thanks for your avantgarde comments.Actually all of us fell in love with it no matter hoe the fans of SX4 bashed it for having lack of features, poor quality interiors, low ground clearence etc.
yes, the car was booked without having a TD but once i took a TD in a demo car today, the engine felt a lot smoother and the car was stable unlike the SX4, which is a truck, or a Sport X-over 4wd converted to a saloon which makes it a gas guzzler.
yes, we may clamour honda for not providing "features", but in reality is-how many of us really "use these features"?
1. not having ACC.
SX4 has, because maruti doesn't have any other car above it to privide to its customers. And moreover, today's cars, especially the ANHC has a pollen air filter which helps to maintain a constant temperature as desired.
At least, it is better to use this feature fo higer-end cars like the civic. otherwise, whats the point of having these cars if all the features are provided in the lower C-segment cars?
2. no alloy wheels-that's a big question but technically speaking, still our Indian roads, especially those of delhi, are too ood for the alloys to bear the brunt. 2 owners in the neighbourhood have SX4 Zxi and one of the cars met with an accident in dilshad garden because of on reason-alloy wheels cracked.
3-VTEC technology-NOT PRESENT IN SX4.
I bought this car because of its mechanicals and engine, not features.
abroad, sx4, or even the swift for that matter, comes with an M16A VVT engine. vvt or vtec in the city has continously variable valve timing tech which optimises power of the engine at the entire RPM band which helps to mantain consistant mileage figures, unlike the sx4.
as far as OD or other auto mags are concerned, none of them provide accurate mileage figures as well as this web-site providers. with more than 10 mags fighting it out for a share of the pie, each gets paid maybe by a manufacturer to exagrerate mileage claims.
4- perceived interior quality poor of ANHC as compared to SX4.
if people in different sites blame honda or poor interior quality and "not having used aluminium or wood" in the interior, it's their fault. if this is true, SX4 interiors are even worse, especially the black plastics on the dashboard and the power mirror button, which feels as if it will break anytime.Also the quality of fabrics gives it a rental car look, especially in front of aveo.
5-A pillar-city vs sx4
the sx4 has a tragic visibility due to a quarter glass placed lower the A-pillar, and the dashboard mounted too-high. city has none of these problems.
6. use of 15 inch wheels in city v/s 16 in SX4 zxi
don't clamour that 16 inch wheels are coming in sx4. the vxi has 15 inchers. even the C class has 16 inchers. if city came with 16", it would have meant lower tyre profile meaning faster tyre wear, also making the car a gas guzzler.
7. perceived "lower ground clearence" as compared to SX4.
yes, the sx4 has a higher 192 m of GC. city at 165 has lower, but is adequate for our roads. even if th GC is too high, it means more body roll and for a front-heavy car like SX4, poor high speed stability and the feeling of insecurity, typical of suzukis.
8. safety features
at least all versions of city has ABS and dual airbags as standard. sx4 vxi has none. moreover, most sx4 owners complain of poor bulid quality , typical of suzukis, wich rattles creeping as low as 4000 km. I hope that I am correct in this regard that maybe very few of honda (NHC, NHC ZX) owners complain of rattles, even though the body of honda cars are not soild.
9. no CD player
come on, this is a bit too ameturish. the go and buy the city "e" which does not come with a stereo. go and fit any stereo of your choice.
moreover, what is better? a stereo with few high number of songs or a compct pen drive with even higher number of songs?
the stereo sounds awesome for a factory fitted unit, unlke the sx-4 whose kenwood apeakers sound like that of a blueline bus stereo. moreover most of us still cannot buy I-pods and stick to pen drives.
the city can play pen drives and i-pods, unlike th sx-4 which can only play i-pods, in addition to cds.
10. looks-
sx4, to me looks tragic, specially from the side with the high boot lid which makes reversing a pain. at least the ANHC looks like a saloon with natural areodynamic flowing lines-dare i say a 4-door coupe and saloon cars are not meant to be as high as posible, but as long and low as possible which keeps these cars stable unlike the car like sx-4 where a hatch is converted to a saloon. DISCLAIMER: these were primarily my viewpoints and criteria on booking the ANHC. individual perceptions may vary.my statements are primararily my viewpoint and not meant to offend any sx4 buyers or owners.
ultimately, it is for you to decide. any opinions on my choice are welcome. |