REPRINT FROM #11 2006
REVIEW OF GUJARAT XENON
MEDIOCRE MPV
The Xenon is so unexciting that it almost disappears into the background in the concrete jungle. But does it have to offer anything special to the more rational buyer?
The devil on my shoulder said: “I wouldn’t be caught dead in an indian MPV!”
The angel on my shoulder said: “What a practical car to such a competitive price! Why aren’t more people buying cars like this?”
Yeah. Few car types speaks so much to the rational buyers, and so little to the heart as the MPV. So, make it a budget MPV from a low status brand - even more rational, even less exciting to the automobile enthusiast. But honestly speaking, few of the car buyers belong to the enthusiast crowd, and the Gujarat Xenon is not aimed at them anyway. On the other hand, we think that even a cheap MPV needs to offer more than just a low sticker price and lots of practicality - and that’s why we put the Gujarat Xenon to the test.
DRIVING CHARACTERISTICS
The car is built on an old fashioned body on frame platform that Gujarat started to use for their SUVs in the 80s - and it does nothing to hide that. Compared to more modern competitors, it feels like it is 10 years behind. But well, people were driving cars 10 years ago too, so maybe we have just been spoiled lately?
It is rear wheel drive, but a bit unusual for a truck-like ladder platform like this, is the 4 wheel independent suspension. Still, we are not 100% convinced about its handling, it is a bit tail happy at low speeds, switching into understeering if driven hard. At least, it is not too unpredictable at higher speeds, and if you learn to handle it you will find out that it doesn’t take curves like a disaster after all - 0.84 G at the skidpad meets our expectations.
One attempt to bring the platform more up to date is the introduction of electric power steering - light, but without that really sharp road feel that you will get in the best hydraulic systems. The size of the car makes city driving kind of tricky sometimes, though.
A simple but effective traction control system keeps the wheelspin under control - but it does not offer ESC, which after all is to recommend on a family oriented vehicle nowadays.
The brakes are not completely up to modern day standards. Stopping distances of 47.5 metres from 100 are only mediocre nowadays, and despite the vented discs up front (albeit drums in the rear) there was some brake fade. But it does offer ABS, thank god. Even on a low budget alternative, everything else would be a shame nowadays.
VERDICT: **
PERFORMANCE
At least our test example, with the automatic transmission, felt a bit sluggish at times. Now, this is not what the performance oriented buyer are looking for anyway, and a 13.1 second time to 100 is far from unacceptable, as well as its 207 km/h top speed is more than enough for this type of car. 80-120 is done in 8.88 seconds and the quartermile in 19.15. Mediocre numbers, but probably good enough for what it is supposed to be.
VERDICT: **
COMFORT
Even if it is obvious that Gujarat is not trying to compete in the luxury class. it doesn’t fall too much behind its competitors comfort wise. The engine is not overly loud, it has decent sound insulation, the seating comfort is acceptable (but front and rear seats are better than the middle row). Steering and brakes are light and we found nothing overly remarkable about the suspension tuning. Long story short, the Xenon fulfills the requirements you can have on a modern day MPV.
VERDICT: ***
ROOMINESS & PRACTICALITY
As a MPV, this is of course where the Xenon does shine. The 7 seater configuration is practical, there is room enough for all the passengers, and while many MPVs forces you to choose between carrying lots of passengers or lots of cargo, in the Xenon you can actually do both. With all the seats in place it still can carry 940 litres of luggage - not bad! The explanation is of course the tall and boxy shape of the body. It will never win a beauty contest, but that is compensated by its utilitarian qualities. Conventional doors in the rear instead of sliding doors is both good and bad. They take up more space in crowded areas - but are easier to open and close for children and elders, for example.
It is a box, and as a box it will swallow almost everything.
VERDICT: *****
EQUIPMENT
For a cheap car, it actually offers some gizmos. The interior is an ocean of leather and mahogany…oh well, now we are just kidding. It is cloth and plastic, but of a reasonable quality considering its price. There is a stereo system with CD that is fully up to date even if we have heard better sounding units, there is electric power steering, traction control and even alloy wheels. A simple air conditioning system and electric mirrors are also standard, as well as front electric windows. We would say that we aren’t missing anything that we expected in this area, it has the most important stuff.
VERDICT: ***
ENGINE AND DRIVETRAIN
The 2 litre inline 4 is a fully modern all alloy unit, with DOHC, 4 valves per cylinder and VVL/VVT. It is by no means fun, even if 145 hp out of 2 naturally aspirated litres is a figure they shouldn’t be ashamed of. We also liked the flat torque curve that meant that the car never felt gutless even if it is not the fastest one around. What we didn’t like, however, is the abrupt cutoff the rev limiter does. You can feel that the engine still would have more to give at that moment. The reason is said to be that some of the early examples experienced piston failures, and that Gujarat quickly corrected that by adjusting the rev limiter, which seems like a band aid solution. NVH levels are fully acceptable, even if not brilliant.
The automatic transmission has 5 speeds, but is of a quite ancient type with no computer control at all. More modern autos are better at almost anything. Also, the gear spacing is very wide. That, compared with the overly protective rev limiter means that the drivetrain somewhat lacks harmony and that the feeling is somewhat “jerky”, at least before you have reached some speed, and especially in stop and go traffic.
VERDICT: **
QUALITY AND RELIABILITY
First, it is said that Gujarat never got rid of the piston failures completely, which is somewhat worrying. Other than that, we think that you can trust the car. It is quite simple technology, and generally Gujarats have been much better than the reputation they have. Just look at all the beat up examples anywhere in India for example, that keeps running forever.
It has about the same feeling of build quality as the average car nowadays, there is no overly weak points. Everything seems to fit together and hold up - and that is about it. We can’t complain about it for the price.
It is also very well protected against rust, believe it or not. The galvanized ladder frame will probably hold up longer than the rest of the car, but we don’t expect the body panels to rust prematurely either.
With that said, we think that the piston failures is a major drawback that should be sorted out immediately.
VERDICT: ***
ECONOMY
For a box on wheels, 8.3 litres per 100 km is fully acceptable. $22 000 AMU for a new MPV is absolutely a good price, and since it will probably be sought after on the used car market, the second hand value is better than usual when it comes to cars from budget brands like Gujarat. Service costs are also kept on a sane level - $628.8 for a modern car is a relatively good figure.
VERDICT: ****
SAFETY
Even Gujarat has to cope with some minimum standards to sell their cars in the European Union. That’s one of the reasons that the Master disappeared from Europe some years ago, despite still being produced. With that said, nothing does impress us about the Xenon. It has the equipment we have taken for granted in 10 years now, a drivers side air bag, side impact beams in the doors, headrests and 3 point seatbelts on all positions - but it more or less ends there. Also, the age of the ladder frame platform is somewhat worrying - being engineered when safety was far from the priority it is today.
On the other hand sheer size and weight gives the Xenon somewhat of an advantage. It is possible that the large and heavy body on frame MPV will plow through some of the smallest cars on the market. Another question is if that will leave the passengers of the Xenon any less shaken and stirred after the impact? Maybe, maybe not.
VERDICT: **
FINAL VERDICT: 26/45
Our opinion is that the Gujarat Xenon is worth its price. It is by no means a fantastic car or anything that will make the heart of an automobile enthusiast beat faster - it is cheap and roomy and does what it should, and that’s about it. Probably many buyers will realize that and spend some more money on their purchase to get anything better - and there is nothing wrong with that.
Because even if the Xenon is not notoriously bad at anything, it is more or less like driving a brand new 10 year old car. Except for a few qualities, like its practicality, it is rather mediocre. And we except this to be a vehicle that will more or less be deleted from our collective consciousness when they end up in the junkyards.
Thanks to @BannedByAndroid for the car!
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