly running y= 1000 kms
NHC FE x= 13kmpl
SX4 FE (x-3)=10kmpl
and Z=Rs. 50 /l

Difference between the yearly running costs of SX4 and NHC=36zy/(x*x-3x)
=36*50*1000/130=Rs. 13,846

Now cost differential between SX4 VXi and NHC GXi = Rs. 1,20,000 (approx)

Number of years to break even= 120000/13846=8.66 years.

So if you buy the NHC GXi and pay 1.2 lac more than SX4, it will take approximately 8.66 years to break even with the SX4 !

Thanks for that calculation dude. Sure thing - DCE has groomed you well

[dj_2006]

Guys,

I took a test drive today and thought will report some thing from my perspective.

I have driven mostly small cars... 1st car M800, 2nd car Zen carb, 3rd and current car Santro erlx.

Have driven few big cars too but for short distances ... Esteem, Baleno and Lancer Diesel.

Firstly, my expectations from the car ... driving pleasure, good AC and feeling of luxury ...

Now, to the test drive.

Engine

Under 3000 rpm, the car struggles to pull its weight of 1200 Kgs and is really no scorcher ... after 3000 rpm things improve ... experience of driving other big cars Esteem, Baleno and Lancer Diesel was much better anyday ...


Interiors

Oh my god! I didn't feel I was sitting in a car that costs twice my current car

AC

Pathetic, didn't feel it worked at all

I was disappointed... none of my expectations were met.

I didn't find it value for money at all... I know most people here will disagree with me ... but again these are my views ...

[ravibhat]

You might have driven old batch of SX4 where AC issues reported and few people said MUL will fix it during 1st service, sluggish may be because of AC issue. But we can't trust newly manufactured as well about AC issues unless we try it. However Owners reported AC is better after 1st service.

About value for money I agree interiors quality of Santro is better than SX4 The way beedings/ fit and finish, quality of materials used in SX4 pathetic and we can't compare this with NHC.

However thumps up for SX4 for its safety features and on road prices. This one aspect MUL win big time.

These are again my personal views.

Regards,

Ravi.

[enygma]

A few points that I found during my test drive

- Turning right with those quarter glasses and the chunky mirrors is a pain.
- As most people pointed out, the quality and the finish of the interiors left a lot to be desired.
- The AC was very effective. They must have fixed the AC problems mentioned.
- Looks are very subjective, but I did not like the "raised back".

Having said all that, the overall package is very VFM. Now, lets see how others respond.

Question for the experts - What happened to the original SUV platform that this is based on? Is any car based on that coming to India? Sorry if that has already been answered but could not help asking that, given my liking for SUVs.

[lamborghini]

Had gone to Delhi for the Auto Expo and got a chance to drive my aunt's brand new SX4 ZXi.
When i first saw the car, i wasn't too impressed with the looks and found it to be a bit ugly. However, the high GC of the SX4 is a boon in Indian roads and i loved the wheels and the front headlights.
For some reason, when one opens the front doors of the SX4 and looks at them, it reminded me of the Mahindra MUV's. Don't know why.
Inside, i loved the design of the dash, the space it offered and only had a few grouses. The head room is amazing but the visibility is terrible. I wish Maruti had increased the height of the seat so one could see the road and also a few blind spots would be taken care of. Also, i found the car to be a strict 4 seater.
i also wish the quality of plastic on the door panels was better and I wasn't to fond of the Tacho the first time i droive the car. I found the design a bit wierd and difficult to read because of the way the numbers were positioned. However, i got used to it by my second/third drive.
Once the engine is started, the first thing i noticed is the clutch. I absolutely loved it! However, i found the gearing to be a bit rough but since this was a new car, i expect it to get better with time. I also found the steering to be a bit heavy at low speeds and when the car was stopped. However, the car is insanely stable and i was doing around 80-100 on the Noida Expressway without realising it. I didn't get to rip the car in the initial stages to see how free revving and performance friendly the motor is because the car had only run 450km when i drove it.
I loved the handling though. With the 16" tires, the car feels absolutely surefooted and i had to take a few turns in the colony at a faster than usual speed and liked the feel even though it wasn't a high speed turn.
Overall, i really liked this car, even though i was critical of it earlier, it seems like an ideal family car for a family of 4. Good job Maruti!