MARUTI'S GRAND SHOW Of late, Maruti Udyog Ltd. has changed a lot and that includes their name to Maruti Suzuki. ‘Maruti’ brand had gathered an image of a bargain hunter’s car and not a poseur’s car. Until the Swift and recently the SX4, people bought dated Marutis simply because they were cheaper to buy and run. The Swift made quite an impact when it came to the market. It was perceived as a thoroughly modern car with the same affordability factor as all Marutis. The latest to shed the company’s image as a rationed, budget car maker is the Grand Vitara(G.V) pitted against the other petrol driven soft-roader, the Honda CRV. Known as the Escudo in some other markets this SUV is here to do what the previous version, the XL7 couldn’t do- Sell !
Compared to the last generation Grand Vitara XL7, the current version has been built on different and totally new platform. And in the process, it evolved from an off-roader to a soft-roader, it has dropped the big thirsty V6 engine and has adopted a small four pot. It has also shrunk in size from a large seven seater to a compact five seater. But importantly, it has changed itself from looking dated and dull, to trendy and youthful without losing the ruggedness. The old version was based on a chassis to improve off-road performance, but this one is monocoque to improve dynamics, with an integrated ladder frame to increase structural rigidity. That in simple English means, it is built in one piece and will be good on road and wont get bend, if you take it off-road.
I quite liked the looks of the GV. The overall design theme is quite similar to the Swift. The chunky wheel arches and the pseudo vents on the edges of the bonnet lend it a touch of muscularity. The side profile of the car is interesting as the wrap-around tail lights originate from the same point as the rear quarter window ends. The spare wheel is mounted on the tailgate as in old-school SUVs and adds character to the rear.
Inside, you wonder whether Maruti-Suzuki ran out of parts and resorted to searching the SX4 and Swift parts bin. The circular air conditioning vents and the power window switches are from the Swift, the steering looks no different than the SX4’s, the overall dash layout is quite similar to the SX4 and even the seat upholstery reminds me about the dotted one in the Swift. The totally black interiors are well designed but does not exude the impression of a Rs.14lakh car. But it is functional with every control falling into hand and working brilliantly. The three hooded dials with the red needles and white lettering is very bold and bright. The well integrated single CD player looks good on the dash and sounds just as good.
That brings us to the engine which is a 1995cc petrol driven, 120bhp, 17.3kgm mill, based on the latest Suzuki engine platform like the SX4. It is mounted longitudinally and mated to a five speed manual or an auto. The engine does exhibit decent midrange performance despite the low output and the vehicle’s 1.6 ton kerb weight. But it sounds coarse and strained at high revs and low rpm response is not great either. It takes about 14 seconds to reach 100kmph and runs out of breath at 160kmph, adequate for an SUV or is it?
There is a ‘shift on the fly’ rotary selector on the dashboard which lets you shift to low option and lock the differential. The off-road ability of the GV is miles ahead of the Honda CR-V that is brilliant on the road but pretty useless on anything less than the flattest grounds. There is ample ground clearance in the GV in the form of 200mm and this along with the brilliant four wheel drive system ensures that you never get stuck in foot deep mud or rocky inclines. But sadly, all these potential is likely to go wasted with most owners confining themselves to well paved roads. The car always runs on four wheel drive mode which gives it great grip on the wet roads, but at the cost of fuel economy. The body rolls slightly but the handling is otherwise neat. The ride quality on the other hand is plush and superb. It runs over potholes just as if they weren’t there.
So, how does it compare with the Honda CR-V? Well, it may not have the CR-V’s performance, handling, equipments and rich interiors, but it costs Rs. 4 lakhs less which makes it a lot more affordable. Yes, the interiors do feel cheap but it has better off-road credentials and plusher ride than the Honda. And being a Maruti, means it will be just as reliable as the Honda. Wish it could switch off that four wheel drive when not needed and it had that 1.9L diesel engine with which it is sold elsewhere in the world.
SCORE BOARD
Style & Design: 7/10
Finish & Build quality:6/10
Engine & Gearbox: 5/10
Performance: 5/10
Brakes: 6/10
Ride: 7/10
Handling & Fun to Drive: 6/10
Off-road Performance: 8/10
Value for money: 7/10
Interior and comfort: 5/10
Ownership Experience: 9/10
Compared to the last generation Grand Vitara XL7, the current version has been built on different and totally new platform. And in the process, it evolved from an off-roader to a soft-roader, it has dropped the big thirsty V6 engine and has adopted a small four pot. It has also shrunk in size from a large seven seater to a compact five seater. But importantly, it has changed itself from looking dated and dull, to trendy and youthful without losing the ruggedness. The old version was based on a chassis to improve off-road performance, but this one is monocoque to improve dynamics, with an integrated ladder frame to increase structural rigidity. That in simple English means, it is built in one piece and will be good on road and wont get bend, if you take it off-road.
I quite liked the looks of the GV. The overall design theme is quite similar to the Swift. The chunky wheel arches and the pseudo vents on the edges of the bonnet lend it a touch of muscularity. The side profile of the car is interesting as the wrap-around tail lights originate from the same point as the rear quarter window ends. The spare wheel is mounted on the tailgate as in old-school SUVs and adds character to the rear.
Inside, you wonder whether Maruti-Suzuki ran out of parts and resorted to searching the SX4 and Swift parts bin. The circular air conditioning vents and the power window switches are from the Swift, the steering looks no different than the SX4’s, the overall dash layout is quite similar to the SX4 and even the seat upholstery reminds me about the dotted one in the Swift. The totally black interiors are well designed but does not exude the impression of a Rs.14lakh car. But it is functional with every control falling into hand and working brilliantly. The three hooded dials with the red needles and white lettering is very bold and bright. The well integrated single CD player looks good on the dash and sounds just as good.
That brings us to the engine which is a 1995cc petrol driven, 120bhp, 17.3kgm mill, based on the latest Suzuki engine platform like the SX4. It is mounted longitudinally and mated to a five speed manual or an auto. The engine does exhibit decent midrange performance despite the low output and the vehicle’s 1.6 ton kerb weight. But it sounds coarse and strained at high revs and low rpm response is not great either. It takes about 14 seconds to reach 100kmph and runs out of breath at 160kmph, adequate for an SUV or is it?
There is a ‘shift on the fly’ rotary selector on the dashboard which lets you shift to low option and lock the differential. The off-road ability of the GV is miles ahead of the Honda CR-V that is brilliant on the road but pretty useless on anything less than the flattest grounds. There is ample ground clearance in the GV in the form of 200mm and this along with the brilliant four wheel drive system ensures that you never get stuck in foot deep mud or rocky inclines. But sadly, all these potential is likely to go wasted with most owners confining themselves to well paved roads. The car always runs on four wheel drive mode which gives it great grip on the wet roads, but at the cost of fuel economy. The body rolls slightly but the handling is otherwise neat. The ride quality on the other hand is plush and superb. It runs over potholes just as if they weren’t there.
So, how does it compare with the Honda CR-V? Well, it may not have the CR-V’s performance, handling, equipments and rich interiors, but it costs Rs. 4 lakhs less which makes it a lot more affordable. Yes, the interiors do feel cheap but it has better off-road credentials and plusher ride than the Honda. And being a Maruti, means it will be just as reliable as the Honda. Wish it could switch off that four wheel drive when not needed and it had that 1.9L diesel engine with which it is sold elsewhere in the world.
SCORE BOARD
Style & Design: 7/10
Finish & Build quality:6/10
Engine & Gearbox: 5/10
Performance: 5/10
Brakes: 6/10
Ride: 7/10
Handling & Fun to Drive: 6/10
Off-road Performance: 8/10
Value for money: 7/10
Interior and comfort: 5/10
Ownership Experience: 9/10
0 comments:
Post a Comment