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Old 23rd October 2009, 13:30   #256
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Originally Posted by romeomidhun View Post
These changes will not - and are not sufficient to - make the City scared. (among the cars)!
+1 to that, if anything people will only move to the City more since with the increase in price the price differential will be reduced. I think its hardly 60k diff between the high end SX4 vs S trim City. City can breath easy.
Also by the time SX4 comes up with diesel (which is slated for mid next year) it might be too late. Fiat would be up with its 1.6MJD, maybe a fiesta with 1.6D (which i badly hope for), Hyundai may launch a face-lifted verna (and maybe the new elantra too). Add to this the dropped price of Optra at 9L (which is where the SX4 D might be positioned) with City V trim in the same range. Toyota has announced its compact sedan based on the 800L platform with a 1.5L diesel which will be showcased in Jan 2010 & slated for a 4Q release. So does maruthi really have easy playing field then ??
Swift proved to be a huge success (and its worth it too) despite is lazy interiors due to serious lack of competition. For once maruthi is getting is all wrong. Its should fire all its interior designers and strategy planners and get better replacements. SX4 is a great car spoilt to the hilt by the no brainers in MSIL.
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Old 23rd October 2009, 14:11   #257
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Originally Posted by srikanths1 View Post
+1 to that, if anything people will only move to the City more since with the increase in price the price differential will be reduced. I think its hardly 60k diff between the high end SX4 vs S trim City. City can breath easy.
We'r talking automatics.

Ex Showroom prices Mumbai :

City 1.5 V AT : Rs. 10,07,000

Old price of MARUTI SX4 ZXI : 7,49,094
(Add say 80k for the AT as quoted in an earlier post)

If there were to keep only a 60k price difference, MSIL would be fooling / axe-footing themselves.

Let us wait for the actual prices to come out & if it is a 4 speed or 5 speed AT ?

Quote:
Originally Posted by srikanths1 View Post
SX4 is a great car spoilt to the hilt by the no brainers in MSIL.
Totally agree with this.

Last edited by jigbarai : 23rd October 2009 at 14:12.
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Old 23rd October 2009, 14:11   #258
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Not amused

Disappointed is what I feel, except VVt and AT, rest changes are more of cosmetic.

Frankly I doubt it will get the requisite sales kick MSIL is looking at.
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Old 23rd October 2009, 14:17   #259
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Looks like a decent upgrade to me. I dont like the new tires though.

I dont know if the AT if going to change anything at all to the sales number. Though i dont see any problem with the car itself.

From the pics it looks like a 4SP, 3SP with 1 Overdrive. The same stuff that was seen on the export version. Should be able to manage a 8+ mileage numbers in city.
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Old 23rd October 2009, 14:18   #260
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jigbarai View Post
We'r talking automatics.

Ex Showroom prices Mumbai :

City 1.5 V AT : Rs. 10,07,000

Old price of MARUTI SX4 ZXI : 7,49,094
(Add say 80k for the AT as quoted in an earlier post)

If there were to keep only a 60k price difference, MSIL would be fooling / axe-footing themselves.
If we add even 1 lakh to 7.49 we get 8.49 and when you compare with 10.07 we have a difference of 1.58 lakh.which is really a good deal.

But paying 80k- 1 lakh is totally not good VFM when compared to the ZXI.

What's the price of verna auto?

Last edited by Sudan_NFS : 23rd October 2009 at 14:19.
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Old 23rd October 2009, 14:26   #261
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I don't know why people are so disappointed. They changed the engine (put in the VVT) which adds a few horses and a few torques. What can be a bigger update than that? It's not a cosmetic change like the one done to civic recently or what City went under.

However I am disappointed with the small increase in power. 10hp gain would have certainly rocked some away from the City.
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Old 23rd October 2009, 14:38   #262
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Was this the right time to actually stop production. They would have lost on Diwali sales and I guess sales in November and December months are lower as people wait to buy in January. Guys do you think Maruti will give discounts on new SX4 in November or December ?
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Old 23rd October 2009, 14:41   #263
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I am not sure even a new upgraded engine model is going to do wonders for SX4. The problem is that people in that band want something premium and that is why SX4 will keep getting beatings from honda and toyoto.
I think MSIL can either launch SX4 and kizashi under some premium branding. That 'May' help. What say guys ? any thougths ?
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Old 23rd October 2009, 14:59   #264
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Quote:
Originally Posted by asr245 View Post
I don't know why people are so disappointed. They changed the engine (put in the VVT) which adds a few horses and a few torques. What can be a bigger update than that? It's not a cosmetic change like the one done to civic recently or what City went under.

However I am disappointed with the small increase in power. 10hp gain would have certainly rocked some away from the City.
Disappointed coz of the desperate cosmetic measures like faux wood trim on the door panel, IMHO the color scheme is mismatch.

More could be done like
  • All new steering, present steering is national steering from MSIL, distinguish Sx4 from rest.
  • Improvement in the display system
  • Lumbar support for the atleast driver seat
  • Parking sensor
Welcome changes are:
  • AT
  • New alloys and front grill.
  • Addition of USB in ICE
  • New BS4 compliant VVt engine: How refined it is, yet to be tested. Although power surge seems like 4 bhp, I would like to feel its real punch before commenting.
Are they still continuing with cheap JK vectra? Come on MSIL get Michellin/Yokohama/any other better tyre and do justice.
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Old 23rd October 2009, 15:03   #265
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Ajay_J View Post
I think MSIL can either launch SX4 and kizashi under some premium branding. That 'May' help. What say guys ? any thougths ?
Agreed 100%, MSIL will have to rebrand itself to stay competitive in this quality conscious segment. If it fails with Sx4, better they limit themself to Dzire.
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Old 23rd October 2009, 15:05   #266
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Hey, improvements are always welcome! Just goes to show the competitiveness of the C segment. I'm happy to finally see an A/T box in a Maruti sedan (long time since the awful Esteem AX). Premium car buyers are increasingly deviating toward auto-boxes. The improvements + higher price takes it one step away from the Dzire. Whether that'll help or not, only time will tell.

But I can say this : If Maruti wants to really move the SX4 off showroom floors, a 1.6 / 1.9 DDIS is the only way.
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Old 23rd October 2009, 15:19   #267
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Quote:
Originally Posted by GTO View Post
Hey, improvements are always welcome! Just goes to show the competitiveness of the C segment. I'm happy to finally see an A/T box in a Maruti sedan (long time since the awful Esteem AX). Premium car buyers are increasingly deviating toward auto-boxes. The improvements + higher price takes it one step away from the Dzire. Whether that'll help or not, only time will tell.

But I can say this : If Maruti wants to really move the SX4 off showroom floors, a 1.6 / 1.9 DDIS is the only way.
@GTO - How very true !!

In general -
Somehow we are an unsatisfied lot, arent we ?

Someone makes cosmetic and feature changes - we are not happy.
Someone changes the damn engine and gets a in new transmission - we'r again not happy.

If the car manufacturers were to do all of the above at one go, it'd simply be a 'new' car in itself, not an upgrade !
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Old 23rd October 2009, 15:21   #268
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Quote:
Originally Posted by GTO View Post
Hey, improvements are always welcome! Just goes to show the competitiveness of the C segment. I'm happy to finally see an A/T box in a Maruti sedan (long time since the awful Esteem AX). Premium car buyers are increasingly deviating toward auto-boxes. The improvements + higher price takes it one step away from the Dzire. Whether that'll help or not, only time will tell.

But I can say this : If Maruti wants to really move the SX4 off showroom floors, a 1.6 / 1.9 DDIS is the only way.
Definitely it will help. But how do they solve the underlying problem. The problem of "being strikingly close to own a prestigious H badge if 8-9 lacs in pocket".
Men have bigger Egos, is it not true (you can see that in their cars too). A 1.9 DDIS SX4 wouldl be my choice though (I am not egoist, I am BHPIan ).
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Old 23rd October 2009, 15:35   #269
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Ajay_J View Post
Definitely it will help. But how do they solve the underlying problem. The problem of "being strikingly close to own a prestigious H badge if 8-9 lacs in pocket".
Men have bigger Egos, is it not true (you can see that in their cars too). A 1.9 DDIS SX4 wouldl be my choice though (I am not egoist, I am BHPIan ).

Yeah, a 1.9 DDiS would had been in all probability worked wonders for SX4.

And as am too a bhpian and not an egoist/badge snob and so even with those 10.5 lakhs in pocket (er..account) I'll opt for the 'cheaper' SX4 (preferably a manual tranny) and the rest 1.5 lakhs and more can be better invested in headers and FFE and alot more. That will be more than enough to scare the ANHC and owner of the car with a 'prestigious' H-badge if not a beeeeg truck as in the old SX4's adverts.

Okay, even am a badge snob but I just do not see Hondas as 'prestigious'. Sure, it it were a Bimmer or volvo or something or even Nissan.
Nor do I see Suzuki badge as 'unprestigious' as the korean "H-badge".

I'll rather have a less prestigious "S-badge" and pay less than dishing out loads more just for the supposedly more prestigious "H-badge".

What's better? A European crossover derived sedan from suzuki or a sedan from Honda that looks like a 'wanna-be Thai Muscle Car' (if something like that exists). Okay its based on the Jazz but then City is Not Available in Europe. Now, what is more prestigious? A car that sells in India and Europe or one that sells in India and Thailand? eh...?


P.S.-Honda lovers kindly ignore few of my lines here. Am just in a light mood today so indulging in silly badge talks.
Suzuki lovers may not ignore those lines and rejoice.
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Old 23rd October 2009, 15:42   #270
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Is the autobox 5 speed?

An automatic diesel variant of the Sx4 would do wonders !
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