Maruti Suzuki SX4

Maruti had launched Maruti SX4 in May 2007 to compete with other sedans in the segment. Maruti Suzuki was the first automobile company to introduce class leading premium features such as air-bags, steering-mounted audio controls, auto climate control, glass antennae and many others in an A3 segment car for customer benefit. The tradition continues in the new SX4 with the company bringing in advanced VVT technology, which has so far been used only in the luxury SUV, Suzuki Grand Vitara.

Designed by Guigiarro and ITAL Design, it was actually developed as a crossover whose platform is shared by Fiat and Suzuki. A lot of crossover is visible in the New SX4's styling. The massive wheel arches have been built to accommodate new 16" 10 Spoke alloy wheels with high-profile tires. Other macho features of New SX4 are tall upright windscreen, massive widescreen mirrors and the upright seating position of the passengers.

The headlights wrap around onto the fenders, there are big front wheel arches and the integration of the rear of New SX4 is well executed and in line with the design of the nose as well. A stylistic touch is the way the front quarter glass dips down into the beltline.

The Front of New SX4 features large, elongated wrap-around style, clear-lens headlamps, a muscular bonnet slab and a compact bumper that features matching design lines greet the onlooker at the front. New SX4 also features all new honeycomb grille finished in black matte shade. An air dam, twin fog lamps and a two-slatted grille in the middle with chrome lipping and chrome Suzuki logo round-off the front side of New Maruti SX4. It sports an unconventional design and is built to offer the look and drive feel of a crossover vehicle.

The extended wheelbase, the short overhangs, the mildly cab-forward design, the raised ground clearance, the large glass area, the oversized tail-lamp cluster and the lower wedge in the A-pillar quarter glass are reminiscent of Maruti's focus on offering practical features that will be able to better handle Indian usage pattern and road conditions. At the rear of New SX4, the tail-lamps dominate the stubby, nearly notch-back style boot lid. Reflectors integrated into the rear bumper and a third stop lamp offer additional safety. SX4's overall fit and finish quality has been benchmarked to European standards and so its design is unaltered, panel gaps and shut lines are tight and the paint job is superb.

Maruti has launched New SX4 in five variants - SX4 VXi, SX4 ZXi, SX4 ZXi Leather, SX4 ZXi Automatic & SX4 ZXi Leather Automatic. The new Maruti SX4 is available in seven shades, Azure Grey, Pearl Arctic White, Clear Beige, Silky Silver and Midnight Black. Two new shades have also been introduced - Oyster Blue & French Eclair.

Maruti has also given some cosmetic design upgrades to the exterior and interiors to make it look more muscular and smart in comparison to Fiat Linea and Honda City. The interiors of New SX4 are more or less same like the outgoing model with minor changes which includes new upholstery for seats and new gear lever in automatic variant. Also an option of USB support has been added in the dash integrated music system. Also New is Wooden finish door mounted power window console. But overall the interiors of SX4 feel a little bit cramped with less rear leg room and small rear windscreen. Front seat headrests are very big in size and the distance between the seats is also very less. Leather seats are optional in the top-end ZXi variant; it also comes with a neatly integrated in-dash music system as part of the standard package.

Automatic air-conditioning with attractive matt-silver dials and steering-wheel-mounted controls for the music system are also part of standard fitment in the ZXi variant. The pair of brushed chrome strips that straddle the central console looks good and the chromed air con controls also look and function well. It is obvious there are a lot of bits carried over from the Swift on the insides as well, stuff like the steering wheel, power window buttons, air con vents, some switchgear and the gear stick. The electric mirror adjuster knob feels particularly tacky. A nice touch, however, is the fact that there is space to store a bottle in all four door pockets and that this car can be bought with leather seats. In terms of equipment, the New Maruti SX4 is really good.

Last Gen SX4 was powered by 1586cc, 4 cylinder petrol engine with developed maximum power 102 Bhp with maximum torque of 154Nm. The New engine is a 1600cc VVT(Variable Valve Timing) powerplant producing maximum power of 104 Bhp at 5600 rpm with maximum torque of 145 Nm at 4100 rpm. Maruti has plonked a new 1.6 VVT engine in SX4 so that it complies with the strict emission norms which will be in effect from April, 2011 in 11 cities in India. The new engine is a 1600cc VVT(Variable Valve Timing) powerplant producing 104 Bhp which is 2 Bhp up from previous 102 Bhp.

Maruti Suzuki SX4 is an A3 segment sedan car and is really a perfect blend of style, performance, safety, and comfort. The combined efforts of Suzuki and Maruti that have gone into its manufacture have made the SX4 popular amongst the car connoisseurs of India. Available in numerous vibrant colors and two variants, the ZXi and VXi, Maruti SX4 has bowled over Indian buyers, who dream of owning a luxurious car.