A great alternative to expensive rivals, but extremely dissappointing '4-speed AT'.

1.Buying experience Yet to buy, did a short test drive, but have described first impressions below, experience with NEXA showroom was satisfying during first visit. 2.Riding experience After driving Honda City, Verna Automatic, it is disappointing that Maruthi Suzuki is still discreetly cutting costs by offering only '4-speed' torque converter AT transmission, while all the rivals are light years ahead with CVT technology and 6-speed AT gear box. But that said, it is a descent car to drive, unless you are a car enthusiast, the flaws and cost cutting by Maruthi Suzuki will be glaring and the 4 -speed AT is sure to dissappoint you unless you are ignorant about 4- speed AT and CVT. The Engine power from the previous 1.2 to the new 1.5 is a big big boost to power and a much awaited feature, sure to bring smiles to those who were bogged down by the erstwhile underpowered 1.2 Engine. If only MS had gone for a CVT or 6 speed gear Box, this would have by far beaten Honda City and Verna in all areas, and would have become the King of Sedans. I am still puzzled why MS went for the 4-speed, probably they are aware that customers who are ignorant about CVT technology, will in any way be convinced with the Brand Maruthi, especially with other segment first features like Hybrid. When they can offer CVT in their hatchback ' Baleno' there was simply no reason why they decided to cut costs in CIAZ with a for 4 -speed AT'. Undoubtedly a blatant cost cutting measure to ensure costs are much below rivals, this is a very silly and a stupid decision by MS management, and Engineers, and I hope MS realises that they can't go on fooling customers all the time. I won't be surprised if the next upgrade will have a CVT, which will just kill the rivals once and for all. This lack of CVT could be the game changer and one reason I will surely go for Honda CITY. Hope MS takes note of this. 3.Details about looks, performance etc CVT AT would have most certainly given this car easily a 10-15 % increase in mileage, but sadly you will have to be satisfied with the pathetic 4-speed AT, which struggles when you need power to overtake, it is surely bound to disappoint you. looks are pretty descent, with large wheels, and car is quite comfortable, but driver side seat adjustments could have been much better with more flexibility. I was pleasantly surprised with the mild hybrid tech, it was indeed a great advancement in technology. Compared to rivals, it is fun and exciting to see the new graphic display of Torque, Power, centre of Gravity, and other driver information, cleverly incorporated in the Dashboard info. The 2 din - Bosch music system is descent, with reverse parking assist, didn't try GPS navigation, but iPhone sync works well. Cant comment on the suspension, as I couldn't drive on bad roads. 4.Servicing and maintenance No need to mention anything about MS's legendary servicing/maintenance reliability, it goes without saying, that in India, if you are looking for a no nonsense car, with good after sales support, cheap spares, and good resale value, then Maruthi Suzuki is the one to go for, and if you are also a person who likes to frequently change your cars, then just go for MS. 5.Pros and Cons PROS : Low ASS, cheap spares, accessibility to service centres in remote locations., Hybrid technology, good resale. Good mileage. Cons : Maruthi cars are not for the car enthusiasts. Lack of CVT or 6-speed AT is a major flaw and very disappointing and difficult to digest, but the manual gear box is a good alternative, but not fun. Yet again, MS has proved that their cars are not for the Car enthusiasts. MS has a lot to learn to shift their business philosophy from merely mileage driven to performance driven.