The Gypsy is yet another legendary automobile from Maruti Suzuki. Since its inception the Gypsy has served its purpose for off-road enthusiasts, and has served in the Indian military forces till this day, in fact it is still the preferred choice of most SUV lovers for Indian conditions. The Gypsy is built like a tank and it can literally take on anything that comes in its path. It is India’s first all weather, all terrain vehicle. Whether you are in the hills taking on steep roads and snowy paths, or if you are in the desert or on dirt tracks, the Gypsy is the perfect vehicle.
Design & Styling
The design of the Gypsy is timeless, which means that even though it hasn’t changed over the decades it still looks like it belongs in this day and age. It’s got muscular wheel arches, a long wide hood and classic grille with classic round headlights. The ground clearance is very high at 210mm, but the car still has a low stance, which makes it look butch and strong. It truly is a good looking car as it looks the part. The soft top version is obviously better because you can remove the top and make the car look even more stylish.
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Interiors
The Gypsy is definitely not the most comfortable car to drive and the interiors are very basic. The seats are not very comfortable and the steering wheel is pretty big which makes holding on to it a little uneasy, plus there is little leg room for the front passengers. The rear has two parallel rows of seats that can fit 6 people in a tight squeeze, and even with just two rear passengers the side positioning of the seats doesn’t make for an enjoyable ride. There is lots of storage space in the rear so if you have no passengers you can put everything you own in the back. The bashboard is also very basic and there are no buttons or controls, just an old-school instrument cluster. The interiors are very agricultural.
Engine & Transmission
The Gypsy comes with a decently powered 1.3 litre 4-cylinder petrol engine that can create a healthy 80bhp and 103Nm of torque. the engine is mated to a five speed gearbox and there is also a 2-speed transfer gearbox to switch into 4-wheel drive. The engine is built tough and can handle wel under a considerable amount of stress.
Performance and Handling
On the high-way or in the city streets the gypsy is a decent performer. The only problem would be the little rattles you hear from the dashboard. Its ride quality is pretty good but tis stiff suspension makes it a little bumpy. The car has a decent acceleration and good torque to move it forward fast enough, but it’s not very ideal for highway drives. The suspension uses a leaf spring with double action damper with boaster so it performs very well off-road and can take you anywhere in any condition. The brakes work well but once again you get drum brakes in the rear, and they are not too much of a problem. The steering response however is a little slow and you need to literally hold on tight because there is no power steering. The gears are a little rough as well and the clutch is heavy so it’s not a very easy car to drive. There is lots of body roll as the car is not very stable when going through fast and sharp turns.
Fuel Efficiency
The gypsy has got a 40 litre tank but its fuel economy is not the best. In the city you will be lucky to get around 8kmpl, while on the highway you will struggle to get around 10kmpl. The engine needs to be fine tuned and more refined because after all its been around for a while now with no changes.
Features
The Gypsy comes with no features whatsoever. There is no power steering and no power windows. The car is very agricultural.
Safety
In terms of safety technology the Gypsy has none. It relies on its strong frame in case of any accidents.
Quality & Reliability
For a car such as the Gypsy quality is important, but not in terms of interior quality. The interiors use very cheap plastics and panels. The exteriors also use cheaper quality products, but the overall finishing is decent and the car is built very well and is extremely reliable in any road condition. The engine performs well but could be more refined and the dashboard does shake and rattle and there is lots of noise in the cabin. The Gypsy also can run you high in terms of maintenance because in all probabilities you would use it in extreme conditions, but finding parts is not a problem and they come at a cheap price.
Value for Money
The Gypsy is a good car no doubt, but its price tag could be a little lower. It’s more of a novelty car which is why it has a little bit of a higher price tag. However the Gypsy is still worth the money, because at that price you won’t find another SUV that can do the things the Gypsy does.
Verdict
The Gypsy is a novelty car and primarily off-roading enthusiasts and adventure junkies would buy this vehicle. It is built tough and is very reliably, however it is a little uncomfortable and not of the best quality. It all depends on what you would use the Gypsy for. If it’s just for the city you will burn a hole in your pocket in terms of petrol, but if you want adventure, you will still spend a lot of money on petrol but you will have a much better time doing so.
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