The country's top selling brand is all geared-up to please its lot of loyal customers. The brand which has had its footing on Indian soil for decades has deep roots, especially in the hatchback segment. The 80's witnessed the launch of Maruti's first car named '800'. During those times when the concept of a hatchback was alien to the masses, it was widely accepted and generated a lot of interest amongst the buyers. The Maruti-Suzuki collaboration since the initial days has been one of the most successful joint-ventures till date. The Japanese were pretty-much efficient in providing its Indian partner with a reliable engine.
Maruti-Suzuki, the India's largest car maker now has plans to unveil its newest line of hatchbacks internally code-named 'YL7'. The fresh line is expected to be launched at the Auto Expo 2014 coming this February. The car has been designed by Suzuki to appease global audience who are on the search for a practical and economical hatchback. The YL7 is expected to replace the Alto (A-star) and the Splash (Ritz) in the European market. However, in the local soil it is expected to replace A-star and Zen estillo. It is anticipated that the YL7 may be powered by a three cylinder K10 petrol engine that has been known for excellent fuel efficiency.
The new generation of Maruti hatchbacks are known for taller designs. This YL7 shall be along the same lines, with ample headroom and legroom up for grabs to the buyers. Higher ground clearance is also something which has been typical of Maruti since years, allowing you to navigate over high bumps with ease. The suspensions have also been designed as per Indian conditions, it isn't exactly comfortable, but indeed is good enough for local conditions. Smarter front grill as compared to current line from Maruti, and bold headlamps gives it a distinctive look. Furthermore, the external body contours are fairly decent for an economical hatchback, the bodypaint and shades offered is also perfectly in-sync with the local conditions.
Diesel engine in a Maruti is most often sought by Fiat and for now it is said that, there are no immediate plans to include a 1.3 diesel multi-jet motor. The reason being pretty simple, the company wants to keep the costs low and it might be too tight to fit-in a diesel engine in this segment. However, Maruti may consider installing Suzuki's two-cylinder diesel motor down the line. Factors such as space, pricing and reliability have been paid maximum attention to and it is expected that the car may give Hyundai's Grand i10 a stiff competition.
