With the reputation of the Gypsy transcending time and boundaries, one would expect the Grand Vitara to do just the same. It is, after all, 20 years younger and has better developed running gear. It does a decent job of tracking the off-road with its electronic 4WD system; unfortunately its lower ground clearance and lack of power really don’t help matters. Unlike the last-gen Vitara that had a rorty V6, this one has a four-potter that develops just 119bhp. On good roads it doesn’t ride too well with its lumpiness transmitting through the shell. There are lots of parts from the Swift and other Suzuki on the inside, and once again some of the plastics are slightly cheap. There’s decent room for five, while fuel efficiency isn’t bad either in the optional auto guise as well, but at its price, there are more sorted SUVs that can do the school and office run just as well.
This is one car in India that has seen it all. From the ups and downs of fiat India, to being labeled a drinker by the public at large, the palio was like a child born out of wedlock. But after Tata motors came on board and fiat’s worldwide operations revived, the palio has got a new lease of life. Production of the car has shifted from the erstwhile kurla plant to Ranjangaon, at the outskirts of Pune in Maharashtra. Face lifted in 2007, the Palio now has a smaller and slightly wheezy 1.1-litre FIRE engine to replace the 1242cc petrol, while the 1.6 continues to fly the performance hot hatch flag. What’s new this year is the 1.3 Multijet , fiat’s famed diesel engine that also powers the Suzuki swift. Its torque characteristics combined with its frugal nature should are giving the car a vital boost on the sales front. The rest of the car stays the same, so you get bulletproof ride quality and a robust shell as standard, but fiat have increased ground clearance that has taken away some of the handling powers. Priced sensibly, the car is still a decent buy, but what you don’t get is a new small car feel, something its competition can boast of.
