So who's driving?

Text: Srinivas Krishnan
Photos: Aman Chaudhry


As it sometimes happens, we drew almost simultaneously out of the toll both and glanced at each other. The road in front of us was empty at that time of the day. No words were required, but Shreenand, who was in the driver's seat of the Suzuki SX4, grinned and said '140'. A slight nod of my head indicated yes. After duelling with both cars since daybreak, dragging them was the last and perfect thing that we could have done.

Aman did the 3-2-1-GO! countdown and Nandu whipped the SX4 for all its worth. I was a bit slower in the Fiesta 1.6, but man, that Ford gave all that it got. By around 100 kph, it drew closer to the SX4 and was not more than half a car length behind. I could hear the already noisy Suzuki engine sing at a fever pitch and try to pull the rest of the car further. The Fiesta returned the favour and kept that half-car length margin intact. But it was clear, the SX4 would maintain its lead, reaching the 140 kph mark well before the Fiesta did.

We slowed down, grinned at each other like schoolboys doing something naughty without getting caught, and drove on towards a late but well-deserved lunch break.

I knew even before we did that impromptu drag that the Fiesta would find it hard to match the SX4. Look at those test figures, it comprehensively beats the Fiesta 1.6 in the performance timings. You may say that the SX4's larger shoes are making a huge difference, but is that the Suzuki's fault? It's not as if wearing 16" rubber is equivalent to taking some anabolic steroids, right? So it's all settled then, the SX4 is way quicker and is the driver's car. Let's finish the story here and grab a short nap then.

Ha, life is never so simple. So let's first finish off with the car buying decision first, because buying a car is usually more than which is the driver's car (So why have we done this story in the first place then? Because we are BSM, that's why). Anyway, to answer the question on which is the car to buy between the SX4 and the Fiesta 1.6, it's a no-brainer. The SX4 is cheaper (if you don't opt for the leather option in the ZXi), comprehensively equipped, does almost everything right in almost all departments and is engineered to be more practical and user friendly. For instance, just ask some aged folks to get in and get out of both cars, and they will give their vote to the Suzuki. Seriously, Maruti Suzuki have a very good car in their hands that is accomplished in all aspects and is great value for money too. And on the other hand, over 80 per cent of Fiesta sales are for the diesel, and the 1.6 is not exactly a big seller for Ford anyway. So why are we comparing these two cars then? As I mentioned before, we are BSM, that's why. Let's continue with the drive, shall we?

We started the day very early, in an attempt to put as many kilometres as possible in both cars. The route that we drew up included two-lane stretches of national highways, narrow small-town roads, brilliant curves, and of course, the ubiquitous Mumbai-Pune Expressway... oh, and the crowded Mumbai roads too.

I am well settled in the SX4, though it took some time to arrive at my optimum position. The first time I sat in it, it felt as if it was an SUV and it took a while to get used to the tall seating, the incredible A-pillar treatment and the vast dash. Once I arrived at my optimum settings however, it's all friendly, familiar and comfortable – though the position is a bit too MPV-ish for me (when your benchmark is the previous generation Honda City's stretched-out, go-kart like position, nothing comes close, right?). 

The engine in the SX4 comes from a new family of motors that Suzuki has developed. I am a little worried. Where is the refinement? Where is the silken smooth whisper? Why does it sound as if all the valves need to work out the stress? Displacing 1586cc, this unSuzuki-like inline-four with a 16-valve DOHC treatment develops 102 bhp at 5500 revs and 14.5 kgm of torque at 4200 rpm. It is adequate for the SX4 and, as the figures show, does a good job of making it sufficiently quick as well – but not quick enough to worry the City VTEC.

The Fiesta's 1.6 four-cylinder mill also has 16 valves doing the breathing, but it does not sound as stressed as the SX4's. Displacing 1596cc, it develops a marginally less 100 bhp at 6500 revs and similar torque, but at an approachable 3400 revs. What I liked best about the Fiesta's motor is that at any given point, it is always ready to go. The SX4 engine, on the other hand, is dead at low revs, nothing much happens almost till 2500 rpm. So much so that sometimes while you are in second gear, it actually balks till you rev her up some more. The action in the SX4 really happens well above 3000 and to keep the pace, you have to take the effort to keep it in the powerband. Though on the highway both are pretty well matched, in the city, I'd take the Fiesta any day.

That's not all with the Fiesta. Both cars come with five-speed manual gearboxes and I felt the gearshifts in the Ford much more engaging and fun to slot the gears. The SX4's gearshifts are also firm and slot positively, but to me they were a bit too notchy to flick from gear to gear. The gearing in the SX4 is shorter to compensate for those bigger wheels, but it is good enough to make mincemeat of the Fiesta's speed timings.

Time now to leave the fast, straight roads and head to the twisties. It's payback time for the Fiesta. The car's chassis revels in the curves and the steering is so precise that you can place the car exactly where you want, while it provides the right amount of feedback. The seating position also helps over here, since you sit lower, you feel much more in control too. The whole package – the chassis, the suspension, the steering, the gear lever and the ever-ready engine – it all comes together for these roads. Ford has a brilliant small car engineering facility in the UK, and sure those guys do know their business and how to develop small cars. And it rides quite well too.

Compared to the Fiesta, the SX4 feels a little too light. Well, you cannot exactly dismiss the SX4's capabilities – it also takes on whatever the road throws at it and handles bad patches superbly, but it is hardly as involving as the Fiesta is. The tall seating position means you are not one with the car, while that A-pillar treatment means you are constantly peering more than necessary while taking those right-handers. The steering of the SX4 is the best EPS setup that Maruti Suzuki has given us so far, way better than anything else they have given us in the past, but that still doesn't mean it is brilliant. It is devoid of decent levels of feedback and lightens up at high speeds as well. The SX4 chassis though cannot be faulted – it's quite nimble and on sharp turns it almost seems to pivot on the gear lever's axis. Somewhat like what a rally car would do. Oh, come to think of it, the SX4 would have some rally genes in it for sure – Suzuki's engineering the hatchback version for taking part in WRC next year. Wonder how they are going to manage with that A-pillar, though... all the best, Suzuki.

So what do we have at the end of it then? The SX4 is way quicker but not as much fun to drive, but the Fiesta is a charmer. This is one of those heart versus mind things. The SX4 is the car to buy – it's practical, is a good family car, does everything well, etc, etc, etc. But when you hear the Fiesta's engine note and the muscular sound emerging from the exhaust, you tend to get selfish thoughts... Just remember not to drag it against the SX4, that's all.