It was 1984 when Maruti Suzuki launched its versatile little MPV called the Omni. It's been all of 26 years since then and the Omni is still present in the top 10 cars sold every month. The reason for the Omni's success was pretty simple. It was compact, could easily manage to haul 8 people and still have room for luggage, featuring the same 796 cc engine from the 800, it was frugal as well. And that exactly what our 'janta' required
However every product has a shelf life and the Omni which is virtually unchanged since its inception is definitely past its life cycle. So after eons Maruti has finally come out with a replacement for the popular 'Maruti Van' and it's called the Eeco. I'm sure they could have definitely christened it better but then again, what's in a name. Looking at the Eeco, one is quickly reminded of the extremely practical but not so popular Versa. The only difference in the looks is that the Versa had a higher roof, while the Eeco has a flat one, pretty much like the 2 variants that the Omni came in. While it's definitely not the prettiest of cars you will see but it definitely does combine functionality with spacious volume which is exactly the purpose of an MPV. Step inside and you are welcomed by bare utilarian interiors. Look through the Alto steering wheel and you find the speedo console which is has a large speedometer flanked by a digital fuel gauge. Towards the left of the console is the regular list of tell tale indicators like the malfunction indicator, battery oil etc. Getting seated in the driver's seat gives you a nice perched view of the road with a pretty upright driving position. Plastic quality all around is pretty flimsy and rattles are sure to set in nice and early. The dash is pretty basic with knobbed air-con controls instead of the rotary ones but has some pretty decent storage spaces available. Open the rear sliding doors and you are treated to a slightly comfortable version of a garden bench. While it may accommodate 3 abreast very easily, it's definitely not the most comfortable place to be, especially over long distances. We received the 5 seater variant so we have yet to see how comfortable the occupants will be in the 7 seater. However, around town resting yours truly on the bench shouldn't pose much of a problem.
Key the motor to life and the Eeco settles into a nice smooth idle, however one is immediately reminded about the activities going on under the seat. The activities performed by an all new four cylinder 1200 cc engine which has been conceived and designed at Maruti Suzuki. The aim was to make it a frugal performer and at the same time make it more driver friendly as well. With a high-pressure-injection system coupled with optimized injectors has resulted in better atomization resulting in low emissions and fuel consumption. To make the unit as smooth as possible, the engine features low friction design pistons and rings, low viscous engine oil. The unit pumps out a healthy 74 PS @ 6000 rpm and churns out a maximum torque of 101 Nm @ 3000 rpm. Driving around town, the Eeco feels nice and peppy. Even with the air conditioner on, there wasn?t any sign of load showing on the engine.
However, only a proper review will show how it performs under a full load. On the transmission front the Eeco features a 5-speed manual transmission. To provide optimum shifts, the Eeco features what Maruti calls DSA or Diagonal Shift Assistance technology. What this leads to is an improved and gliding diagonal gear shift with the system allowing for an easier diagonal motion thereby allowing for a smoother gear shift without any break in continuity of the action. Out on the little stint we had on the highway, the Eeco chugged along nicely and we even managed to see an indicated 120 km/h on the speedo. Weighing in at slightly under a ton coupled with a high center of gravity, high speed driving can get on the hairy side. Even the ride quality is on the bouncy side, however, we expect both ride quality and stability to increase once the Eeco is nice and loaded. Braking at moderate speeds felt sufficient but hauling the Eeco down from high speeds tends to lock the wheels and with no electronic assists whatsoever one can get entangled in a messy situation. A proper braking test during the road test should give us some more accurate details.
Let's get down to the most important part now which is the Eeco's price. The 5 seater with A/C is priced at an unbelievable Rs. 2.95 lakh ex-showroom Pune while the 7 seater minus the A/C comes at Rs. 2.82 lakh. Now try thinking of any other 7-seater MPV which can offer this kind of value. There is none, and that's the Eeco's trump card. It's the right mix of compact, peppy and frugal and all of this offered at an amazing price. Another success story from Maruti then? You bet
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