Why The Maruti Zen Remains The Most Sought After Car In The Pre-Owned Business

The 1990s are often regarded as a revolutionary period in India's automotive history. The decade was laden with the introduction of several new entrants into the Indian car market, some of which continue to hold their position firmly to this day, while the others have disappeared into the sands of time.

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Hatchbacks are a favourite of the average Indian buyer thanks to the compact size and usability in India's crowded cities. The hatchback segment is a rather diverse one and thankfully we have had some cars that appealed to the enthusiast and driver-centric audience. When we mention driver-centric hatchbacks in today's Indian car market, one would probably name the Volkswagen Polo GT TSi or perhaps the all new Hyundai i20 N-Line. Sure, these cars are enjoyable to drive. But in order for us to relish cars like the Polo and i20 N-Line today , there surely must be a pioneer which gave a head start to car manufacturers in India to produce fun to drive hatchbacks !

Also Read: Celebrities Whose First Car Was A Maruti 800

In Europe and the rest of the world, the enthusiasm was kindled by the Volkswagen Golf GTi , in the 1970s . The Golf GTi is hence regarded as the world's first Hot Hatchback.

India however, was late to the party and it was only in the early 1990s, 1993 in particular , that we got what we can regard as ‘India's First Hot Hatch'. The car in question is, without a shadow of doubt… the Maruti Suzuki Zen.

The early 90s were a fresh period for India. Not only was it the beginning of the new decade, but also a phase where India readied for progress in the years to come, thanks to liberalisation of the Indian economy in 1991.

The Automotive Industry in India too was in for something new as a result. The Maruti 800 which was launched in 1983 came as a breath of fresh air for us Indians and was a symbol of modernity and progress , firmly establishing the start of Maruti Suzuki's automotive empire in India. The success of the 800 was followed by the launch of the Maruti Van (Omni), Gypsy and ultimately the Maruti 1000 sedan.

In mid 1992, Suzuki Motor Co. was in talks with MUL to discontinue the 800 and replace it with another hatchback that seemed modern and upmarket in comparison. Maruti Udyog however did not find it right to kill off the car that was their bread and butter. Hence, the so called ‘Modern hatchback' was launched in June 1993, as a new car and was positioned in between the Maruti 800 and 1000.

It was called the ZEN. ZEN in Japanese spirituality means a state of complete calmness . In this case however, ZEN meant Zero Engine Noise thanks to the whisper soft engine.

Also Read: Nostalgia Alert: Looking Back Fondly At The Maruti Suzuki Esteem

Back then, the average Indian car enthusiast favourite was the Maruti 800 and rightly so, owing to its loveable nature and light weight. The 800 however, at the end of the day sported a 3 cylinder 796cc engine which made just about 37 horsepower . The enthusiasts hence yearned for more…..

The Zen rose to stardom shortly after its launch. Everyone lusted after it, thanks to the spunky and stylish jellybean design. Its curvaceous rear end caught many eyeballs. It made the 800 look aeons older.

Under the hood , it had a 1.0 litre all aluminium petrol engine , codenamed the Suzuki G10B. The G10B was lighter and smoother than the cast irons motors the 800 and 1000 had and more importantly it was mated to a 5 speed gearbox, which was a novelty for a small car and is often regarded as a hot knife cutting through butter thanks to its precision and smoothness. The Zen made 50 horsepower which is today a laughable figure , but for the time it was out of the world, especially for those who had 800s to play around with.

Ground clearance of 170mm and an overall weight of just about 730kg ensured that it was an absolute gem of a car to drive , be it in a straight line or around the corners. The car was a pocket rocket !

The enthusiast's prayers were finally answered !  Those who could shell out 3.4 lakh rupees which wasn't cheap back then, probably felt on top of the world.

Also Read: Maruti Suzuki To Steer Clear Of Diesel Vehicles For Now

The Zen originally breathed through a Mikuni Japan double barrel carburettor which was very reliable and easy to tune.

The car was codenamed MH410 (Maruti Hatchback 4 cylinder 1 litre engine).

The year 1999 was a big one for the Zen, because it saw the old school carburetted technology transform into the world of fuel injection. The Zen received an MPFi Upgrade and received a new 16 valve engine head , mated to a 16 bit ECU. Performance as a result improved and it now made 60 horses !

Thanks to its dynamics and mod friendly nature, the Zen became the weapon of choice for competitive motorsport drivers while, it also made a good sober runabout for a family of four .

Photo Credit: unknown

While most played around with the buzzy G10B itself, some people took things to the next level by plonking a G13B engine from an Esteem or a G16B from a Baleno into a Zen which made the little jellybean take off like a missile from every red light.

In 2006… the Zen saga came to a sad end when MUL launched a tall boy car and called it the Zen Estilo, instantly killing the essence of the Zen. Furthermore, by then the old jellybean had seen its day as the then-new Swift had taken over as the hot hatch everyone wanted.

Also Read: Buying A Used Maruti Suzuki SX4? Is It Worth it?

Today, it's been well over a decade since the Zen was discontinued. However, the love for the car that ignited the fun to drive small car segment for us Indians remains fresh and thanks to its reliability, affordability and charm, the Zen is still very sought after in the used car segment since it is the ideal first car to learn to drive in or perhaps modify!

One can pick up a used Zen for a price cheaper than an iPhone and be guaranteed a huge smile with every tap of the throttle!

Cars like the Zen are simple and pure. A testament to the fact that we don't need too much money or technology to have fun while driving.