Send to a friend...

Your Name

Friend's Name

Friend's Email

Posted on: Aug 18 2007

Maruti Gypsy King

For a very long time the most capable off-roader in India, and the darling of the rally circuit, the Gypsy has been sidelined by the arrival of more sophisticated SUV’s, and is now almost unseen on our roads. However, the armed forces’ demand for this hardy, capable off-roader has kept it alive, and Maruti has been quietly upgrading it, with the 1.3 Esteem engine and MPFi version.



Design, Engineering and Interiors: 
The Gypsy, introduced in 1987, is based on the Suzuki SJ series. In 1993, it gained a wider track, to aid stability, and in 1996, though the all-round leaf spring suspension stayed.The practicality-limiting three-door layout hasn’t changed, and remains one of the Gypsy’s biggest weaknesses.

The Gypsy is offered in soft-top and hard-top variants. The soft-top is well made and easy to remove, but a pain to take off. It doesn’t leak, but it does tend to collect water, which will flow off as soon as you open a door. The hard-top is considerably more practical and secure, but the thick C-pillars wreck visibility.

The Gypsy still retains its simple, but effective, four-wheel-drive system, in which you have to manually lock the differentials when you want to go off-road.The Gypsy is a simple, utilitarian off-road workhorse, and that is reflected in the basic, functional interior. It is very clear and tough, with a handy grab-rail, and a clever lockable glovebox, with the engine release hidden inside. The front seats are high-set, giving you a commanding view of the road, but they are absolutely basic and flat, offering no support for thighs, back or shoulders. At the rear, the soft-top offers two centre-facing benches, the hard-top a single conventional bench. The soft-top’s benches are all right for rural transport or the military, but have too little comfort and legroom to make sense for family use. The hard-top’s bench is considerably better, but even here, legroom and seat comfort are not great, a problem being the high floor.

Safety equipment is sorely lacking, and the Gypsy doesn’t even have proper reel-type seatbelts, forget things like airbags. The plastics used are hard wearing and easily washed, which makes sense for the Gypsy’s utilitarian needs.

Performance, Fuel Economy and Handling: 
In 1996, the Gypsy gained the Esteem’s 1298cc petrol engine to replace the 1.0-litre that had underpowered it for a generation. In 2000, it was given 16 valves and fuel injection, boosting power to 81bhp. Although the motor is essentially the same as the Esteem’s, it has been tuned more for torque and driveability than top-end whack, which is better for off-roading. It is not as free revving and willing as the Esteem’s, but it is very flexible, with plenty of grunt all through the powerband. In fact, between 20-80kph in third gear, the Gypsy is quicker than the Esteem! It does seem to run out of steam at the top end, but for an SUV, this performance is respectable. There’s also the legendary reliability of the engine, which will help if you’re gallivanting around Siachen.

However, the gearing is still quite tall, which is fine for a highway car, but the Gypsy, unfortunately, is not a high way. Fuel economy is pretty poor for a vehicle this light. With the torquey 1.3 engine, the Gypsy is more than ever the best off-roader in the country. Nothing else can match this high-set, short wheelbase off-roader in the mud. With short overhangs and plenty of ground clearance, the Gypsy can tackle absolutely any terrain, and its four-wheel-drive system, though simple, works extremely well.

On the road however, the Gypsy is a pain to drive, crude, rattly and noisy, with a bone-jarring ride. The heaving, pitching ride is the worst bit, but the handling and steering vie for top honours as well. It is very cumbersome in the city, with its 12- metre turning circle. However, the Gypsy has minimal body roll for an SUV, thanks to the rock-hard suspension, and the steering is pretty accurate as well, one reason why it was once popular in rallies. The tyres are unsuitable for road driving, and are really scary on wet tarmac.

Verdict:
The Gypsy, although very capable and almost indestructible, has never been made much sense, being a three-door petrol UV with no road manners. It had some appeal as an SUV in its heyday, but with the arrival of the Scorpio, Qualis and other, more civilised MUVs, it doesn’t make sense as a family car. It isn’t particularly cheap, but it is reliable, easy to service and super tough — buy one only if you’re planning to go off-roading in the Himalayas.
Source: autocarindia.com