Apr 20, 2010 06:49 PM
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I bought a Dezire VXI K series on 20th Jan 10 from Marketing Times Delhi DL3CBL#37#. Well I surveyed a lot. Drove almost all the existing vehicles within the budget of 4 to 6 lacs and also the newly launched i20, Indigo Manza and finally Dezire.
I was driving around a santro XP 2004 model for 5 yrs, so naturally my first preference was Hyundai. By the way, Santro is a fantastic car, no problem car, great pick-up. The guys at Samara Hyundai Lajpat Nagar were too busy and there was no test vehicle for i20, so was a disappointment. Indigo Manza had just been launched and when I sat at the driving wheel, I felt the car was too huge; moreover the plastic quality wasn't great. I was not too sure how the car would perform and mileage off-course. However the pricing did impress me.
Then test drove the Dezire, diesel only to choose the petrol variant VXi. Now having driven the Dezire VXI for more than 1000 kms, I am convinced that within the limited budget, it was a good buy. Handling is surely good and precise. The gear ratios are also very precise. I love the gear knob; it’s just too cute and easy to use. The interiors are pretty descent. I must congratulate Maruti Suzuki for putting in a lot of thought for the passenger and driver’s comfort. The inbuilt stereo from Kenwood has been drafted in very neatly. However storage in the front part of the cabin is less compared to other vehicles in the same class/category. Could have slotted in couple of more spaces for water bottles. Utility spaces are never bad when driving long distances or during hot summer in city conditions.
Now talking about fuel efficiency, well 17.9 km/l is still a dream. However for a vehicle of that size and weight returning 13.6 km/ltr on the first full tank was not bad, considering the fact that one has to vary the speed and change gears frequently while driving within the city. However mileage on the second count dropped by more than a litre i.e. 12. 38 km/l. The third time the mileage returned on a full tank was 12.33 km/l.
The engine response is good. Noise level of the engine is very low. I am told by Maruti vehicle owners that engines are give a lot of care vis-a-vis the quality of the build. Well I can only confirm it in the next few years perhaps. The theatre type dimming cabin lights are really good. The 460 litres boot space is worth mentioning... and last but not the least Maruti Suzuki is stamp of reliability and confidence in the Indian automobile market...
One suggestion to the Maruti Engineers in case they were to follow this review of mine. The Dezire would perhaps be a better looking car just in case the frontal design is replaced by that of RITZ’s front, while the rear remains the same. I have a feeling the numbers will double, since I know for sure that a lot of people consider it ugly looking design.
