With the launch of the new SX4, Maruti Suzuki seems to be better prepared to take on competition in the C segment of the Indian auto industry, which has not being witnessing decent sales of late. In 2013, the SX4 gets a complete new front grille with generous doses of chrome, a new front bumper and fog lamps. Interiors have been given different shades with a black dashboard and beige upholstery. In comparison to this, the Verito looks less appealing, even though it has been also redesigned by Mahindra. In terms of overall dimensions, the SX4 is longer than the Verito by more than 100 mm.
On the road, SX4, with a retuned 1.6 litre petrol engine, gives a mileage of 16 kmpl as against 13.87 in the Verito. Industry experts are of a view that there is not much to choose between diesel variants of the two vehicles in terms of mileage, as the Verito delivers 21.1 kmpl against 21.79 kmpl from the SX4. Verito's diesel engine, at 1461 cc, is much larger than the 1248 cc engine of the Maruti sedan. SX4 is fitted with a 1.6 litre petrol engine, which develops 103.6 bhp of maximum power. In contrast to this, the modest 1.4 litre engine of the Verito develops 75 bhp. This gap results in a difference of pick up and acceleration between the two vehicles. The Maruti sedan generates a tremendous power-to-weight ratio, which is great for performance enthusiasts. Similarly, SX4 diesel produces 88 bhp of power, compared to 65 bhp from Verito diesel.
Additionally, the SX4 also comes with a CNG version, which returns a tremendous mileage of 22.1 km/kg, making it quite economical to run. On the other hand, no CNG version of the Verito has been offered to the Indian audience as of now in the Indian auto market. Both engines are fitted to a 5-speed manual gearbox. Ground clearance is nearly the same- 172 mm for the Verito and 170 mm for the SX4. In terms of pricing, the Verito seems to be a more affordable model than the Maruti Suzuki SX4. While the Verito is available from a range of Rs. 5.26 lakh to Rs. 7.75 lakhs, the SX4 can be bought between Rs. 7.38 lakh and Rs. 8.27 lakh. If styling is an important consideration for purchase, the SX4 would certainly be the vehicle of choice.
After looking at the above differences, it seems that the competition is quite intense between these two models. If one is looking purely at space and practicality, the Verito is a good option, since it is cheaper as well. While considering design, power and handling, the SX4 would be a vehicle capable of thrilling the driver any time. There is a marked difference between the petrol versions of the two vehicles, as stated above.
