[styx71]

Originally Posted by Jagann13

Autocar India has released a video comparing the S-Presso with the Kwid.

Wonder why they have masked the number plate of the kwid; throughout the video

[SoumenD]

Originally Posted by Chillout

Tested Spresso along with a few other teambhpians and we did not encounter any such issue with 5 passengers and a/c switched on. In fact the AMT is smooth and you don't feel the head knock when you accelerate linearly, only under hard acceleration you feel it.

Probably the light weight helps to some extent. But still 5 passengers and AC is a lot for the puny engine. If you say with all that you faced no issues with bottom end, Maruti probably has done some serious magic with the tuning of engine/gearbox. Atleast it wasn't that competent in its previous iterations.

[vivekgk]

A lot of customers have booked the car without actually seeing it in person. I personally know one customer who was desperately trying to change his booking to Swift/WagonR after seeing the actual car at the yard and seeing the size and proportions.

I say desperate because he had already availed a car loan and the bank said he couldn't switch cars after the loan had been sanctioned, and insisted that he would have to close the loan at a penalty of 11k and apply afresh.

I think they have got it wrong every place they possibly could when it comes to the design. I don't know how they could have come up with a design that looks so comically terrible from every single angle.

The real horror is the huge sales numbers. That means we'll be seeing these things everywhere very soon. Ugh.

Looks aside, the Powerdrift guys seem to be the only ones who have commented on the excessive and dangerous looking body roll in the car.

Autocar has glossed over it and also managed a very good hit job on the new Kwid in the process. If you look at the last shot, they have deliberately shown the front of the Spresso and the side view of the Kwid, to avoid direct comparison between the designs.

[Nithesh_M]

Haha I just saw the ACI comparison on Youtube and wondered how much money they made out of it.

[Porschefire]

Originally Posted by vivekgk

A lot of customers have booked the car without actually seeing it in person. I personally know one customer who was desperately trying to change his booking to Swift/WagonR after seeing the actual car at the yard and seeing the size and proportions.

I say desperate because he had already availed a car loan and the bank said he couldn't switch cars after the loan had been sanctioned, and insisted that he would have to close the loan at a penalty of 11k and apply afresh.

In these cases, I would mostly blame the customer without an iota of doubt. Many of them are hell bent on lapping up new automotive launches as soon as possible to have the first mover advantage and to enjoy that exclusivity factor (while it lasts). While I’m not balantly judging this particular customer, I can assume that he was expecting the S-Presso to be an ’SUV’ with big interior space and dominating exterior proportions, at A segment prices! Too good an offer for anyone to resist, isn’t it? What the S-Presso in reality when he found out was in fact an Alto with higher ground clearance and this was not what he had hoped for!
Ethically, Maruti Suzuki is misleading the customer into thinking that the S-Presso is an SUV. But as a marketing exercise, it is a home run! It is up to the customer now, to make his judgements on the car and this can only be done by seeing the car in person, test driving it and then applying for that vehicle loan.

I think they have got it wrong every place they possibly could when it comes to the design. I don't know how they could have come up with a design that looks so comically terrible from every single angle.

Enough has been spoken about it’s design. Some like it and many don’t. I belong to the former as I feel that it’s ’comical’ design gives it a certain charm. And, comical certainly doesn’t mean ugly.

The real horror is the huge sales numbers. That means we'll be seeing these things everywhere very soon. Ugh.

Unfortunate reality of most Maruti Suzukis sold in India.

Looks aside, the Powerdrift guys seem to be the only ones who have commented on the excessive and dangerous looking body roll in the car.

I am assuming that you are making this point to bash the car? Well, it is obvious that any car with high CoG will experience body roll. It is dangerous, if the driver ignores this fact and takes a corner at say 100kmph rather than at 60kmph. Speaking of body roll, have you ever sat in a Scorpio?

[Reinhard]

FINALLY saw the SPresso on the road. A customer car with registration plates near Hinjawadi IT park (Bhumkar chowk to be precise). It was a silver (or near about) shade - so not the flashy ones that we are seeing more in pictures, reviews, documents & showrooms.

In the silver shade - it looks totally inconspicuous. Easily mixing up (getting lost) in the crowd and not turning heads at all. So for those who don't want to raise eye brows & prefer under stated looks - silver has to be the shade. It also looked perceptibly larger in this shade than the orange/blue ones I had seen earlier on a truck ramp.

Like I mentioned before, the car looks much better (relatively) in person compared to pictures. And now that I have seen it on a crowded street - I'm ready to go as far as to say that I liked its looks more than the previous gen (blue-eyed-boy) WagonR's.

Have seen the signature colour shade of the latest gen KWID Climber on the road quite a few times & after the bling wears off (see it 2-3 times and it mostly will if you like simpler lines) for me, the SPresso would be a better long term proposition for my eyes if choosing between these two. As much as I didn't like the vehicle at launch - I'll give it to Maruti for getting another car in about 1 sq mm of vacant space in this segment & getting it right again.

[Kosfactor]

Originally Posted by Porschefire

Ethically, Maruti Suzuki is misleading the customer into thinking that the S-Presso is an SUV. But as a marketing exercise, it is a home run!

I am assuming that you are making this point to bash the car? Well, it is obvious that any car with high CoG will experience body roll. It is dangerous, if the driver ignores this fact and takes a corner at say 100kmph rather than at 60kmph. Speaking of body roll, have you ever sat in a Scorpio?

SUV is a body style my friend, used to be called Wagon earlier. There is no sure way of categorizing vehicles , you call a duster Hatchback because it has a hatch but it does not look like a hatch so what is it? Crossover, and then crossover what? Crossover SUV, it's difficult to say all of it all the time, so it's shortened to SUV.

Sub4M market was once IndigoCS, Dzire, all shortened sedans, not necessarily good looking stuff and then Ecosport came and made the segment fashionable with a CSUV. Did they ask us permission before calling it an SUV? Same way Maruti instead of providing a boring Alto Maruti is spicing things up with an SUV.

I have no experience with older models of Scorpio, but the vehicles came out after 2013 holds the road very well. The ones came after 2014 are even better, better with every refresh. It's definitely not for beginner drivers though.

[RM Motorsports]

Maruti Suzuki is gearing up to introduce a new CNG variant to their S-Presso hatchback. Ahead of the official announcement, the company is testing their S-Presso hatchback with a CNG engine in India.

[Porschefire]

Originally Posted by Kosfactor

SUV is a body style my friend, used to be called Wagon earlier. There is no sure way of categorizing vehicles , you call a duster Hatchback because it has a hatch but it does not look like a hatch so what is it? Crossover, and then crossover what? Crossover SUV, it's difficult to say all of it all the time, so it's shortened to SUV.

Sub4M market was once IndigoCS, Dzire, all shortened sedans, not necessarily good looking stuff and then Ecosport came and made the segment fashionable with a CSUV. Did they ask us permission before calling it an SUV? Same way Maruti instead of providing a boring Alto Maruti is spicing things up with an SUV.

Thanks for explaining the terminologies, my friend. Much appreciated.
I have no problems with manufacturers or the owners calling their glorified hatchbacks, SUVs. In fact, if you read my statement clearly, I have mentioned that as a marketing exercise, it is a sure shot hit, not only for the S-Presso but for every car that is sold as an 'SUV' body style.
My interpretation of "misleading the customer" was for the customers who actually would think of the S-Presso as a Sports Utility Vehicle and take it for serious off-road duties!

PS: SUVs (the ones with 4X4 and real off-road capabilities) and Wagons are different, the former is usually built on a ladder frame and the latter is mostly a monocoque (with or without 4WD). A simple google search might help you understand the differences.

I have no experience with older models of Scorpio, but the vehicles came out after 2013 holds the road very well. The ones came after 2014 are even better, better with every refresh. It's definitely not for beginner drivers though.

You should have specified more clearly - 'better than it's previous generation'. As of 2019 though, it still remains a top heavy SUV with a bouncy ride and decent amount of body roll which has to be exercised with caution (Source - TBhp Official review). If people can pay upwards of INR 15L and live with the ride quality, I don't see why body roll on a INR 5L hatchback, meant for city duties should be a "serious concern" for the buyers.

[srishiva]

I have seen couple of white ones and they are not that bad. The front is the only thing that doesnt look good. They should have done a bigger grille. Of late everyone is showcasing orange colours and they dont look good for all designs.

[itwasntme]

Saw a brand new red one today, looks a bit comical like the Tonka trucks my kid used to play with. Could not but smile examining it.

Super utilization of that tiny footprint, though.

[Kosfactor]

Originally Posted by Porschefire

My interpretation of "misleading the customer" was for the customers who actually would think of the S-Presso as a Sports Utility Vehicle and take it for serious off-road duties!

PS: SUVs (the ones with 4X4 and real off-road capabilities) and Wagons are different, the former is usually built on a ladder frame and the latter is mostly a monocoque (with or without 4WD). A simple google search might help you understand the differences.


You should have specified more clearly - 'better than it's previous generation'. As of 2019 though, it still remains a top heavy SUV with a bouncy ride and decent amount of body roll which has to be exercised with caution (Source - TBhp Official review).

I do not for one moment think that anyone will tow a water tanker up an estate trail in Espresso or even buy one for doing that, there are car-aware customers outside of our forum as well. The Altos and Nanos themselves deal with plenty of off the road driving in our Himalayan roads, surely Espresso can as well in comparison.

What do you categorize a Range Rover as? How about the Jeep Grand Cherokee? The new Defender? You guessed it right , none of them have a ladder frame chassis. Its called Unibody to be exact, much like espresso. Can we call it a hatchback? Sure, it has a hatch. The point is SUV is a body style, Style is important here.

I agree with you that Espresso cannot be used for Offroading that an offroader can do, however the thought that only a body on frame vehicle can do offroad duties in not right, I would request you to take a look at Jeep XJ and then watch Matt`s towing and recovery channel in Youtube , do not blame me for getting addicted to it!!

I agree with you that no one needs to be worried about the body roll on Espresso but the notion of Scorpio being an uncontrollable bucking bronco is far from reality.

[Sankar]

I saw a fully loaded Spresso at a temple yesterday. The car looks best when fully loaded and the rear wheel gap and the front wheel gap level up. This is good looking small hatch and with this available I don't know why anyone should buy an Alto. The double bumper once seen can't be unseen though.

[vivekgk]

Originally Posted by Porschefire

In these cases, I would mostly blame the customer without an iota of doubt. Many of them are hell-bent on lapping up new automotive launches as soon as possible to have the first-mover advantage and to enjoy that exclusivity factor (while it lasts).

I agree that the buyer has to be beware, but when the carmaker has created so much hype and puts up larger than life hoardings all over their dealerships, and then the staff do their bit in blowing up the expectations of buyers with hyperbole, things like this are bound to happen. You can't reasonably expect first-time buyers to be so prudent. They usually go for a brand they trust and the model and color they like, as they would do with any consumer product. Which is why we see so many Altos and Activas and Splendors.

Originally Posted by Porschefire

Ethically, Maruti Suzuki is misleading the customer into thinking that the S-Presso is an SUV. But as a marketing exercise, it is a home run!

The word SUV has been redefined so many times that the term itself has not much meaning anymore in our market. Agreed. Interestingly, Maruti hasn't used the term SUV anywhere on the S-presso website or material. They've just made the front look like a Scorpio, the quintessential Indian SUV... Clever

Originally Posted by Porschefire

Enough has been spoken about its design. Some like it and many don’t. I belong to the former as I feel that it’s ’comical’ design gives it a certain charm. And, comical certainly doesn’t mean ugly.

Glad you like it, mate. I can't stomach it. There are too many compromises made for cost-cutting, and when you put it aside the new Kwid, you realise what could be done with the same kind of money, and that kind of takes all the charm out of it for me. The design is too bland and plain, and even the loud colors don't help.

Originally Posted by Porschefire

I am assuming that you are making this point to bash the car? Well, any car with high CoG will experience body roll. It is dangerous if the driver ignores this fact and takes a corner at say 100kmph rather than at 60kmph. Speaking of body roll, have you ever sat in a Scorpio?

No, I'm making this point to bash Autocar, who I think has a history of distorting facts to fit their agenda. Even when a competitor product beats out the one they're paid to peddle in every aspect, they will manage to sum it up like this: "Yes, the XXX has more features, it is safer, it is bigger and looks a lot better, but the YYY that we're paid to push 'comes across as the better overall package'...". Interesting that their cash cow brands come across as the 'better package' every time, isn't it?

I think that any car that's bound to be lapped up by first-time drivers ought to be bulletproof in terms of handling. I chose to buy the Ecosport because it had much better roll characteristics than the TUV3OO or the Nuvosport, both of which were body on frame SUVs. First-time buyers aren't experienced enough to make that decision. That's the reason Tata restricted the top speed and reversing speed on the Nano.

Autocar should not have glossed over this point. It's irresponsible of them.

[Chillout]

While a lot of people have been talking about the looks, what we miss out is the practicality. I have driven this car twice and it ticks all the boxes for a practical city or rural place. Has enough space to accommodate 5 people, sufficient ground clearance, adequate power, good ac, decent features and decent ride quality. They also claim good mileage, which I will leave for buyers to comment on. However in AMT the gear was showing 4 even at 40 kmph speed and was smooth. Compared to KWID, Maruti has got it spot on, my dad drove an AMT for the first time and he did not have any issues with it. However he felt it to be a bit claustrophobic as he has been driving the Wagon R for over a decade and Matiz prior to that. We may eventually settle for the new Wagon R.