[Tachyonites]

INTRODUCTION:

Hello, fellow BHPians.
There was a car along with my Innova that shared the same garage (My unsung warrior). Taking it for a spin in the hills is a lot of fun and I would like to share my views about it. The SX4 was this crazy car that came home one day back in 2009 and has been stuck with us ever since. As of now this car has completed 90k but running strong. This might be a long story so I want every BHPian to get popcorns for themselves and sit back and relax.

WHY A NEW CAR?!

Already had a trusted steed back at home but there was an itch to buy a new car within me. Hyundai Accent was my drive at that time (not enjoyable yet practical and satisfactory). Zen on the other hand was doing just fine sitting at home getting jealous of the Accent. Zen's brakes were raising a few eyebrows at my place and the gearbox of the Accent started showing its true colors. Finally, the decision of buying a new car was made and Zen was sent to a new owner. It was early 2009 where Maruti had the perfect service and quality. By May 2009, our search was narrowed down to one option. A Maruti Suzuki Dzire.

A TALE OF TWO MARUTIS:

The Dzire looked bad IMO but somehow, I took a liking to it. Went to check it out in the showroom and found a silver color one. I talked to the salesperson showing me the Dzire and finalized the deal, but the major problem was the waiting time. There was no chance of us getting that car before half a year. Luckily, I called up a friend of mine who was in a senior position at Maruti and he agreed to help us. Meanwhile, at the office, a colleague came over and recommended the SX4. As long as it was a Maruti I would love to give it a shot. So, I drove and off I went to pay the Maruti showroom another visit. Immediately when I entered the showroom, I saw an SX4 standing handsomely in front of me and at that point, I knew that this would be the next car in my garage. I got a call from my friend and asked him to meet me in his office within an hour. I met him and he took me to the stockyard of the dealership where I saw two silver cars lined up in front of me and I knew it won't be an easy decision to make. To the right was the SX4 (Stunning and fast) and to my left was the Dzire (Practical and serene). It turned out that it was a difficult choice to make but a wise decision is a good decision and so I feel about mine.

BUYING IT:

The showroom experience was great. The people were very professional and helped a lot in the overall booking experience. We had booked a VXI variant in a very appealing Silver shade (probably to honor our silver Zen). At that time there was a sole VVT petrol engine available at that was just fine because I was only looking at petrol cars. That fantastic 105HP engine just attracted me like a magnet - more on that later. The car was smoothly delivered and a customary puja was done on 15th May 2009.

Discounts - Don't remember but there were some discounts.
Freebies - Mud flap set for all four wheels, seat covers, and cabin mats.
Total price - 7.19 L

WHAT I HATE:

1. Tin can quality.
2. Isn't very feature equipped.
3. Meh...I don't like the way it looks.
4. Plastic quality used is nowhere near expected.
5. No airbags!!
6. Tree trunk-like A-pillar creates a massive blind-spot which can be dangerous.

WHAT I DISLIKE:

1. Lifeless engine before 2k RPM.
2. Have felt that lower back pain after driving this car for longer durations.
3. Steering, though accurate at low speeds, is almost responsive-less at higher speeds.
4. Suspension is set up on the softer side making this car wobbly over undulated roads or at high speeds.
5. Not a chassis matched with the engine's capabilities.

WHAT I LIKE:

1. The 105HP engine.
2. The soundtrack of the motor post 3.5k RPM.
3. Sporty driving position for shorter drives.
4. Comfortable and plush seats.
5. Love the way this interior looks.
6. 500 liters of boot-space.
7. ABS in a 2009 base model!!

USAGE PATTERN:

90k kilometers in 11 years. 22Km per day as an average sound less but who can blame me when my daily drive is an Innova.
This is one of those cars that are under covers throughout the week and are only taken out on Sundays to go for in-city outings.
This was my daily drive back in 2009 when I did not have the Innova.

EXTERIOR:

Ugly-looking face dominates the front end. This car was bought just for that epic 1.5 petrol engine (definitely not for its look). The front sports these stretched-back headlamps whose throws are very weak. I for one hate chrome on the outside and sadly the SX4 gets a really big strip just above the grille mimicking a moustache. The pre-facelift had a very sophisticated grille with two horizontal slats in them. Sadly, you don't get front fog lights. The front air dam is wide and looks like a grin that isn't well suited to this car's character. The wheels are big enough and have meaty 205 section tires that offer excellent grip while changing lanes aggressively or when driving in the mountains. The 5-spoke 15-inch wheel caps do the job of covering that ugly black steel rim below. Coming towards the side and the first thing you would notice is that the window-line swoops down towards the front giving it a jacked-up design. I would surely live without these as I prefer simple window-lines. There are not many creases towards the sides but there is a prominent one near the bottom end. The designers @Maruti didn't design good looking and proportionate cars back then (The old Dzire is the biggest example). The SX4 too looks out of proportion with a height much more than regular sedans in this segment have. GC is also way more than what we see in sedans these days. On the flip side, this car never bellies-out anywhere due to its high GC. Chunky door handles feel nice to hold and are of good quality unlike the body of this car. At the back one notices these rather squarish like taillamps that would look much better on a hatchback. Luckily, you do get rear fog lamps on the right taillamp unit. The rear bumper is very prominent and can be differentiated from the body easily. The loading lip for the boot is a bit high and you would have to haul heavy suitcases in. Talking about the boot, @500 liters its really big and can accommodate luggage for long-distance runs. As of now, the exterior looks old and the front bumper has come out so many times, it doesn't even get aligned with the headlamps. Aged exteriors + horrible build quality are to blame.

INTERIOR:

I would have preferred an all-black theme for this rather sporty car but would do with some beige at the bottom part of the dashboard. The steering wheel feels nice to hold and has the perfect weight and width for both city and spirited driving. The front seats are not supportive over long-distances and should you do a long-distance run in this car, you are sure to get back pain. The seats here, both front and back, are very soft that makes this car an ideal city vehicle but out on the highway they don't offer much support. The gear shifts are buttery smooth (much better than in the Innova). I do like the front fascia a lot and that integrated music system with orange backlighting is worthy of falling in love with. Go poking around inside and you are sure to find many hard plastics and cheap button quality on the doors and elsewhere. The outer A/C vents are circular in shape and have a chrome lining along its circumference. (Ambient lighting instead of chrome on the circular A/C vents would have looked cool IMO). The doors however feel very solidly built and close with a European-like thud. Glass area is plenty and what helps matters are the beige seats which don't make one feel claustrophobic in the cabin. No auto-dimming IRVM but you do get a day and night adjuster. Rearward visibility is poor and not having parking sensors make matters worse. The back seat is very comfortable paired with the soft suspension is a boon in the city but feels floaty at high and straight-line speeds. The rear parcel tray is good for nothing and please do not store anything on it. (A steel bottle fell on my head while travelling).

SERVICING:

Decent and convenient servicing. Low usage + long service durations help matters. No part has been replaced till now but the front bumper has been fixed many times. Spares availability is plentiful, the case with Maruti's.

DRIVING EXPERIENCE:

Fire up the engine and it comes to life with no vibrations at all. This petrol motor is one super refined unit. Sound insulation is great on the inside and the outside. SX4 sounds very very good when revving at idle feels like a proper sports car. As you start driving, you would find the creak function to be a bit weak as compared to the Innova. (probably due to torque figures). I have to say that Maruti has nailed the driving experience with this one. 105 HP on the go feels very punchy. In character, this engine acts as modern-day turbo petrol. You can revv this car to the high-heavens and in return, SX4 would give you a wide grin on your face. The engine feels dead below 1800 RPM and post that, there is a sudden surge of power and the power stays with you till 5000 RPM after which it starts to taper. Drive fast on a straight road and you will immediately notice the floaty ride quality. The suspension, being soft, gives a lot of kickback should you drive over an undulating surface. 15" inch wheels are the best of both worlds in terms of both ride quality and handling. Steering misses on telescopic adjustment (shame) but at its default position would suit 90% of the drivers. The gear shifts are buttery smooth and you would always slot in the right gear. The clutch feels good but the brakes just don't inspire confidence at high speeds. Poor mileage @8.5 in the city and 11 out on the highway.

ACCIDENTS:

MANY!!! This car is like a magnet for accidents and has not gained my full trust till now. The front bumper has many cuts and is broken in many places. ABS has come into use many times, once while going to the office (Innova had gone for servicing), I was cruising comfortably at 80 Kmph with an A4 in front and a Safari at the back. The A4 guy suddenly braked so hard, I had very little time to react but managed to pull out of the lane after I heard and felt the ABS kick in. After a brief minute, I found out what was going on and to my (positive) dismay no one got hurt and no car had bumped into each other. I had exited that lane and the Safari behind me stopped millimeters behind the A4. We all continued to drive and the Safari guy smiled and drove away (I saved three cars that day including mine). Once while coming back from the temple, the central locking failed so we were stranded outside the car for 15 mins or so. Luckily the doors unlocked automatically after some time. Overall, I have has many not so good experiences with this car.

SMALLER YET SIGNIFICANT THINGS:

1. Beige interiors only!!
2. There was wood trim available with the top variants but I prefer the piano black in this VXI variant.
3. I did consider the grey color but found the silver to be a bit better.
4. Exterior badges include - "Maruti Suzuki", "SX4" and "VXI".
5. Mud flaps on the outside are the only added accessory.
6. Freebies such as seat covers and floor mats are much appreciated.
7. Fuel tank is similar to the Innova @55 Liters.
8. ORVMs don't have side turn indicators and are housed on the front fender.
9. Interior buttons lack backlighting.
10. I love those RPM needles because this rest at this very sports car-like 6 o'clock position.

CONCLUSION:

Had this car been on sale till date, I would have loved to replace this one with a new SX4. Great driving dynamics and an excellent engine are the main reasons to buy this car. Avoid if looks are important to you. I hope that you liked reading about this SX4. Thanks!!

[GTO]

Thread moved out from the Assembly Line (The "Assembly Line" Forum section) to the Reviews Section. Thanks for sharing!

[Tachyonites]

Forgot Variant Selection -

VARIANT SELECTION:

Initially we had decided on the top-end of the Dzire (ZXI I believe) whose price was equivalent to the VXI of the SX4. There were just 2 variants on offer back then VXI and ZXI. My heart was saying to go for the ZXI that had a lot of equipment but was commanding a hefty premium. Then I recalled the purpose of buying this car e.i. The engine. This car wasn't meant to be my daily drive and I did not require any gizmos. Accent, my daily drive, was the top end variant. The usage of this car can be read above and I would like to revisit the fact that this was never my daily drive. A list of daily drives if BHPians are curious to know -

2004-6 - Zen
2006-10 - Accent
2010-present - Innova

Sx4, bought in 2009 was a "garage car" to all these others mentioned in the list above.

After a lot of consideration, I decided to go with my mind and wallet
VXI it was then.