We had to take a long journey from Bangalore to a place near Vellore in Tamil Nadu. We were 5 of us and we decided to drive all the way on our cheeky Zen.
The new Zen, much like any other car in the market, needed some face lifting of attire and Maruti rightfully gave it a full swing makeover. The obvious change being the new front grill that reminds us of the bygone Peugeot 309. The new fender and the clear-glass head lamps are bigger and brighter. The new double grill and the circular fog lamps are added features in the front. The rear too has its share of changes with a new rear windscreen, more visible multi-reflector tail lamps, and a very useful rear wiper. The new hatchback door with an obvious number plate has however taken away the charm of the rear. One impressive thing is the flawless painting and neat finish that adds class to this speedy coyote.
Interiors by and large remain same and sane. The Console has got white dials, and the gear handle looks a lot sportier. If you are looking for great space, you’ve reached the wrong address. This car is good for four and difficult for 5. The leg room both in the front and the rear is inadequate and getting in and out could be quite a dance. And needless to say this short beast is no friend of a tall man’s head.
All that is fine, how does it perform?? I am getting to the point.
Driving the Zen is sheer pleasure and this car is a crush at first drive. The 400 odd KMs drive was simply delightful. The All-Aluminum 993cc 16V engine generates a max of 60 BHP at 6000 RPM, capable of accelarating from 0 to 100 in 14 seconds and reaching a defined maximum speed close to a 150 KMPH. On road we found that these figures were not deceiving, she relentlessly zoomed close to 130 KMPH despite AC and full load. With the golden quadrilateral still in progress, roads good, bad and worse were still available, and the MsPherson suspension of the Zen passed this load test (well not in distinction though). The low ground clearance not only can take your car for a BANG and catch you dozing while driving, but also makes it difficult to drive in highways against the senseless high-beam drivers from the far-end.
The gear shifts are really smooth and the electronic power steering made drive in Bangalore city’s heavy traffic less painful.
Zen is known to be as thirsty as a Camel (Trust me!)… With full load and AC on, you can still manage close to 12kmpl in city limit and 16kmpl on the highways. Zen also has a 16 bit computer on board that measures certain parameters like engine oil, temperature, engine speed and controls the fuel intake. This ensures lower emission.
The Zen is now 10 years old and Maruti is striving hard to keep it going. Its dated design has given very less provisions for implementing current day’s safety norms. Features like ABS, Airbags are still absent. Yet, for its great ride quality, good fuel efficiency, Maruti’s well established service network and its resale value, this car is worth every penny it’s paid for.
