You have to hand it to Maruti Suzuki for being masters of the small car scene. That they can repackage a non-starter like the Versa, reposition it and price it rather temptingly from Rs 2.78 to 3.09 lakh (ex-showroom, Mumbai) is one that could very well be the next big case study for premier B-schools in this country.
In short, they could very well have written yet another chapter in their successful story, considering how a whole host of B-segment hatchbacks have now come in the Eeco’s ambit. But is it really worth the hype? We drove one, lived with one and put one through its paces to find out if the Eeco is making every other manufacturer very conscious.
WHY DID MARUTI WANT TO BRING BACK THE VERSA AS THE EECO?
The Versa’s below-average performance apart, Maruti needed a differentiator in the price band of Rs 2.5-4 lakh that could work as an alternative to a family hatchback. Moreover, the company also needed a product that could work well as a cab in metros, with good luggage capacity being one of the requirements, especially after the Esteem was discontinued. The Versa fitted, but in its current, avatar wasn’t working well. So, stripping it off luxuries and making its price competitive by putting in a smaller engine to gain excise duty benefits, Maruti Suzuki embarked on this project. Months of R&D and Rs 60 crore later, the Eeco was born.
SO IT IS STILL THE VERSA, RIGHT?
Yes, it pretty much is the Versa all right, considering the platform and most of the body panels, but it is a de-contented one. Which means most of the creature comforts of the Versa have been snipped away. The first visible sign is the lack of a high roof, the bumpers are now matte black and gone is the excessive stickering, plastic wheel caps and/or alloy wheels, rear wash-wiper and rear spoiler on the higher end DX2/SDX versions. All of these add to the cost of the car and doing away with them has helped Maruti pass on the benefits to the customer. What you get though, is a new grille, new clear-lens head lamps and tail-lamps and new Eeco badging and stickering along the flanks.
|
