[autohead]

Originally Posted by swiftnfurious

You said it. After owning a 6L swift, there was NO way I felt like paying 10L for SX4. The interior just felt like the Swift, save for the odd beige shade.

And now these interiors feel like a downgrade after the latest Swift & Dzire. So, I really don't see this going anywhere. And as you put it down, the competition is long way ahead. Maruti should try to get the 2014 SX4 ASAP with the 1.6L MJD and with interiors which feel better than Dzire, if you want people to pay a premium over Dzire!

Except for Honda City all sedans in this segment are derived from Hatchbacks SX4 cannot be singled out on this issue alone

[arnabchak]

This is just another MSIL gimmick to prolong the inevitable.

SX4 is a dated product now and is at the end of the PLC.

However, the grill sort of looks out of proportion and honestly, like the outgoing model more with the Hex grill.

TOI carries a full one page ad today-Mumbai Edition. The touch screen HU looked good on paper.

[F1amit]

Originally Posted by swiftnfurious

You said it. After owning a 6L swift, there was NO way I felt like paying 10L for SX4. The interior just felt like the Swift, save for the odd beige shade.

And now these interiors feel like a downgrade after the latest Swift & Dzire. So, I really don't see this going anywhere. And as you put it down, the competition is long way ahead. Maruti should try to get the 2014 SX4 ASAP with the 1.6L MJD and with interiors which feel better than Dzire, if you want people to pay a premium over Dzire!

Agree on those points. Looking at the picture, instrument console (read - speedo meter console) looks too basic compared to some other cars from maruti stable like Swift / Dezire. Only positive is touch navigation system

OT - Can this touch navigation be plonked into new Swift Dzire?

[swiftnfurious]

Originally Posted by autohead

Except for Honda City all sedans in this segment are derived from Hatchbacks SX4 cannot be singled out on this issue alone

I guess you wanted to justify the sharing of parts bin which makes these interiors look alike. Otherwise, SX4 is NOT derived from a hatchback, neither is Sunny nor Fiesta / Verna in the same segment! I agree your case for Vento & Rapid though.

Originally Posted by F1amit

...OT - Can this touch navigation be plonked into new Swift Dzire?

Should be easily possible as these devices and the console slots always carry a standard size! The question is, do you want to plonk so much of money on these aftermarket consoles, when you can get better options, may be at a 20-30% lesser price.

[pikaxe123]

Can someone please explain me this hilarious "super turbo ddis" bit?

Apart from the touch nav, electric orvms and itsy bitsy make up. I thought they had upgraded their diesel power train. Same engine?!? Appalling stuff. Maruti needs to put in place a 100 plus engine. Unfortunately their tie up with Fiat is hurting them a bit in this segment.

Until Linea gets a bigger engine ,next year Maruti will coin a new name" advance variable super turbo engine" I sometimes feel the automotive industry in India does charity by giving out such bells & whistles to us customers ?!? Apologies for the negative take on the sx4. But this I feel this is ridiculous.

[Kaumad]

I have a 2008 SX4 and I love the car for everything it does - extremely satisfied. However, the new facelift does not look inspiring at all.
Now, I am only interested in the touch screen navigation unit. Wonder if it is going to be a direct fit in the old SX4. From the pictures posted earlier on this thread, the external dimensions look pretty much the same - if yes I would be very keen on swapping the old one with the new - of course if it is not too expensive.

[GTO]

Originally Posted by swiftdiesel

A picture of the touchscreen system with GPS will be interesting. Looks like no pics have been released yet.

Picture added to the opening post. Hope that helps.

[Ironhide]

It seems like a last ditch effort in the face of falling sales for the SX4. All said & done, MSIL must realise that no one is going to pay such a premium over the Dzire for a car with the same parts including the engine (in the diesel version). About time they woke up to the fact that the market has grown up and the consumer today is spoilt for choice both in terms of performance and goodies. And this is when the Diesels from Honda haven't even made an appearance! With a measly power to weight ratio in the diesel and dated interiors, it was fighting a losing battle to the Vernas, the Ventos & the Rapids of today. In the petrol it clearly lost out to the ANHC except maybe in the GC department (which thankfully the 2012 City has remedied to an extent - wish they could provide it as an upgrade package for all ANHCs across the board).

The designers in MSIL have to get their act together if they want the SX4 to notch up decent numbers . A few things that may help are :-

1. A better diesel with at least 110 BHP on tap. 1.6 MJD anyone ?
2. Mileage . After all MSIL ads have the tagline- " Kitna Deti Hai?"
3. No rattles (p-l-e-a-s-e ! It's a Million rupee Car!).
4. Better designed interiors.
5. AVN system (they've woke up to it only now).
6. Goodies - Integrated Double Din stereo with BT & handsfree, integrated blinkers, rear view camera/sensors, Steering Mounted Controls , Fogs, rear wash & wipe, coffee maker , blood pressure monitor and any other thing you can throw in to keep out the competition.
7. Safety - ABS/EBD/Airbags as standard across variants.
8. Pricing - at par/better than the competition.
9. Handling.
10. Looks -in India, if it's gotta sell, it's gotta look good, and this sometimes scores over handling ; case in point - Fluidic Verna.

Cheers!

[swiftnfurious]

I read a lot of posts which says SX4 has an inferior engine compared to the competition. From whatever I can remember, SX4 diesel was launched at a time when there was hardly any better diesel cars in the segment (may be Optra & Verna). And Maruti did the BEST they could I guess, with the 1.3L 90 bhp engine. Yes, it definitely feels inferior to rest of the players today, but at that point of time, I don't think anyone thought the C segment will grow this well.

Expecting Maruti to bring in a whole new engine during a facelift is a little too harsh; especially for a product which is so close to the end of life. If they don't manufacture an equally good car with respect to the competition when they launch the next gen SX4, then that's a different point all together.

[TheTeacher]

I had noted down the specs of the old SX4 ZDI. In comparing the facelifted ZDI version with the old, some strange findings:

Mileage:
Old: 21.5 kmpl
New: 21.8 kmpl

Ground Clearance:
Old: 190 mm
New 180 mm

Kerb Weight:
Old: 1200 kg
New: 1245 kg

Kerb weight goes up by 45 kg (why??), but ARAI mileage goes up by 0.3 kmpl! Ground clearance has also dropped by 10 mm.

I don't understand these changes.

[swiftnfurious]

Originally Posted by TheTeacher

....Ground Clearance:
Old: 190 mm
New 180 mm...

Ground clearance has also dropped by 10 mm.

I don't understand these changes.

GC was 190 when SX4 was launched initially. After that, during the facelift sometime back (when they changed the alloy style as well), the GC was revised to 180mm; this is NOT a change specific to this very face-lift.

[TheTeacher]

Sorry, but it is. The old non-ZDI version was 180 mm, the ZDI was listed as 190. Now the VXI/VDI and ZXI/ZDI have both dropped by 10mm. I had noted specs of all the vehicles I was interested in, and update them whenever there is a change (as in the Etios / Liva).

Source of my info is mfr websites. If info is wrong there, then my notes are wrong as well, but I would not know it.

[agambhandari]

Originally Posted by TheTeacher

Sorry, but it is. The old non-ZDI version was 180 mm, the ZDI was listed as 190. Now the VXI/VDI and ZXI/ZDI have both dropped by 10mm. I had noted specs of all the vehicles I was interested in, and update them whenever there is a change (as in the Etios / Liva).

Source of my info is mfr websites. If info is wrong there, then my notes are wrong as well, but I would not know it.

I confirm this. ZXI had 16 inch rims while the VXI had 15 inch steel wheels and hence the difference.
I hope they havent swapped the 16 for the 15 inchers.

[hellmet]

The left-side fender in the first image looks like it is dented. It could be an illusion but it does seem like that. That said, this really is a lame attempt of a facelift from Maruti. The grille makes it look cheaper than the DZire.

[NPV]

Originally Posted by hellmet

The left-side fender in the first image looks like it is dented. It could be an illusion but it does seem like that. That said, this really is a lame attempt of a facelift from Maruti. The grille makes it look cheaper than the DZire.

Felt the same and thought my eyes are playing a trick
I somehow feel this facelift is too little and too late to resurrect the SX4. Given that the 2014 model is already being talked about, they might as well have utilised this effort to speeden it's rollout rather than this facelift (it will almost be a limited edition SX4 once the 2014 model arrives on the scene).
Also, I think the biggest mistake Maruti did spec wise was to use the 1.3L Diesel on the SX4, guess this also contributed to increased Dzire Diesel sales.