Maruti has also added a headlamp levelling device, (something that will soon be mandatory on all cars), and other changes include dual-tone upholstery that matches the body colour and a new instrument cluster. The humble, old... sorry, all-new 800 is still unbeatable on one count though, ie, the price. Because, at around Rs 2.35 lakh, convenient motoring doesn’t get better than this. And while it may still be two decades old, it isn’t the only car that still sells well because there is the Omni. Now the Omni’s also been around for a while and is versatile enough to drop kids to school or deliver DHL stuff to offices. While it may look as slabsided and soulless as a washing machine, 65,000 of them did get sold last year. So Maruti has gone ahead and made changes to it as well. It gets new headlamps and some plastic upfront that is a sad excuse for a grille. Outside rear view mirrors, new dials, a centre console, a new steering wheel and a lockable glovebox are also new. Oh, and don't forget the cup holder. Hmm... maybe the Omni is finally ready for the American market.
Driving the Omni is a bit of an experience. It has the ergos of a truck and it feels a bit funny to see your front wheels turn under you. The Omni gets the 6-valve, 35 bhp version of the same 796cc engine from the 800 that gives it sprightly performance. But out on the highway, it’s a bit susceptible to crosswinds. It’s not that great around corners either, though at close to full capacity, it isn’t as edgy – but there is a perceptible amount of body roll as it carries through the curves. So much for a mid-engined rear-wheel drive layout! The brakes though, have become better and the booster-equipped master cylinder is a welcome addition, while radials come as standard fitment. Bravo, Maruti.
As with the 800, the Omni too has no competition (it’s priced at just Rs 2.5 lakh) and it is a perfectly decent mode of transport. And if you have been eyeing that Innova while astride your Kinetic Honda, the Omni does make a lot of sense. Though at the end of the day, the changes seem unwarranted, something tells me that Maruti would have sold just the same even without them.Both these cars are as reliable as your best friend, and as easy to maintain as a mobile phone while being equally convenient to use.
Attributes that have made them immensely successful. They may not be cars that shout your arrival, but when pimples have given way to wrinkles, I’m sure they will still be around. Just one request, MUL. The next time you change headlamps and slap a few stickers on, please don't call them all-new. It only makes us journos mock perfectly decent products.
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