Enjoying my new 8 seater Maruti Invicto: Sharing over 15 observations

The car is giving a decent fuel efficiency and is eerily silent, especially for me coming from a VW Vento 1.6 TDI.

BHPian printh recently shared this with other enthusiasts:

After little deliberation, I took the plunge and got an Invicto Zeta plus 8 seater in Mystic white colour. I have clocked 1850 kms as of now and thoroughly enjoying the vehicle. I have probably bought the last of 2024 stock in Banglore and was able to get it delivered within a week after booking.

Some points noted are:

1. A feel of exclusivity - not so many Invictos out there. During a recent 1400 km round trip, I encountered only a couple of Invictos compared to an endless number of Hycrosses!
2. The vehicle is eerily silent, especially for me coming from the VW 1.6 TDI & Chevy 2.0 TDCI. However, truth be told, I do miss the diesel torque and turbo whistle, especially at cruising speeds.
3. It's giving decent FE till date. City figures range between 16-20 kmpl and highway figures between 15 -18 kmpl for carrying 4 adults, 3 kids & luggage. PS: I am a very sedate driver. Maybe it will improve after some more running and the first service is my wishful thinking.
4. Interior quality is subpar for the price you are paying. I guess that's the trade-off for the unmatched space it offers.
5. Internet search says Invicto boot space is 260 litres as compared to 300 litres for Hycross. I am not sure why the different numbers. Can anyone shed some light on it?
6. Speaking of throwing lights, the headlights are very poor. Thankfully I didn't have to to experience them during rainy nights. I am planning to do the Octa Q upgrade as soon as possible.
7. Nexa experience was pathetic to say. No one in the showroom had any idea of the vehicle, variants, or accessories and none cared to even explain it. They were firm in taking insurance from them but gave up in the end when they couldn't match the offer I got from Policy Bazaar.
8. Delivery experience was likewise pathetic with just lifting a dusty Black cover off the car & not even a flower garland arranged as requested by me.
9. The SA had no idea about the features, or technical details and was literally learning stuff from me.
10. I had fitted accessories like wheel arch cladding, side door beading, scuff plates and side step from a car accessories shop in Bangalore after going through the online reviews and again ended up with a big disappointment due to a shoddy job. The cladding is already coming off and it's not even 1500 kms after fitting them.
11. Other accessories planned include a Farad roof box with bars, Octa Q headlights, a horn upgrade, a rear bike guard and dashcam installation.
12. I had briefly considered PPF coating but didn't go for it given the high price & hassles during repainting in case of any minor accidents requiring painting.
13. The performance is more than adequate for a sedate driver like me who prefers to cruise around 90-110 kmph on expressways and 70-80 kmph on state highways. Even in hills, it was adequate to pull 6 well-built adults, and 3 kids and overtake multi-axle trucks while returning a 15+ kmpl mileage.
14. On expressways, cruising at and upto 110 kmph is effortless and calm though wind & road noise spoil the silent experience.
15. When fully loaded, the suspension is a lot more comfortable and smoothens rough patches than when driving alone. However sharp potholes and joints are felt regardless of vehicle occupancy. But hey I am not driving a GLS with air suspension is how I console myself!
16. I have been filling Shell V power for the last few tankfuls courtesy of the honeymoon phase of ownership - even though my mind knows that it makes no difference! Further fillings are going to be from any BPCL or HP outlet with regular petrol.
17. Any advice on sound dampening to reduce road and wind noise? Will the ones used during audio upgrades work well for the purpose?

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