10 Forgotten Maruti Suzuki Cars: Baleno Altura To Kizashi
Maruti Suzuki has managed to keep the crown of India's largest four-wheeler manufacturer for decades now. Today, its market share is 41 percent, which has fallen a bit since 2020’s 58 percent share. However, despite the fall, the company still sells more cars each year than any other automaker. Today, the Maruti Suzuki lineup has a number of vehicles in its lineup. However, over the years, a number of vehicles have been discontinued as well. Today, we bring to you the list of all forgotten Maruti Suzuki cars.
Maruti Suzuki 1000
First off, let's start with Maruti Suzuki’s first sedan to be offered in India. The Maruti Suzuki 1000 was launched by the company back in 1990. However, at the time, it did not become very popular. It was one of the favorite cars of former Prime Minister of India, Rajiv Gandhi. It came powered by a 970cc petrol engine, which was capable of producing 46 bhp and came equipped with a 5-speed manual gearbox.
Maruti Suzuki Omni High Roof
Next up is the Maruti Suzuki Omni High Roof. The Omni, as we all know, was a very popular minivan. It became infamous as the “kidnapping car” due to many Bollywood movies. Now, do you know that Maruti Suzuki offered a version called the High Roof, which came with additional headroom? Well, this particular version was used as an ambulance, cargo van, and school transport. It was very common in the 1990s, but it eventually disappeared from the market.
Maruti Suzuki Zen Carbon Steel
The Maruti Suzuki Zen was a very popular hatchback from the brand. Not many people know this, but there were unique three-door versions of the Zen, which were called the Zen Carbon and Steel Editions. They were mainly for export to Poland. However, 300 units of each were sold in India. Today, they are extremely rare to come by.
Maruti Suzuki Versa
Following the Omni in the minivan lineup, Maruti Suzuki launched the Versa in India. This minivan was more premium and was designed for larger families and commercial purposes. It came with twin AC, power steering, and many more features. Bollywood’s legendary actor Amitabh Bachchan and his son Abhishek Bachchan endorsed the Versa.
Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara
Maruti Suzuki entered the premium SUV market with the launch of the Grand Vitara SUV. It was brought in via the CBU (Completely Built Unit) route to the country. However, due to its price tag of Rs 20 lakh and more, it could not reach a lot of homes. It came powered by a 2.4-litre V6 engine, and no diesel alternatives were offered.
Maruti Suzuki Kizashi
To take on the premium D-segment rivals like the Toyota Corolla Altis, Skoda Laura, and the Honda Civic, Maruti Suzuki launched the Kizashi in India. However, once again, being a CBU car carrying a price tag of Rs 20 lakh, it could not lure in many buyers. It also came powered by a 2.4-litre motor. Eventually, it was also discontinued due to lackluster sales.
Maruti Suzuki Zen Classic
Inspired by the original Zen, the Zen Classic was a limited edition model with retro styling. It had round headlamps, chrome front grille, chrome bumpers, and a vintage aesthetic. However, it could not impress the Indian buyers, as they preferred the standard Zen over the Classic.
Maruti Suzuki Zen Diesel
To lure in diesel hatchback buyers, Maruti Suzuki launched the Zen Diesel in India. It came powered by a 1.5-litre diesel engine sourced from Peugeot, which was also seen in the Esteem sedan. Unfortunately, as this diesel engine was very loud, unrefined, and not very fuel-efficient, it caused the Zen Diesel to fail.
Maruti Suzuki Baleno Altura
Did you know that Maruti Suzuki also launched a station wagon version of the Baleno sedan called the Baleno Altura? Well, it came powered by a 1.6-litre petrol engine and offered a lot more boot space and practical design. However, as India is not a station wagon-loving country, it failed and was discontinued.
Maruti Suzuki A-Star
The Maruti Suzuki A-Star was launched as a global small car from the brand for the urban city buyers. It competed with the Hyundai i10. However, despite good fuel efficiency and build quality, it was overshadowed by its own siblings, the WagonR and Swift. It was then discontinued after a couple of years of its launch.