Jan 13, 2007 03:52 AM
9131 Views
(Updated Mar 13, 2007 01:04 AM)
As promised, back with the update on how the car works. It is amazing. Believe me... 3000 km... 1 service... gallons of fuel... and it is as fresh a feel as a brand new. Let me cover what comes out of experience.The Engine:Still, the most silent one. After done 3000 kms and a service done, I still havent had the feeling of a viberating engine. Pickup is great.. dont have exact numbers but I will stick to this "Not for those who are looking for 0-100 win, but definitely gives a good feel"The Body:Its like falling more and more in love everytime you see it. Its an eye candy.The Interiors and the space:Comfortable. Very Comfortable. The space at the back can be increased by pulling the front seats forward as there is a lot of space at the front. Beige is in.The Mileage:Something I promised to share after I experience it. The average per litre of fuel on a highway was 18.5 kms with AC on all the time. (I am expecting an increase in the score after the second service is done)
Miscellaneous:Suspension is something I would like to boast about. It feels great.. You can actually feel how good they are once you drive through the pot-holes of Indian roads.. (the best place to test drive for suspensions). You cannot compare these to a Santro, Indica or a Wagon R at all..I am really glad that I opted for this car. And grateful to people who helped me decide so... Small segment users, please try it once.. And yes... I opted for Purple Fusion... I feel it is as viberating and energetic as me...===This is a product that gave me the temptation to log back into this site and write a review after a span of 4 Years!
The Background: I do not own it yet! I took the test drive and researched a lot as I am planning to buy a car. This lead to asking questions and taking test drives (twice!)... and a lot of researching and comparing..
The Engine:Mostly referred to as the engine of Wagon R placed in a new body. That is not the whole truth. The engine specifications are the same as Wagon R, yet it is an improved version. The 1061CC engine has a power of 64BHP. Though the engine is most silent I have experienced in this segment, yet its actual performance can be determined only after one or two services. One of my friends (so called "expert") suggested that it rattles above the speed of a 100 km/hr for the body weight is lesser than Wagon R.
It was then, I took another ride (for the second time) and explored the engine power and effectiveness of its aerodynamic shape till the speed of 125 km/hr, which was totally hassle free. (Vital information: The engine never gave up, it was the traffic that forced me to slow down). Later, I also found that the overall weight of the vehicle is 25kgs more than Wagon R (I am talking about VXi here).
The Body:Looks are amazing, but it takes some time to start falling in love with it. It looks a lot like an infant Innova (which will later grow up some day to take an adult Innova shape! Ha ha!) The paint is lustrous. Bright Red is a Non-Metallic color! It doesn't look like one! The dickey door is good as it has a normal door handle and what else.. it is included in the central locking system. You can open / lock the dickey using the remote key.
The Interiors:Beige color gives it a luxury look. The seats are comfortable enough to ride it for hours (Please note, I am not discussing space here. Will do that later.) The dashboard looks good with improved vinyl quality, though it has more room for improvement. AC is effective and does hardly impact the working of the engine. I liked the beige colored steering wheel in VXi (ABS model has a black one. I don't know why!)
The Space:The seating space is comfortable, however, the space at the back is a little lesser than Wagon R and becomes quite a bit uncomfortable if the driver puts his seat farthest backwards. Ironically, there is ample space at front and exceptionally tall ones will pull the front seats to extreme backward position. Boot space is adequate (More than that actually).
When I compared the dimensions, to my wonder, it is exactly the length and width of an Alto. (What?? Really?? Was my brother's reaction on this!) The height of the seats make things more comfortable. The legs need more space when seats have a lesser height. Overall, the space is not too much, but quite comfortable for 5 people.
The Mileage:Am I eligible to comment on it? No. Studies (Magazines and reviews) reveal that it should be somewhere about 16 km/ltr on a long drive with AC on. It may be half a km less or more, but tends to be more if we keep in mind the aerodynamic design and compare it with a Wagon R. I don't have anything else to say on this aspect.
Miscellaneous:Front brakes are disc and rear ones are drum (nothing unusual). Fuel Tank capacity is 35 litres. Two good things I must mention here are the Power Steering and Suspension System. The EPS (Electronic Power Steering) system enables more control on the vehicle. It is smooth and light. Moreover, it uses the battery and not the engine to derive the power. The McPherson Strut with Torsion type roll control device in the front suspension and Coil Spring, Gas filled shock absorbers at the back give a smooth drive. The wheel base is 23.60 cm which is adequate for a vehicle with a 16 cm height.
What else..? Did I miss ABS and the airbag thing? I am, again, not eligible to comment on them as I did not pay much attention there. But safety initiative by Maruti is definitely a good here.
Over all a good buy for those who want to own a stylish car in this segment within a range of 4 Lac. Not for those who want to win a 0 - 100 acceleration competition.
The Summary: I have booked a VXi w/o ABS with a red color and am taking it on to the road coming week.
