Maruti Suzuki SX4: Brawn is back!

After meeting little success with the dated but well-rounded Baleno, Maruti decided to go in for a successor that is new, global and revolutionary. The SX4 was Maruti's answer to the Honda City which has dominated the segment all throughout. The car has a total macho appeal which is mostly associated with SUV's. With large swooping headlights and muscular wheel arches, the SX4 comes across as quite a brawny looking sedan thanks to its crossover roots from the European markets. Step inside and you are greeted by spacious well appointed interiors. The cabin quality is also very good and the dark black dashboard with the aluminium inserts adds a classy touch. Under the hood, the 1.6 litre M-tec engine puts out 103.4 PS and a 146 Nm of torque which leads to a 12 second 0-100 km/h dash and a top speed of 179 km/h. The SX4 is pretty stiffly sprung and coupled with the massive 16 inch 205 section tyres and the long wheelbase, the big Maruti grips hard although the fun factor is slightly dampened by the high ground clearance causing too much body roll. The SX4 pushes all the right buttons of the Indian consumer offering just the right bang for the buck. Cheers; Bold Stylish Design Amazing price to package value Quite an entertaining drive. Very good ground clearance Spacious well appointed interiors. Sneers: Slightly stiff ride quality. Engine sounds a little coarse towards the redline. Body-roll steps in on really tight corners Thick A-pillar restricts vision to quite an extent.