FUEL FOR THOUGHT

Enthusiasts and fuel efficiency have always been at loggerheads, but Maruti Suzuki cars just might have something for everyone

- ROHIT NALAWADE

I’LL STICK MY NECK OUT AND SAY this – Maruti Suzuki have always been an enthusiast manufacturer. They have the fun cars, great engines, the motorsport pedigree to back it up and nine times out of ten, it has been a Maruti Suzuki that was the freedom song for an enthu-cutlet. But to the layman, the manufacturer is more commonly associated in its pursuit of making fuel efficient cars.

Fuel efficiency? Enthusiasts? Have I picked up the wrong magazine? Let’s not kid ourselves. While we enthusiasts continue to maintain the best way to enjoy a car is driving it hard, the steeply rising petrol prices have certainly put the brakes on most of our heavy-footed ambitions. Which is why even us petrolheads need cars that deliver good fuel efficiency. And the fact that Maruti Suzuki’s economical cars are quite fun to drive doesn’t hurt at all.

At the heart of the matter are those brilliant K-Series engines. Ranging in capacity from 1-litre to 1.5-litre, the K-Series engines that power the Maruti Suzuki lineup are simply one of the best small-capacity nat-asp motors in business. Maruti Suzuki even recently updated their popular workhorse, the K12N engine that is available in the Swift, the Dzire and the Baleno (Smart Hybrid). Now featuring dual injectors and ISS (Idle Stop-Start) along with the dual VVT, the 1.2-litre motor delivers even better economy figures. The ISS featured on the Maruti Suzuki Dzire is part of the company's Smart Hybrid tech.