Maruti Suzuki Gypsy has been officially discontinued in India. The brand has informed all the dealerships to stop accepting bookings for the car. The most affordable utility vehicle to come standard with all-wheel-drive function, Gypsy is the most reliable option to consider rough road riding in India. Even the Indian Army praises the machine for its easy to use attitude. The reason for discontinuation is the lack of ABS and airbags from the car. It may not be an easy task as both the features require mechanical upgrades, especially considering that airbags will need a new dashboard design on the car. Presently, Gypsy comes without sophisticated electronic equipment.

Even the steering assembly is manual on the Gypsy. The current generation cars are available with power steering and loads of creature comforts that Gypsy can never include under the present day model. However, the modern Jimny is based on an updated platform with all options as standard. The same could have raised the Maruti benchmark by one level. Also, the undisputed Mahindra Thar could have got a real rival through Jimny. The brand has denied reports of bringing Jimny to India, leaving a void that will force buyers to raise the budget and go for either Gurkha or the Thar.

The front windscreen on the Gypsy is foldable while canvas top can be removed anytime for getting full nature contact. Buyers can also consider a plastic hardtop option for a small price hike. The higher ground clearance of 210mm, along with reliable 1298cc engine helps the driver take on any weather and road condition with ease. The engine is good for 82hp of maximum power and 103 Nm of torque. It weighs just 985 kg and started at INR 6.25 lakh for the soft top version. Adding INR 15,000 could have earlier got your hands on the hardtop version.