Maruti Suzuki India Limited (MSIL), the largest car maker of the country, is going all out to pace-up the sales of its SX4 sedan. Although the model is available in petrol as well as diesel versions, it has not been able to do well in the Indian auto market. SX4 emerged as a slow-seller for the auto maker and was placed behind other cars of C-segment in the Indian industry in terms of volumes.
Sales of SX4 in the month of May 2012 stood at less than 500 units, which is a dent for the company’s reputation as the model's competitors performed fairly well. For a long time, SX4 has not been upgraded while its siblings have received updates on a regular basis, for example Swift, Swift DZire and A-Star, among others.
In order to boost the sales volumes of its SX4, Maruti introduced the Celebration Edition of its SX4, which was incorporated with several new features. The additional features packed within the Celebration Edition of the SX4 Diesel include reverse parking sensors, turn indicators mounted on Outer Rear View Mirrors (ORVMs) and integrated Bluetooth function. Along with these, advancements like leather wrapped steering wheel as well as seat covers with neck support and door sill guard are also provided with the new version. This model is priced Rs. 30,000 lesser than ZDI version and Rs. 20,000 lesser than ZXI variant.
According to an executive working at AAA Vehicleades, Naraina, buyers considering the petrol variant of the SX4 Celebration Edition (priced Rs. 8.05 lacs) will be provided a cash discount of Rs. 40,000. In addition to this, they can also exchange their old cars and enjoy an exchange bonus of Rs. 40,000. Likewise, the diesel version of the model comes with a flat discount of Rs. 30,000 and exchange bonus of Rs. 20,000. In light of hefty discounts offered by the largest car maker of country till June 30, 2012, buyers may like to purchase this fuel efficient C-segment sedan in a competitive price range.
In terms of performance, SX4 is on par with other cars in its segment and, thus, enjoys a respectable status among its competitors. This car holds a performance oriented turbo diesel powertrain under its hood. The diesel edition is assimilated with a 1.3 litre Fiat Multijet turbo engine with Variable Geometry Turbocharger (VGT). Maximum power generated by the engine of this car stands at 90 bhp, whereas highest torque is produced at 200 Nm. In order to assist its performance, the engine is mated to a five speed manual transmission system that offers smooth and hassle free shifts between the gears.
Considering the technical configuration of petrol version of SX4, the model is incorporated with a 1.6 litre engine with Variable Valve Timing (VVT) technology to improve is output and fuel economy. The highest power generated by this powertrain stands at over 100 bhp, which is decent for this segment. The top-end variant in the petrol series is assimilated with a four speed automatic transmission system while the other variants have to perform with manual gearbox. Apart from the petrol and diesel options, the car will be also offered in petrol-CNG dual fuel option, considering the steep hike in fuel prices.
