Maruti’s Next Small Car for Us - Splash

Yes, Tata has been all over the place and everyone has been concentrating towards their offerings, primarily the people’s car – Nano. But what about the auto maker which brought about this revolution over 20 years back? Maruti’s presence in the Auto Expo ’08 cannot be discounted despite the fact that the hype around the Nano is surely something that has taken a toll on other exhibitors.
What has been in the talks for quite a while has been displayed as a concept car for now, but it looks production ready, well, almost! The Splash, as you may recall, has already been reported by CarWale as the next big offering in the compact car segment that we might see from India’s largest passenger car maker. Revealed at the inaugural function were the plans of launching the Splash in the European market by as early as Spring ’08. So what it means to Indians is only but understood naturally.

Splash, according to Suzuki, is based on a theme and the theme is ‘Family’. Suzuki targets numbers as high as 60,000 units per year for the European market. The car will be manufactured in Hungary, but it was added that Suzuki might start production of the Splash here in India too, to cater to the markets this side of the world. The Japanese major chose the name Splash for the car to “signify its desire to create a new sensation. Its vivid sound creates a sense of expectation and conveys a sense of freshness and youthfulness.” Wow! What a statement. I was speechless and had a dropped jaw after hearing this.

What is impressive though is the fact that the genesis of the Splash platform is the Suzuki Swift. The development of the car was carried out in Germany, Spain and UK where the designers subjected the Splash to extensive testing to optimize the suspension, steering and tyres to ensure a comfortable drive. How much has it helped to cope with the Indian conditions remains to be seen. But Suzuki’s pragmatic approach towards India and their stay of over two decades will help them carry out necessary modifications to suit Indian roads.

At first sight, the Splash really comes across as a dynamic design. Despite being close to 1600mm tall, it does not look awkward. The roof line falls seamlessly into the practically vertical tail gate. When viewed, the rear three-quarter is the best angle which gives a proper definition to the whole design. The front end is near perfect for a small car with large and sharp headlamps. What stands out though is a shocking resemblance of the grille to that of the Grande Punto’s. The prominent wheel arches do their bit to add a dynamic look overall and even makes the car look a bit sporty.

The interior is equally funky. Practical and energetic are the words that come to your mind when you see the car from inside. The car on display had a blue theme on the dashboard while the centre console was outlined with a brushed aluminum finish. The dash extending to the windscreen could have been better utilized by making it a little accommodating for small items, but in its current form, the flowing curve does not allow for such practicality. There is useful storage tray just above the glove box though. The knobs and buttons are flush-fitted into the centre console but there is a little bit of Swift and SX4 about the way the dash looks. The gearlever is mounted on the centre console too. This architecture is increasingly becoming a fashion statement as well as a norm for a lot of cars. Not that we are complaining! With a wheel base of 2360mm, expect the car to be as spacious, if not better than its rivals.

There will be a choice of three to four engines with the Splash. A 1.0L, 65PS petrol engine that currently does duty on Wagon-R and Zen Estilo, a 1.2L, four cylinder petrol engine capable of producing 86PS and a 1.3L, 75PS diesel engine (DDiS) that is available in the Swift currently. What is interesting to note is that the diesel engine will be manufactured at the Manesar plant of Maruti-Suzuki.

Maruti has started offering very good VFM offerings and the SX4 stands tall as a testimony to that. Expect the Splash to come equipped with all the safety features like energy-dispersing frame, airbags, ABS and brake assist in addition to electronic brake force distribution. Electronic stability program might also be offered. But all this will surely attract quite a premium for sure. By the looks of it, the Splash presents itself as yet another practical and ideal compact car. Let us hope it comes here with not much modifications made to it. Amen.

Quick Specs:

Length: 3715mm
Width: 1680mm
Height: 1590
Wheelbase: 2360mm
Engine: 1.0L petrol; 1.2L petrol; 1.3L diesel
Power: 65PS; 86PS; 75PS