Maruti Suzuki Ritz ZXi

 Dab the throttle and the Ritz moves forward effortlessly, the 84bhp motor feeling very refined and responsive. It cruises well too, the sound of the motor drowned out by air rushing by and the excessive tyre noise from the JK Vectras. However, let the revs drop and the Ritz does take a while to get going again. If you are in a hurry, you will need drop down to a lower gear. However, once you’re past 2500rpm, it’s always ready for action. The motor spins freely, loves to be revved hard, and performance and punch are strong towards the top end. The Ritz feels about as quick as the Swift, which is no bad thing. It goes from still to 100kph in 14.45 secs. Where it comes out on top is the smooth and silky manner in which it thrusts you forward. Where the Swift’s ageing G-series engine feels buzzy and raucous, the Ritz motor is Honda-like in its refinement. And to top it off, this is the first Maruti to be Euro-IV compliant, which means it’s cleaner too. Overall the Ritz ZXi gives back 11.8kpl in the city and 16.7 on the highway.