Had gone to Delhi for the Auto Expo and got a chance to drive my aunt's brand new SX4 ZXi.
When i first saw the car, i wasn't too impressed with the looks and found it to be a bit ugly. However, the high GC of the SX4 is a boon in Indian roads and i loved the wheels and the front headlights.
For some reason, when one opens the front doors of the SX4 and looks at them, it reminded me of the Mahindra MUV's. Don't know why.
Inside, i loved the design of the dash, the space it offered and only had a few grouses. The head room is amazing but the visibility is terrible. I wish Maruti had increased the height of the seat so one could see the road and also a few blind spots would be taken care of. Also, i found the car to be a strict 4 seater.
i also wish the quality of plastic on the door panels was better and I wasn't to fond of the Tacho the first time i droive the car. I found the design a bit wierd and difficult to read because of the way the numbers were positioned. However, i got used to it by my second/third drive.
Once the engine is started, the first thing i noticed is the clutch. I absolutely loved it! However, i found the gearing to be a bit rough but since this was a new car, i expect it to get better with time. I also found the steering to be a bit heavy at low speeds and when the car was stopped. However, the car is insanely stable and i was doing around 80-100 on the Noida Expressway without realising it. I didn't get to rip the car in the initial stages to see how free revving and performance friendly the motor is because the car had only run 450km when i drove it.
I loved the handling though. With the 16" tires, the car feels absolutely surefooted and i had to take a few turns in the colony at a faster than usual speed and liked the feel even though it wasn't a high speed turn.
Overall, i really liked this car, even though i was critical of it earlier, it seems like an ideal family car for a family of 4. Good job Maruti! |