Opening
Maruti Suzuki SX4 Ownership Experience
Maruti Suzuki launched the SX4 in 2007. Immediately after its launch, the sedan became very popular with the enthusiasts as it was one of the very few cars in the C segment to have such a powerful engine. In addition, it also was a bolder looking Maruti Suzuki which broke the somewhat stereotypical image of the manufacturer. Macho looks, powerful engine and a trustworthy brand, the SX4 seems to have it all.
SX4 went on to become the segment leader before the Honda City stepped in and took the market by storm. The City had plush interiors and a premium car feel which Maruti could not provide. The SX4 got a midlife facelift in 2013 where the company updated the sedan with minor changes. The YL1 sedan which will debut in Auto Expo 2014 will be a replacement to the present generation SX4.
This week we catch up with Mr. Harjyot Singh, a businessman, who recently bought a SX4 ZXi variant. We understand the reasons why he selected SX4 over other options available in the market.
Question: What made you go for the SX4 precisely even when there are so many other options?
Answer: I have always been a seeker of performance cars but then since I have a family too I could not go for an outright performance car and thus had to settle for the SX4 as I believed it was the only practical performance car I could have bought.
Technical Specifications of Maruti Suzuki SX4
Make | Maruti Suzuki |
Model | SX4 |
Engine | 16V DOHC VVT |
Engine Displacement/No. of Cylinders | 1586/4 |
Power in PS/RPM | 104.7/5600 |
Torque in NM | 145/4100 |
Transmission | 5/M |
Dimensions in mm | |
Length | 4500 |
Width | 1735 |
Height | 1560 |
Wheel base | 2500 |
Ground clearance | 200 |
Minimum Radius | 5.3 |
Tyres | 205/60 R16 |
Fuel Tank capacity in Liters | 50 |
Mileage in KMPL | 16.51 |
Question: Can you compare your new car experience with your earlier cars?
Answer: We had the Ford Classic earlier and it was a lovely car. It was our daily car from office to home. It gave a fantastic mileage. It was with us for 6 years. The only issue was that post 3 years it became high on maintenance. The SX4 comparatively feel a lot lighter to drive and has a very peppy engine. Since it comes from Maruti Suzuki we are assured about its spares and servicing.
Question: Tell us something about the present status of your car?
Answer: It has been 3 months we got the new SX4 and are very happy with the car. We also did a round trip from Nasik to Goa and it did not let us down. We are getting a mileage of 12-14 Kmpl. The ride quality is decent and the practicality of the car is great.
Question: How about cost per service?
Answer: Our car has done only 4,000 Kms so we are yet to find the service costs.
Question: Any accident repairs done, insurance claimed?
Answer: It is a brand new car so no such instances yet and we hope we don’t encounter such occasions in future.
Features of variants of Maruti Suzuki SX4
Features | Vxi | Zxi |
Air Conditioner (manual) | Yes | No |
Auto air conditioner (single zone) | Yes | Yes |
Electrically adjustable outside rear viiew mirrors (R/L) | Yes | Yes |
Electronically foldable ORVMs | Yes | Yes |
Centre room lamp | Yes | Yes |
Map light (twin) | Yes | Yes |
Trunk room light | Yes | Yes |
Remote operated fuel tank lid | Yes | Yes |
Remote operated trunk lid | Yes | Yes |
Power steering (EPS) | Yes | Yes |
Adjustable steering column tilt | Yes | Yes |
Power windows (front) | Yes | Yes |
Power windows (rear) | Yes | Yes |
Driver' seat height adjuster | No | Yes |
Material of front and rear seats | Fabric | Fabric |
Rear seat centre arm rest | Yes | Yes |
Adjustable head rests (front and rear) | Yes | Yes |
Rear defogger | Yes | Yes |
Central locking | Yes | Yes |
Keyless entry | Yes | Yes |
Ex Showroom price Mumbai (Rs.) | 779566 | 864776 |
Question: How about the overall mileage in city and on highways?
Answer: We are getting mileage of around 12 kmpl in city and 14 kmpl on highway.
Question: Can you tell us your experience on long drives in the SX4?
Answer: Like we mentioned earlier, we had takes the SX4 for a trip to Goa and it was a fantastic experience. The 1.6L engine of the car generates enough power to take on highway traffic with great ease. It has a ground clearance of 200mm which is considerably tall and thus was not an issue taking the car on rough patches too.
Question: Any breakdown faced and how was it solved?
Answer: No Brake down faced till now.
Question: Any good and bad experience at service station?
Answer: We visited the service station for a detailed car wash and the experience was very satisfying as the engineers were very prompt and delivered the car well within the promised time.
Question: How do you rate the overall ownership, would you recommend the same to others?
Answer: It is little too early to comment about the overall ownership but even then I have been very happy with the car till date and would surely recommend it to all.
Competition of variants of Maruti Suzuki SX4
Make | Maruti Suzuki | Honda | Skoda |
Model | SX4 | City | Rapid |
Variant | Petrol (Zxi) | Petrol (VX MT) | Petrol (Elegance) |
Ex-Showroom Price Mumbai (Rs.) | 864,776 | 1,041,430 | 8,60,068 |
Engine Displacement/ No. of Cylinders | 1586/4 | 1497/4 | 1598/4 |
Power in PS/RPM | 104.7/5600 | 119 / 6600 | 105/5250 |
Torque in NM/RPM | 145/4100 | 145 / 4600 | 153/3800 |
Transmission | 5/M | 5/M | 5/M |
Dimensions in mm | |||
Length | 4500 | 4440 | 4386 |
Width | 1735 | 1695 | 1699 |
Height | 1560 | 1495 | 1466 |
Wheel Base | 2500 | 2600 | 2552 |
Ground Clearance in mm | 200 | 165 | 168 |
Turn Radius | 5.3 | 5.3 | 5.3 |
Tyres | 205/60 R16 | 175/65 R 15 | 175/70 R14 |
Fuel Tank Capacity (L) | 50 | 40 | 55 |
Mileage in KMPL | 16.51 | 17.8 | 15 |
Question: If you wish to choose another make and model which one would it be?
Answer: I would definitely like to go for the new Skoda Octavia RS which would come in few months. I have been a big RS fan and the earlier generation RS was my favourite. I am sure the new Skoda Octavia RS would be a treat too.
Question: What’s your opinion about choosing between petrol and diesel cars?
===15===
Answer: It all depends on one’s own needs. I wanted a sedan which would be great on performance and practicality too. It also should be very much in my budget. We planned a petrol car because our monthly running does not justify a diesel car. Also, personally I prefer petrol cars to diesel alternatives.
Conclusion:
Mr. Harjyot indeed is very happy with his new car and definitely recommends it to all. The SX4 scores well in performance and comfort. Maruti Suzuki had a wide spread dealership network and thus servicing cars anywhere in India is not difficult. The spares too are competitively priced. If you need a practical performance sedan for daily commute the SX4 is a strong recommendation. In 2014 Auto Expo, Maruti Suzuki will display the YL1 sedan and also there aer strong chances of the YL1 being the successor of the SX4.
Gallery: