800:
The ‘bike’ of the car market – mainly because it sticks to its brief of being of being the cheapest car on sale. Two decades old, Maruti has kept the 800 pot boiling over the years with revised styling and suspension, a good MPFi engine and several price cuts. Extremely basic though – bare minimum and little else and the obvious first step for two-wheeler owners looking for entry into the car club.

Alto:
A logical step up from the 800, the Alto does everything better than its barebonus sibling. The Alto uses the 800’s proven and highly fuel – efficient 3-pot motor with a four valve head. It feels surprisingly solid and rides well for a small car. Its small size and cramped interiors are the main drawbacks.

Zen Estilo:
Mono volume styling is quite distinctive and give a feeling of generous interior space but the Zen Estilo isn’t as spacious as it seems, much like the Wagon R on which it is based. The dashboard stands out and the air-con works well. However, filmsy build quality, a poor gearshift mark it down. And those looking for the earlier Zen’s character will be disappointed.

Wagon R:
Recent face-lift gives the Wagon R new lights, making the body looks more -palatable. The high roof frees up bags of space inside and you can play mix-and-match with the seats for hours. Interiors are quite plasticky, though. There are the usual Maruti strengths – great engine and reliability, let down by a rubbery gearchange and narrow, insubstantial rear seats.

Swift:
A serious step ahead for Maruti. Exciting styling, smart interiors, good dynamics and decent performance from both engines. It is an attractive upgrade for small car owners. Clever pricing makes it fantastic value for money. Theirs is a big difference in equipment between the bottom and top versions and with a small, dark cabin and tiny boot, it’s not hugely practical.

Dzire:
Marutis long standing Esteem has finally been laid to rest. The Dzire offers the best of all worlds the low cost of ownership and reliability the Esteem was reputed for, the bucket-loads of appeal of its hatchback sibling and the status of a saloon.

SX4:
Being loaded to the teeth with goodies at a down to earth price makes for shattering value, which is just what the SX4 is. It is larger and more powerful than more powerful than the car it replaces, the Baleno. The ride is a little poor, as is the interior plastic quality, but these are subtleties you will ignore once you experience SX4 in its entirety.

Omni:
Simple formula, maximum space, smallest most efficient engine, least expensive to run and buy, the Omni is almost the perfect vehicle for Indian driving conditions, which is why it still sells in large numbers in isolation don’t always paint an accurate picture. The Omni, basically a metal box on wheels, won’t even make it to the top 100 if passenger comfort, performance and safety are considered.

Versa:
It tries and tries to be a car, but the Versa remains a van that’s infra dig for many. It is however, the most car-like of all the people movers, but lots of seats don’t necessarily mean lots of space, no matter how hard Mr. Bachchan may try to convince you otherwise. It has a good engine though and is fuel – efficient. And after the price cuts is superb value too.

Gypsy:
With the new MPFi engine and wider track, there’s nothing that can touch a Gypsy off the road, except perhaps an Arjun Battle tank. The trouble is that everything else does better on the road – the ride from the archaic leaf springs all round is horribly Bumpy and the interiors are utilitarian as well. And available with only two doors, it’s inconvenient too.

Grand Vitara:
After the last Grand Vitara XL-7 failed to sell in substantial numbers. Maruti re-thought its strategy and has now launched the new Grand Vitara. More compact in every way, the new car makes a more sensible proposition. It looks like a soft roader, but actually has good off-road capabilities thanks to its permanent 4WD system and lockable differentials. However, it is let down by cheap interior bits and poor fuel-economy.