What if your competetiors are pounding you through all means, strengthen your portfolio! Maruti Suzuki – market leader has come up with its eighth new model Ritz in past 48 months With the addition of Ritz. Maruti now offers 7 models in small car segment. Is Maruti confusing customers with too many models? can the Ritz march ahead without dooming the sales of Swift?? Is Ritz, Maruti ‘s answer to upcoming Honda Jazz, Fiat Grande Punto and Volkswagen polo. We check out the Maruti Suzuki’s Ritz along the sea-shore of Bay of Bengal in Vizagpatnam
Maruti Suzuki Ritz: Globally Ritz (Splash) is designed to replace the Wagon-R. Ritz is targetted towards young but married male between the age of 25-35. Clearly the word to the designers is to come up with a roomy hatch that can carry a family. Ritz has a short snub nose, wheels set far apart and a non-existent rear overhang. The taller stance, big wheel arches, rising waistline and almost vertical tail exudes the functional styling of ritz. However its not without sex appeal, it is good looking with plenty of cheekiness. The angled rear lamps are designed to look like splashes of water, apparently!
Pictures of Maruti Suzuki Ritz
Maruti Suzuki Ritz: Under the bonnet, engine choices comprise 85bhp,1.2-litre petrol or 75PS 1.3L diesel units. The diesel is the most familiar one which already powers a long list of cars – swift, swift Dzire, Fiat Palio,Fiat Linea and Tata Indica Vista and much more in the days to come. However the petrol is very new to India and is part of Suzuki’s advance K-series engine. Like its sibling, the K10B engine which is used in A-star, plastic parts have been extensively used in the K12M engine to reduce the weight. The K12M engine is a light weight unit with rocker-less DOHC cam shaft, plastic intake manifold and Smart Distributor Less Ignition (SDLI) system. A 5-speed manual transmission is standard for both the engines. Maruti Suzuki sees very little market for automatic hence no autobox in India though the european splash comes with an automatic transmission. Maruti says that the gear ratios have been optimized for the Ritz to match Indian driving conditions and to offer best driveability.
Maruti Suzuki Ritz: Switch on the ignition, open the throttle, the 1.2L K12M make a happy, low-pitched hum and it’s very smooth. Splash might be the extremely quieted in this class. The engine is barely audible and i have to check often whether the ignition is switched on. Even though the motor displaces lesser than the swift, the power on tap is sufficient to pull through the motorway and even the mountains of Vizagpatnam. The gentler driving is ensured across all speeds. But it need few rev to bring the engine to life and to accelerate seriously the accelerator must be firmly depressed. The light clutch is effortless to use and the standard five-speed manual makes smooth, slick changes.
Maruti Suzuki Ritz: Coming the 1.3L diesel wonder, this Multijet time and again proves that why its an award winner. The sudden rush of acceleration once you move past 2000rpm gives you the liveliest drive. The oil-burner is impeccable mid-range punch makes you feel more energetic on the road, and you can overtake with confidence. However, Ritz petrol scores over the diesel in performance, it reaches 100kmph in 14 seconds compared to 15s for diesel. Though our test drive landscape did not allowed us to test the top speed, we managed to push the Ritz petrol to 140kmph and diesel to 130kmph.
While the K12M engine is by default complies BS IV, Maruti has modified the diesel engine configuration to meet the forthcoming BS-IV emission norms. Ritz will be the first passenger car in India to be compliant with the BS IV emission norms, in petrol as well as diesel variants. As per the CMVR (Central Motor Vehicle Rules) , Ritz petrol delivers a mileage of 17.7 kmpl and Ritz diesel an impressive 21.1 kmpl. These figures are taken under standard conditions and the real figure would be lower than this. However we expect a impressive fuel efficiency from both these motors.
Maruti Suzuki Ritz: On the road, the Ritz doesn’t quite have the Swift’s agile responses. But it surprised us with its better than expected handling chracteristics. The steering in the Ritz petrol is precise and light but few times it lacks the natural feel of the road. On the other hand, the heavier diesel engine puts up extra weight and calls for firmer front suspension. This results in natural feeling steer and tells you how much grip is left at the front wheels. But on the downside, the diesel Ritz thuds into sharp bumps that the petrol-engined cars soak up. Both the Ritz are easy to thread through town traffic, simple to park and perfectly competent and comfortable on country roads. On hard cornering, there is a discernible body roll but it remains safe and friendly around corners. Brake pedal is well weighed and brakes offer a firm and progressive feel. Except the top end Zxi petrol variant which rides on larger 185/70 R 14 tyres, all the variants of Ritz uses 165/80.
Maruti Suzuki Ritz: Ritz is available in eight colours- fire brick red, bakers choclate,blue blaze.silky silver,racing green,glistering grey,midnight black and superior white. For the first time in the segment, Ritz comes with two sets of dual-tone instrument panels – blue panel and grey panel, that match with the body colours.
Catch the review of Ritz interiors here http://www.vicky.in/blog/maruti-suzuki-ritz-review/