Maruti Suzuki SX4 User Reviews

 

Let me start by saying that I am an army officer that too from the infantry, so be rest assured that when I say something, I have done my homework. I have driven around 25,000 + kms in jus under 1.5 years, if that is any indication of the judgement u wanna make of my review, and I have driven every single KM of these. This is a dream car and I say so bcos considering that as a soldier we push ourselves to the limit and this car was at my receiving end. but boy did it deliver. I AM AWED. dont know how many of u have done it but I have driven this car at 175 kmph-makes a lot of noise on the outside but is this baby stable.

Its jus amazing whether u jus wanna do a chaffeur drive or a drag race, u wont be dissapointed. Even though with a very high grnd clearance(190mm-ZXi) it handles very well at high speeds, thanks to the fat tyres(205mm alloys). have taken this car on so many of my unknown territory x country adventures, but it scoopes them all with ease. suspensions are really note worthy here.

On 3 different occassions, I have driven non stop whole day-night and covered 970 kms nonstop- speed and endurance(military traits) and that too with full load. not once did cit ough up. Be it bad roads-typical of indian backdrop (though NHAI is doing a wonderful job), this is the only vehicle(sedan) which can soak up the potholes with ease.

I always speak the truth whether one likes it or not-the city, verna, and off late the VW are all very competent cars and if I may say better in some aspects too, but as an Indian and if u love to drive all over the country, and u love to zip at high speeds, maybe drag race at times too (not recommended safety wise), this is ur car, a complete package which I can bet no other car can beat overall.

The cost is also an imp factor and it doesnt get over at jus buying the car. after sales burn holes in ur pockets, if my honda n hyundai frns will agree truthfully and that is another place where this car jus zips past its comteporaries.

Talk about ride quality, there is hardly nay difference(I have test driven the city, verna and even linea) In fact linea was the best in handling but a poor powerplant jus killed it (a 800 wud accelerate faster). the new one is much better.

I have done the followinf routes jus for ur info- Ranchi-Katni-Jabalur-Indore.(1350 kms), Indore-Bhopal-Betul-Nagpur-Secunderabad-visakhapatnam-Ranchi(3000+ kms in 3 days), indore-aurangabad-secunderabad-belgaum-goa-pune-shirdi-indore (6000+ kms). Indore-Chittorgarh-jaipur-delhi (850 kms- 12 hrs jus a week back).

Now I know most of u will be thinking that i am lying considering what i wrote jus now, but thats the truth and my poor wife is the only witness who has been a victim to all this madness (even a seasoned driver who was wid me in one of the trips commwnted that @saab u faujis are totally mad, even we dont drive beyond 500 kms in a day), but this is the only reason y i decided to write in this forum cos i know not many people wud have driven this vehicle the way i have. its a petrol veh and the increasing fuel prices does not helpme either.

But this veh has survived this madness and i need to tell this to all true car enthusiasts that if u want a good machine, this is it. mine is a very unbiased report, in fact Verna has a diesel, which can easily beat this machine in the hands of a good driver and i personally love the hyundai diesel anyday better than this, honda again a good overall  but snobbish and very low ground clearance and horrendously expensive aftersales.

The boot space is HUMONGOUS, and trust me i have exploited it to the hilt, I have a JBL sub in my boot and inspite of that, the boot space is unbeatable. tell any of the other brands to match it.

Noise dampning is also very good upto 130-140 kmph, beyond which the outside noise trickles in (tried n tested).

Best feature- ABS with EBD and alloys. let me jus tell u that i wud have been dead abt a year back when the front right tyres lost all air pressure and my car went into a 360 degree spin like the hollywood movies.the ABS and the alloys saved us that day. the tyres had left the rim and the car was eventually brought to a halt (after 6 agonising spins with my family an mother in law) bcos the ABS was working overtime and the alloys jus dug into the highway tarmac to stop the car. also another good feature, during the spin, the car never topples over as that wud have defenitely killed us (thanks to its wt- 1200 kgs).

there have been on and off mechanical problems- like only the front right disc pad wore out way too early at 20000 kms insted of the accepted 30000kms and some more issues but maruti was always forthright and caring in helping me out to the extent that they replaced both my front disc brakes and the pads @ 24000kms as a goodwilll gesture under warranty of course. i now have brand new brakes.

Pls understand that this is neither an Audi nor a Merc, but it is a brilliant sub 8 lakh car which can give a run to many 12 lakh plus cars. have pitted this vehicle against city, verna, fiesta, hyundai terracan, the cruze, civic, toyota corolla, innova amongst others. Only the terracan and the cruze did make me sweat and i actually felt that they cud beat me but for the ongoing traffic and highway conditions.of course bcos of the brilliant machines and a huge powerplant, but all the others were put to rest and this i can say with conviction,(all landed up 160 kmph plus madness- not recommended though).

Am not deliberating on the build quality and plastics and all that, cos it has been discussed at lenght, the only thing i want to highlight to all my felloow car entusiasts is that if ur looking for an overall good package, and money is an issue, then this is the car for you look no further. Tried and tested this car to the hilt and it is a SCORCHER.

fUEL ECONOMY in city with a/c is 12.5 kmpl and in the highway is 13 kmpl. u can increase it to 14 maybe 15 kmpl on the highway if u drive at constant speeds of around 80 kmph. but thats defenitely not what i bought this car for.

A pillar is an issue as many times a whole auto rickshaw or a scootorist vanishes behind the thick front rt A pillar, jus have to get used to it.

Reverse parking- I installed the Black cat 4 sensor kit, very accurate to almost 10 cms for jus Rs 4700/-. reversing is a problem, but then how often do u reverse. Pls install the sensor kit, and reverse in peace.

The tyres are a big plus as the 205/60 R16 on 16 inch ENKIN alloys are fantastic. in fact it is one of the most imp feature in high speed dynamics(ask any car guru) and its doubles up as a safety feature too bcos of the phenomenal grip level these rubber provide, they do make a lot of noise at high speeds and the JKs are not the best to handle this beast. (till date neither maruti nor JK tyres cud explain the sudden loss of tyre pressure in my car leading to the accident ) will suggest if u have the mollah, upgrade to either the YOKOHAMAs or the BRIDGESTONES. they are really good and will last upto 1,00,000 kms as against 40,000 of the JKs.

SO FOLKS WISH U A HAPPY AND A SAFE DRIVING. DO WEAR UR SEAT BELTS(preferably the rear seat ones too). IT SAVES LIVES (it saved my families lives).

Looks, power, acceleration, high speed stablity, boot space, alloys, etcrear parking visibility, A-pillar, center rear seating

The drive may not be 100 percent smooth but the engine genuinely feels totally connected. Mostly way powerful than normal sedans at it's budget. Have been using music system from the start and sound clarity is 200% clear. Beasty looks and beasty performance makes this car completely stand out. Only Pros and no Cons

Great car.. good integrated music system, great features at this cost.. powerful engine.. gen Z looks.. great ground clearance.. recommended for buying.. fuel economy should not be a criterion.Great grip, on and off road. The rear seat is meant for two only.. the arm rest does not permit the third person to sit comfortably. The best in its segment. Overall, great value for money!Snob value in this segment;1.6L rocks!! VFM. Bottomline...ITS A MARUTI!None

 

Exterior Sporty luks, well designed, in-out on drivero's seat is quite comfortable coz of its higher ground clearance

 

Interior (Features, Space & Comfort) I owned ZXi without leather option - its overall gud under this price tag.

 

Engine Performance, Fuel Economy and Gearbox Quite powerful engine, gud pickup, noiseless engine, fuel economy is not bad with ac on(Near abt 11-12)

 

Ride Quality & Handling Ride quality is fine, power-steering is quite handy. Though its not very smooth on bad roads.

 

Final Words I owned this after tons of research (near abt 10 months). Honda City, Fiat Linea, VW Vento, Hyundai Verna, even luking for used Toyota Corolla (budget under 10 lacs). Finally goes for Maruti SX4 ZXi. Its a car which gots everything under the price tag of 8.55 lacs. AC is effective n silent, ground clearance is gud, engine is noisless with gud pick-up, both interior n exteriors r gud. I owned it coz i was luking for a big car which under my budget n meant for indian road conditions. Though the driving on bad roads is not very gud, but its ok. VXi version interior is not appealling at all, lacking air-bags, climate control ac n alloy wheels.

The closet contender is honda City. The final verdict was between city or sx4. City luks guds but lacks few things especially the ground clearance n price tag. City has better fuel economy, resale value, road presence, brand. But the feel of brand image stays for few days only (according to me). Its a gud car, but not very suitable for indian roads also high maintenance n spare parts. Therfore, i finally opted SX4 coz its a complete sedan. Finally, if luking for a car under 10 lacs go for SX4 ZXi n under 15 then opt Toyota Altis.

 

Areas of improvement Side views -both left n right, better suspensions specially for bad roads, an armrest on drivers seat, rent ac vent, audio speakers quality.

 

Stylish, Sporty Luks, Comfortable driving, Powerful Engine, Gud Pickup, Ground ClearanceOnly drawback - its right side view

 

Exterior Excellent.

Interior (Features, Space & Comfort) Ok.

Engine Performance, Fuel Economy and Gearbox Powerfull with CNG.

Final WordIf you want real driving pleasure of Petrol car with fuel economy than this is it. I bought SX4 green in July'11.I drove up to 3000kms plus. The average comes around 20kms per kg on highway while in city it is around 15-17kms per kg.  The cost of CNG is Rs. 40 per kg in Gujarat, that means the running cost comes around Rs. 2 per km. In Mumbai the cost of CNG is Rs. 32 per kg, the running cost could reduce to Rs.1.50 per km

THe gross boot space is 400 ltr but because of cng cylinder it is reduced to 200 ltr. Still sufficient for a family. Also one can do good negotiated price for SX4 Green compare to diesel model. If you have budget of around 8lacs than you should go for this car subject to availability of CNG in your area.

Areas of improvement Nothing.

fuel economy, great stylenothing

Exterior:

well to say about it's exterior.... it s built strong n got NCAP 4 rating.... Macho styling.... the new sx4 with honey comb style grill looks smart with 10 spoke alloys.... it's looks like a mere sports version in its genuine sports kit from maruthi... 

Overall exterior: 4/5

 

Interior (Features, Space & Comfort): 

Suzuki would have furnished it's interior better..... but it's good looking with silver sonsole beside the music system..... ease use of buttons...... well stiched seats in beige 

Overall interiors: 3.5/4

 

Engine Performance, Fuel Economy and Gearbox:

As for as its engine s concerned.... it's very responsive, since it has drive by wire technology reading the engine by foot is very difficult...... it's very calm in idle... and my beast gives me oscillating mileage between 12 to 15 in highways.... and in city flat 10kmpl.... gear knob is short and easy of use.... till first service i had a problem with shifting of first gear.... later it becomes smooth.....

Overall Engine Performance: 4/5

Overall Fuel Economy: 3/5

Overall Gearbox: 4/5

 

Ride Quality & Handling:

superb handling even at 120+ speeds...... since it's provided with the hard suspension handling is pakka n car s stable even at 160 kmph...... when comes to the ride quality is pretty good when the road s smooth..... potholed roads may give you a bumpy ride due to hard suspension..... 

overall of ride quality & handling: 4/5

 

Something i dislike about Sx4:

Head-lights aren't powerful enough.. poor vision on turns due to front quarter glass....makes it very very risky on turns specially on hilly roads...atleast makes me unconfrtable...in city its risky for 2W as sometimes i cant see them on sqrs and rount abouts... 

 

Final Words:

I like it's road presence..... definitely it s  man amognst cars.... ;)

 

Areas of improvement  

engine efficiency, interiors, some gizmos like in-built gps, distance with the fuel indicator, etc....

 

it's style with sports kit, taller, wider than cars in its segment, macho looks, wider tyres, etc...cldn't read the engine... it gives me oscillating mileage

I feel very. Very lucky to have purchased a White Beauty of this Car which was sparingly used and found to be in an original condition, eventhough there were little bit of nicks & minor dents on the sides.

Exterior Near Perfect. The Headlights are well positioned. So are Tail Lights. But only one Light at left side of the car at the time of reversing works.

Interior (Features, Space & Comfort) Marvellous in Space & Comfort. Neighbours envy. Owner's Pride. Makes others turn their heads towards this vehicle.

Engine Performance, Fuel Economy and Gearbox A-1 in all aspects. The Petrol Engine should place this car alongside Boeing 747 Aircraft for being a reliable workhorse. The Gear shifts are smooth & Fuel Economy is very good for 1.6L Engine Class. Even though I am not cribbing about the fuel economy aspect.  

Ride Quality & Handling Just wow wow wow. Incredibly Superb. Anyone will love to drive this beast.

Final Words Be & remain an owner of SX4 before you die!!!

Areas of improvement Nothing needed.. eventhough this model is discontinued.

Superb Engine, Smooth Gearbox & Impeccable Handling.Nothing as such ... may be the absence of Bluetooth Music.

 

I have purchased SX4 ZXI (VVT) in the month of May 2010. Before purchasing I have done lot of r n d about almost all the cars in this segment. Finally I inclined towards this car. This car is really amazing. The owner will feel proud because of its fully loaded feature. Ridability is excellent and one cannot compare any car in this segment. I am getting 13.8 kmpl in Mysore city. and on highway i am getting 17 kmpl, really it is a boon. I recommend strongly to go for this car. Final advise is don't just spend more money for unloaded cars bcz of its name. Be wise and go for SX 4.

The only disadvantage I found in this vehicle is it A pillar. During shar right turns these A pillars might become blind spots. One should be careful in taking sharp right turns.

Auto climate control, ABS and other features are really worthy and amazing.

stance, ridability, mileage, power, service network, fully loaded'A' pillar blind spot only

I have just purchased brand new SX4 ZXi model (chasis number: 157608) with VVT engine, however, to my surprise the vehical delivered to me has old M26 AN engine (number: 2017991).

Now is this error is due to Maruti or whether dealer has changed the engine before the delivery of the vehicle.

I feel ripped and feel helpless as I never thought that either Maruti or its dealer can do such grave mistake.

I have tried called Maruti's regional helpline and they also agree that the car with above engine number is M26 AN engine that use to come with old SX4.

Please help me. I would be thankful if someone can contact higher authorities in Maruti and do the needfull

Rajiv Garg
09911698732But I feel ripped as it has come with wrong engineGave mistake by the maruti