What was so special about the Maruti Zen against other hatchbacks of that time?

At the time when the hatchback segment was not very populated in India, the Maruti Zen was introduced in the Indian market. Soon it became popular and the household name. There were many things that made the Zen stand out – the design, performance, and the package it offered. Everyone saw it as a step up from the ubiquitous Maruti 800, with more space and power but good fuel efficiency. The handling and dynamics of the cars were often praised as these were cars favorite with driving enthusiasts. On the other hand, its reliability and low maintenance costs made it so that families were interested in it. The history of the Zen goes back to the early 90s, when it was first launched. (As we know, history repeats itself), but this question tries to detail the many reasons behind the Zen's status as an iconic car and what, precisely, caused such an impact on the Indian automotive landscape?