Suzuki Slingshot 125 cc Review

The new Suzuki Slingshot 125 cc comes with air coiled single cylinder engine which is Suzuki’s Pulsed Secondary AIR injection system which reduces emission and it has sharp looking alloys and thin blades – made from light weight material. Some of its prominent features are five speed gear box, drum brakes, new Zeus engine, electric start, high ground clearance and BS III emission norms.

Appearance

The new Suzuki Slingshot has sharp Yamaha FZ S kind of mask, fuel tank has the new graphics and the wheels are multi- spoke alloy wheels supported by drum brakes .The tyres are wide and long, and the tail end is sharper as compared to the front part. The bike supports both electric and self start up.

The dashboard is implanted on the top of the headlamp cluster and the mask has been made in body color. The turn indicators are located in the headlamp cluster and it is designed big in shape. The fuel tank is bigger although the capacity is same as previous model. The fuel tank also has stickers. The step up seat has a separate space designed for the rider that separates it from the pillion. The grab rail is painted in different color and rear panel also has graphics.

Engine

The bike has 125cc, 4 stroke, air cooled, SOHC , single cylinder engine that gives a maximum power output of 8.5 Bhp @ 7500 rpm and maximum torque of 10 Nm@3500 rpm. The engine has the 5 speed gearbox and the gear shifting pattern can vary from down to 4 up. The carburetor is VM 18 and the ignition system used is CDI.

The new bike gives fuel efficiency of 60 kmpl.

Color

It is available in four shades Metallic Mustard Yellow, Metallic Fox Orange, Candy Antares Red, and Pearl Nebular Black. The colors are used on the mask, fuel tank, front fender and the side panels – otherwise the color used is mostly black.

Ride and handling

The new bike has drum brakes which provides complete riding support and stability to the biker. The new bike comes with many features resembling Zeus – the coil spring, telescopic front fork, the oil damped fork and the swing arm.

The new Suzuki Slingshot has bigger wheels and fat tyres which gives better performance and the bike has the 18 inch multi spoke alloy wheel that helps to increase fuel efficiency .The high ground clearance of 160mm makes it easy to ride off the roads and the wheelbase of 1265mm provides complete stability .The sitting position is comfortable due to the presence of step up seats.

Advantages

1. Smart Braking System

2. Better suspension

3. Headlights are improved

4. Fuel Guage – Analogue Self Start

5. Tacho Meter, Trip Meter and Speedometer are Analogue

6. It is another low cost and light weight option for everyday commuting.

7. The new bike gives fuel efficiency of 60 kmpl.

Disadvantages

It resembles Suzuki Zeus. It has not many features to attract young bikers. No improvement in looks to attract new bikers. Power and efficiency is average.

Price

The on road price of the bike is Rs. 50, 949 (drum brake version) and the on road price of drum alloy version is Rs. 52,998.

Technical Specifications

1. Displacement: 125cc

2. Engine: Four-stroke, Air-cooled, OHC

3. Maximum Power: 8.5 Bhp @ 7500 rpm

4. Maximum Torque: 10 Nm @ 3500 rpm

5. Gears: 5 Speeds

6. Cooling Type: Air

7. Height: 1125.00 mm

8. Battery Type: 9.0 KC 10HR / 12V / 2.5 Ah

9. Wheel Type: Spoke, Wheel Size: 2.75×18 – 3.00x-18 mm

10. Suspension (Front): Telescopic, Coil spring, Oil damped

11. Suspension (Rear): Swing-arm type, Coil spring, Oil damped

12. Brakes: Drum 130mm

Maruti Suzuki’s A-star is the fifth model from Suzuki and the attractively designed small car has been designed by Japanese engineers to suit the European taste. The car is expected to replace Alto in European markets but in India Alto will not be removed from the market. Its features are the elliptically designed shape, oversized headlamps and A in the name stands for Aerodynamics that is a fast car with high fuel efficiency.

Maruti A- star comes in nine colors and three new colors are – Desert Brown, Paradise Blue and Healing green. A – Star is produced by the company at Manesar and the model comes with five door hatchback. A-star will be exported in names Suzuki Alto and Suzuki Celerio.

Look of A-star

The car is designed in a way top have large wheel arches and bold outlook. The interiors of the A-Star make it look small as the rear passengers get small windows that is designed like a wing. Those who have been driving Hyundai’s i10 will not be happy about the space in the car. The rear space is small for a person above 6 feet but for the driver the car is comfortable as the instrument cluster is spacious and meters are clear to read. The tachometer comes with a dash and it is placed outside the instrument panel. The dashboard is small in height that makes it difficult for tall drivers.

Engine, Power, Torque

A-Star has a new generation three cylinder light weight aluminum K10B KB-Series 998cc engine that is Euro -5 compliant for emissions and it generates a power of 67ps @ 6200 rpm and torque of 90nm @ 3500 rpm. The engine comes with five speed auto box and flat torque of the engine makes it idea for city traffic. The engine is a three cylinder one that makes noise if the speed is increased at low fuel. In normal driving conditions the engine gives a 14kmpl

Comfort and Safety

A-star comes in 3 variant Lxi, Vxi and Zxi. Vxi has music system with two speakers and Zxi comes with air bags, ABS, security system, keyless entry and music system with four speakers. A –star has a compact dimension of -3.5m *1.6m*1.49m that makes it comfortable to drive on city’s crowded roads and turning radius of the car is 4.5 meters. The steering is easy to handle but the wheels takes some efforts to move.

A-star comes with MacPherson bar up in front and torsion beam at the rear and tyres are l55/80 R13 that offer a fine grip on roads even in high speed.

The switches are reachable and the sitting position is comfortably designed but for short height people there is not option for seat adjustment (not present in Zxi).The space for glove box, door pockets and boot space is not much.The seats are comfortably made of fabric and look is impressive but for people above six leg room and knee room is not much in rear.

For safety the car comes with the ABS with EBD is standards in Vxi and Zxi and the Zxi variety also contains two airbags and integrated CD player is also expected to come with the car. The Lxi and Vxi variant of the car are equipped with a sunroof.

Engineering and Style

A-star has been designed to look sporty and stylish and the car will also match European market requirements although the styling looks similar to Hyundai i10.A-star’s slippery drag co-efficient is 0.30 and for Hyundai i10 Cd is 0.33.The performance and fuel efficiency of the car is improved. The shock absorbers are large and road noise in low but in lower speed the noise can be heard.

Special features

• Suspension: F: MacPherson Strut R: Isolated Trailing-link
• Power windows, Power Steering, Remote central locking
• Power:67 Bhp @ 6200 rpm, Torque:90 Nm @ 3500 rpm
• Length:3500 mm, Width:1600 mm, Height:1490 mm
• Driver & Passenger Airbag
• Anti Lock Braking System (ABS) that are Front Ventilated, Rear Disk
• Kerb Weight: 860.00 kgs
• Fuel Tank: 35.00
• Electronic Brake Distribution (EBD)
• CD player with 4 Speakers
• Dash-Mounted Tachometer
• Turning Circle: 4.50 meters
• Remote Boot & Remote Fuel Filler (Boot Space 129 ltrs)
• Rear Defogger with Rear Wiper/Washer
• Fog Lamps are present
• Ground Clearance:170.00 mm
• Tyre Size:155/80 R13

Positive and negative specification of the car:

Positive specifications of the car

• Stylish small look
• Power Windows
• Keyless entry
• New attachments like CD player, Sunroof
• Fuel efficiency, high mileage
• High security system
• K-Series engine is powerful, gear shifting is easy, pickup is good, tyres are comfortably broad.
• Car is comfortable to drive even for high speeds.

Negative Specifications of the car

• A-star is not better than Hyundai’s i10 in interiors looks and the tail lamp cluster is unimpressive.
• Makes noise in low speeds, low fuel.
• Price of the car is high in small car range as the market of small cars is coming with low prices.
• For drivers and passengers above height 6, it’s small.
• Mileage is less than the claimed by the company of 19 kmpl.

Cost of A-star

A- Star comes in price range of Rs 3, 46,775 to Rs 4, 11,775. The starting prices for the three variants on roads is
LXI: Rs 390000/-
VXI: Rs 425000/-
ZXI: Rs 470000/-

Summary

The Suzuki Grand Vitara is a solid choice among compact SUVs. It’s particularly suitable for someone who wants some off-road capability or needs a vehicle to hook up behind a 36-foot motor home. It’s smooth enough to take you to dinner at the fancy restaurant down town. Yet it’s rugged enough to include a low gear and locking differential for tackling rugged trails and unimproved roads.

There are many choices among small SUVs. Most owners have no desire to ever go off-road. No problem, the front-drive Honda CR-Vs and Toyota RAV4s of the world do just fine. Some occasionally want to wander onto dirt roads, nothing serious mind you. An automatic four-wheel-drive system works fine, and there’s the Hyundai Tucson and Kia Sportage for them.

Then there are those who really dig an SUV for what it was originally intended. They want to get down and dirty and go where low gear and a locked differential is a necessity, not a luxury. Their choices are limited to Jeeps and a few others. The all-new 2006 Suzuki Grand Vitara has just expanded this latter category.

Unlike the previous Grand Vitara, this is no small toy-like off-roader. Finally befitting of its grand name, the 2006 Grand Vitara is a grownup, five-seat, V6-powered SUV with enough sophistication that it’s just as much at home on the highway as it is way off the highway.

Model Lineup

Technically, the 2006 Grand Vitara comes in just one trim level, but several variants are available, featuring two-wheel drive or four-wheel drive, automatic or manual transmissions, cloth or leather, and other features. All are well equipped.

The 2.7-liter V6 engine comes standard on all models. Also standard: automatic climate control with a micron air-filtration system, cruise control, digital clock with outside temperature and fuel consumption indicators, power door locks with a remote key, power mirrors and power windows. The standard sound system features an AM/FM/CD/MP3/WMA unit that is XM Satellite Radio-ready and features steering-wheel-mounted controls.

The base Grand Vitara 2WD ($18,999) uses rear-wheel drive and a five-speed manual transmission. (All prices are manufactured suggested retail and do not include the destination charge.) A five-speed electronically controlled automatic transmission is optional ($1,000). The base Grand Vitara 4WD model ($20,199) uses a full-time single-mode four-wheel-drive system.

A Premium Package ($900) includes alloy wheels, privacy glass and six-disc in-dash CD changer. The XSport ($21,099) includes the Premium Package along with the five-speed automatic and a SmartPass keyless entry and start system. The XSport 4WD model ($22,499) features a full-time four-mode four-wheel-drive system.

The Luxury model ($22,999) adds leather seating surfaces, woodgrain trim, electric sunroof, 17-inch alloy wheels, a HomeLink wireless control system and some other minor upgrades. The 4WD Luxury model ($24,399) features the full-time four-mode system. Textured fender flares are available as a dealer-installed accessory (about $400).

Safety features that come standard on all models include an Electronic Stability Program with traction control, anti-lock brakes with electronic brake-force distribution. That’s an impressive array of active safety features, which work together to reduce the chance of skidding and help drivers avoid accidents. Passive safety features include six airbags: advanced dual-stage front airbags, seat-mounted side-impact airbags for torso protection for driver and front passenger, and front and rear side-curtain airbags for head protection for the four passengers in the outboard seats.

Walkaround

The all-new 2006 Grand Vitara is bigger all around than the previous-generation (pre-2006) models. In fact, it has gone from being the second smallest (just ahead of the Jeep Wrangler) to among the largest of the compact SUVs, which has become a highly competitive segment.

Based off a striking concept shown a year ago, the Grand Vitara has a pleasant modern look that effectively combines the style of an off-road vehicle with that of a sedan.

It has large fender flares covering wheels that are located near the four corners for a good stance. The headlights blend nicely into the top edge of the front bumper, grille surround and front edge of the full width hood. From the side there is a gentle curve that runs back as a wedge shape along the lower edge of the windows to blend in nicely with the rear tail light cluster that then leads the eye down to the low, rear bumper.

The tailgate opens from the side and has a full-width window. The spare tire is mounted on the tailgate under a body color-matched plastic cover, which obstructs rearward visibility for the driver somewhat.

Unlike some small SUVs, the Grand Vitara is not based off a sedan platform. Instead, it has a unibody construction (as found on a sedan) with a built-in ladder frame (as found on a truck).

Interior Features

The 2006 Suzuki Grand Vitara is roomy and comfortable. Suzuki claims it has class-leading interior space and we believe it as there is a decent amount of space inside for passengers and cargo. Our first impressions of the Grand Vitara’s interior were positive as the quality of materials was better than expected.

The dashboard has character with a large center stack containing well-integrated sound system controls that are just to the right of the steering wheel. The large buttons for controlling the all-wheel-drive system and climate controls also fall easily to hand and the labeling is comprehensible. The instruments are located in three large deep pods in front of the steering wheel. All models include redundant audio controls as well as cruise control buttons on the steering wheel; learning to use them can reduce distraction while driving.

Rear-seat passengers will find plenty of legroom and a decent amount of headroom, although slightly less than in some competitors. The rear seat splits 60/40 for carrying different load combinations. The rear cargo floor is lower than in many SUVs so there is a reasonable amount of storage space even when the rear seat is in use, but the distance from the rear seat back to the tailgate is relatively shallow.

Driving Impressions

On the highway, the Grand Vitara handles as grandly as a car-based SUV. That’s to say it has a smooth ride. It may not be as smooth as a Ford Escape or Honda CR-V, but it’s comfortable enough and easy to drive. The Grand Vitara absorbs potholes well. Thanks to a low center of gravity, the handling seems better than most SUVs. The steering is fine, not like that of a sports car but not sloppy or over-assisted. We tried 2WD and 4WD models on the highway and found no discernable difference in ride or handling.

Performance from the V6 engine is good, if not scintillating. It’s responsive and easy around town. It’s enough to tow up to 3000 pounds, which is a more than reasonable for a compact SUV. The Grand Vitara itself takes kindly to being towed, which is important for RV owners; a Neutral setting on models with the AWD four-mode system disconnects the entire drivetrain; this lessens wear and tear on the drivetrain and avoids putting non-driven miles on the odometer.

Two all-wheel-drive systems are offered in the Grand Vitara. The full-time single-mode four-wheel drive, available in the base and Premium Package models, has a transfer case with a differential for full-time operation in 4H mode. The full-time four-mode four-wheel drive offered with the XSport and Luxury Packages has a transfer case with a locking differential and a low range. The operating modes are: 4H, 4H locked, 4L locked, and Neutral for flat-towing behind an RV. The transfer case ratio is 1.97:1.

We drove off highway in a Grand Vitara with the Luxury package, which includes the four-mode 4WD system, and it proved to be a stellar performer. It rode smoothly while traversing a graded dirt road, taking ruts in stride. Nothing surprising there, as a car could have tackled the dirt road.

But then we headed off the graded track to an uphill section strewn with boulders that was nothing much more than a dry streambed. No way could any vehicle without a low gear tackle this. We tried it in 4H but within yards a boulder stopped our forward movement. After gingerly backing down, we shifted the automatic transmission into neutral and turned and pushed the knob to engage Low gear. Gently easing the gas pedal we inched up the steep mountain trail, crawling from rock to rock as we tried hard to avoid hitting the undercarriage. We weren’t entirely successful, as we did misjudge one maneuver and left a small ding in the passenger side doorsill.

One driver said this exercise, directed by Suzuki, was too much. Maybe it was too much for that driver, but it certainly wasn’t too much for the Grand Vitara. We thought it proved that this SUV has true off-road capabilities with good ground clearance, approach, departure and break-over angles as well as short front and rear overhangs. Good off-road maneuvering might not be a trait required by most SUV buyers nowadays, but surely it is still desired by some.