Maruti’s new sedan, the SX4 is being hailed as a ‘man ‘by Girish Kankear in Top Gear, Vol 2, Issue 10, June 2007.

Top Gear reports that the Maruti SX4 will debut in India as a three-box. India along with China and the US will be among the first countries to get the sedan. With it’s first public appearance in Jaipur, the car is an important launch for Maruti because it means getting a foothold in the pricier midsize segment.

So there’s no over ambitious pricing. Priced at Rs. 6.2 – Rs. 6.9 lakh (Ex-Delhi), it undercuts the Chevrolet Aveo, the Ford Fiesta, the Honda City and the Hyundai Verna.

From the outside, it’s a midsize saloon that’s pretending to be an SUV but instead of the usual norm of an SUV being more car-like, the SX4 takes the reverse route of making the car more like an SUV. The interior is roomy and spacious though the back is a little compact for three. The driver’s seat has three-way seat adjustment (including height) and has adjustable steering and stereo controls on the steering wheel. The surprise is a 102 bhp, 1.6 litre unit that’s part of the new-gen M series of engines launched by Suzuki.

It gets more exciting once you get on the road. There’s comparatively more torque, high ground clearance at a whopping 190mm, an impressive braking system, ventilated discs in the front with ABS and huge 16 inch wheels on the top-end Zxi model. Says Girish, Top Gear, “The engine, like current Maruti ones, is free revving and needs to be worked. The only grouse is probably that it’s not as refined as you’d come to expect. This is more so as the revs build but I can live with that.”

To sum up, Maruti and Suzuki have done the unpredictable. Tired of being India’s ‘big’ small-car maker, they now want a bigger piece of the Indian automotive pie. And they could not have found a better ladle to scoop it out than with the SX4.