OD Garage: Maruti Suzuki SX4

Sorted out the door handle this month and while we were at it got the second service of the SX4 done at Millennium Motors in Pune. And then we were off to Mahabaleshwar to spend the Diwali weekend away from the maddening and deafening explosions that wreck our town (and I suspect yours too).
The drive to our cottage at M’swar again served to highlight the benefits of her high ground clearance, the dirt track leading up to the porch proving no problem for the SX4 with even largish stones failing to graze her underside. Her high driving perch too makes for excellent visibility, while negotiating a rutted track and also on the highway.

Of course the most fun was to be had on the Pasrani ghat leading from Via up to Panchgani. We left early to beat the rush and that allowed us to blast up the hill without worrying too much about traffic, making utmost use responsive chassis and precise steering with the short and slick throws of the gearbox adding to the grin factor. While handling might be brilliant the ride quality came in for criticism from our passengers as also the limited rear space especially with that raised central perch that rules out a third passenger.

-Sirish Chandran