Auto India » Maruti Versa

Given the success that the Maruti Omni has had over the 20-odd years that it has been in production, one would have expected its bigger brother - the Versa - to have done well too. But that hasn't been the case despite the fact that it is a better, safer and more powerful alternative to the Omni. The problem, at the outset, was the somewhat high price when the Versa was launched. And despite several revisions to the pricing, the Versa remains a has-been. Without doubt a more sensible buy as compared to the Omni in terms of safety - that protruding front end providing some crumple zone - the Versa also has more space and greater flexibility. Vehicle dynamics and ride quality are better than the Omni but far short of most cars in the Indian marketplace. As a passenger vehicle it could best be described as utilitarian.