[Prodigyy]

Originally Posted by aim120

The current SX4 sedan in india is too cramped in the rear,it has much worse legroom then even a swift,despite having a larger wheelbase.Probably the most cramped sedan currently on sale in india (apart from AVEO).

I doubt whether the crossover will make any dent on sales of Renault Duster or the Ford's EcoSport.

I am 6'4" and take the seat all the way back and put the seats at an incline too, with my seating position too, an average India who is 5'5"-5'7" is easily able to sit behind me. Though, i agree that the 5th passenger does not really feel wanted due to the transmission hump at the back, but trust me the seating is better in Sx4 than most other sedans in India (barring the Tata's, where acres of real estate is available)

With my height and seating position, the space is always at a premium in my vehicles and i can easily gauge which car is better at space and which is not. Trust me, the case is no different in Vento, Verna & the Fiesta. City & the Manza though definitely have better space at the rear.

And i am pretty sure a cross-over based on the Sx4 platform will most definitely leave a huge dent on the sales figures of the EcoSport and the Duster at least in India Suzuki can be trusted to rip apart competition in most segments of the common man.

[aim120]

Actually the old fiesta is a comfortable car just like figo it has massive legroom you can stretch your legs to the max and i am 5' 9" .The way ford have achieved this is your foot goes under the front seats by a good length.
I agree about the vento and verna .But Old Fiesta ,Jazz,City,Manza,Sunny, all have more rear space then most competing sedans and hatch backs.

[devsoftech]

Went through the link in first post. Nothing unusual about Maruti to launch SX4 crossover in 2014, they have been doing that with MR-Wagon (Branded as Zen Estilo). They will get the infrastructure from shut-down plants (SX4 will not do well in north america after filing closure), and get the factory rolling here. Zen estilo did decent numbers but never was a best seller. If they get 1.9 Multijet and AWD that's a story. But globally the crossover would have been a forgotten thing. And similarly if they have to assemble kizashi (aka Future SX4 in India) (European ALTO = Indian A-star), wait till 2015. Suzuki for sure will dump the factory parts and the old dyes here. And maruti will call it a fresh launch or a upgrade. I wonder how A-star, swift and SX4 had been exceptions. But with their present roadmap, I can't help being sarcastic.

[Carophilic]

SX4 crossover seems to be very much on Maruti's minds..Somehow I remember their MD saying at the Auto Expo that an SUV will be there in the marktes by 2014 mid. The XA alpha seems unlikely to be brought to life within two years of the Auto Expo. So that leaves the S-Cross.

The S-Cross definitely would dent the Duster sales if priced correctly, Car of the Year or not. Look no further than Ertiga and Innova for proof.

Note from Team-bhp support: Please use the EDIT or MULTI-QUOTE buttons instead of typing one post after another on the SAME THREAD!

[romeomidhun]

I think it is a good move by Maruti if they launch an A-Star based sedan below DZire, to keep the aspirational value of Swift and DZire. The problem with Swift is that from being the costliest hatch in their line up, it became the cheapest sedan in their line up. So, a sedan below DZire will surely help DZire in keeping its aspirational value high, though the sales volume will definitely come down. And what other car can be chosen as the base for that new sedan than A-Star! Low-slung, stable, peppy, cute and fuel efficient!

[swiftnfurious]

I am NOT sure what good will the A-Star sedan will be. A-Star is cramped, they will definitely make sure that the sedan will NOT be big as the Dzire. Dzire itself is NOT comfy. Would NOT anyone buying a sedan be thinking practical as well?

[shankar.balan]

I came home from the airport in a Swift Dzire TOUR on Friday night.

Excellent comfort in the rear. Nice quality vinyl seats that felt just like leather. Excellent suspension and overall comfort. Super legroom.

I like...

[swiftnfurious]

Originally Posted by shankar.balan

I came home from the airport in a Swift Dzire TOUR on Friday night.

Excellent comfort in the rear. Nice quality vinyl seats that felt just like leather. Excellent suspension and overall comfort. Super legroom.

I like...

Have they re-tuned the suspension? Swift/Dzire first gen always had stiff ride. Wondering has anything changed on Tour version.

[shankar.balan]

Originally Posted by swiftnfurious

Have they re-tuned the suspension? Swift/Dzire first gen always had stiff ride. Wondering has anything changed on Tour version.

Maybe. It certainly was a very soft and comfy ride! Soaked up the horrible Bangalore roads.

[Rigid Rotor]

Originally Posted by shankar.balan

Maybe. It certainly was a very soft and comfy ride! Soaked up the horrible Bangalore roads.

I second that!
I had also taken a Celcab Dzire Tour from the BIAL (Bangalore) recently- its a decent combination of interior & boot space with a fairly good ride over the ruts, potholes and kutcha stretches.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by shankar.balan

Maybe. It certainly was a very soft and comfy ride! Soaked up the horrible Bangalore roads.

Maybe after the released the new Dzire, they must have re-done the suspensions for the Tour model , esp becuase they are targeting it for the cab segment.

[humyum]

If I were Maruti, I would launch a 90 bhp version of the Swift in limited edition numbers of say 10 to 15 thousand to test the market
for its feasibility. If it sells off fast, Voila, dedicate an entire production line to it and kill the likes of I20, Polo and whatever is in sight
with the 90 bhp version and with the 75 bhp, taking care of the lower segment competition.

SX4 I would just phase off, Its past its life cycle and there is no hope.

Would launch a Kizashi with a diesel motor in the range of 12 to 15 lakhs and around 120 to 130bhp and kill the likes of Vento, City, Verna etc etc

To kill the Beat diesel which is eating a little of Alto sales, I would launch the same 3 cylinder diesel the beat has in an Alto or A star.

Maruti has all the cards, if only it had better product planners rather than people who launched stickered A star and called it sports or limited edition versions.

[shankar.balan]

Originally Posted by humyum

If I were Maruti, I would launch a 90 bhp version of the Swift in limited edition numbers of say 10 to 15 thousand to test the market
for its feasibility. If it sells off fast, Voila, dedicate an entire production line to it and kill the likes of I20, Polo and whatever is in sight
with the 90 bhp version and with the 75 bhp, taking care of the lower segment competition.


A star and called it sports or limited edition versions.

I would add only this to the above.
The 90 hp Swift should be in the same spec and trim as the ones sold in the UK and Europe. Specifically as regards the safety kit which is mandatory there. It would really be nice if this 90hp Swift were sold in the 2 door version in India too!

[vineethvazhayil]

Originally Posted by shankar.balan

It would really be nice if this 90hp Swift were sold in the 2 door version in India too!

Very wishful thinking on the 2 door model - don't you think? Also, isn't there a Swift Sport also in Europe with a 100+ bhp engine?

[shankar.balan]

Originally Posted by vineethvazhayil

Very wishful thinking on the 2 door model - don't you think? Also, isn't there a Swift Sport also in Europe with a 100+ bhp engine?

Yes there is a 100BHP one with bigger wheels and tyres etc in EU. However that would be asking too much of Maruti!