[Aditya]

The Maruti Ciaz has been launched in India at a price of between Rs. 6.99 - 9.80 lakhs (ex-Delhi).

What you'll like:

• Clean styling & big footprint. Among the longest & widest sedans from its class
• Spacious cabin with lots of practical features. Rear legroom is particularly impressive
• Diesel & petrol, both, have segment-topping ARAI fuel efficiency ratings
• Soft, compliant ride quality. A suspension that's tuned for comfort
• Big 510 liter boot will swallow your airport & holiday luggage
• Maruti’s excellent after-sales service, wide dealer network & fuss-free ownership experience
• Loaded with equipment (7" touchscreen ICE, navigation system, rear sunshade, leather seats, keyless entry & go, reversing camera etc.)

What you won't:

• 1.3L diesel can't match the performance of the Vento, Verna & Rapid. Has turbo-lag too
• 1.4L petrol has the lowest power rating in the segment. City i-VTEC & Vento TSI are in a different league
• Uninvolving to drive. Steering & dynamics aren't to an enthusiast's taste
• Mediocre under-thigh support of the low rear seat. Also, limited rear headroom for 6 footers
• Some might find the styling to be too bland. Rear end is uncannily similar to the Honda City
• Light build quality. Lacks the sheer solidity of its European rivals

The 2018 Facelift:

• Review Link

The 1.5L Diesel:

• Link to 1.5L DDiS 225 review

[Aditya]

Contrary to popular perception, the SX4 was actually a reasonable sales success in the initial years. It was launched against the 2nd-generation Honda City (dolphin shape). Eventually however, the SX4's sales slowly declined, and it became a dud. Why? Simply because the product got too old! In the time that Maruti sold the SX4, Honda offered three generations of the City, VAG got the Vento / Rapid & Hyundai its Fluidic Verna. The SX4 diesel also came in too late in the day. Then, by current standards, the interior quality is too cheap. Even the less expensive Dzire has better interiors than the SX4.

Most people think that Maruti can't sell million-rupee cars because of its 'budget / hatchback' image. I vehemently disagree. Maruti has the strongest brand equity in India, enjoying more trust than any other. It is among the biggest assets that a car from the stable can have. Lets also not forget that Mahindra & Hyundai didn't do anything magical to their image for the XUV500 & Elantra, both of which went on to become segment toppers. The reason that no million rupee Maruti has sold till date is down to the product. The SX4 got too old, the Kizashi was grossly overpriced and the Grand Vitara didn't have a diesel (overpriced too). There are a lot of folk who won't shop outside of a Maruti showroom. The company's latest sedan helps keep customers looking for an upgrade in the same showroom. With fierce competition from the Honda City & Hyundai Verna, the Ciaz does have its work cut out though.

India is the most important market for Suzuki and that shows with the company's aggressive product onslaught. The Ciaz makes its global debut in India and is Maruti's 8th launch in 4 years; there are more in the pipeline (facelifted Swift is up next). Team-BHP Moderator Anshuman was the first to show you scoop pictures of the Ciaz in 2013 (link).

The Ciaz feels more substantial than the SX4 and has clearly gone upmarket. It's bigger than the direct competitors, and the sheer size lends it presence. The car is built on a new platform with body panels utilizing lightweight high-tensile steel (related article). With a kerb weight of 1010 (petrol) & 1105 (diesel), the Ciaz is significantly lighter than the SX4. In fact, the Ciaz petrol is lighter than the Dzire diesel!

Where the SX4 was tall & quirky, the Ciaz is low slung & wears neutral clothes. It has none of the SX4's mini-SUV stance. The styling is clean & proportionate, but perhaps, too understated. This safe styling might work for conservative Maruti loyalists, although some customers will find it boring compared to the City's busy styling & the Verna's fluidic design. The Ciaz runs the risk of ageing quickly as well.

The face is distinctly Maruti-Suzuki...you can't mistake it for any other brand. Those large projector headlamps (standard on all variants) look stunning and have a 4-slat chromed grille in between. The front bumper houses a stretched, almost U-shaped air dam. LED daytime running lights would've brought some more bling to its face. Viewed from the side, the Ciaz looks very proportionate. Its sheer length is evident, the Ciaz also has the longest wheelbase in its class. Those elegantly styled 16" alloy wheels are inspired by the Kizashi's rims, giving the car a nice stance. With that long wheelbase & soft rear suspension, we aren't too sure about the 170 mm of ground clearance though. I will leave final verdict on this area to the Team-BHP ownership reports.

Walk up to the rear and you'll get a feeling of déjà vu ! Yep, the Ciaz' tail bears a striking resemblance to that of chief competitor, the City. The less inclined will easily mistake it for the Honda. Safe to assume this is an unfortunate coincidence as both cars were under wraps at the time of their conception, and Maruti / Honda couldn't have known what the other is doing. The boot has a pronounced lip with a ubiquitous chrome strip. The bumper uses black inserts with reflectors that look similar to the Mobilio's! Surprisingly, Maruti hasn't provided a rear fog lamp.

Exterior fit & finish are on par with segment expectations. Panel gaps are consistent too. While nowhere as solid as European cars, the Ciaz doesn't feel poorly constructed either. It's light weight, yet sufficiently high quality.

The Ciaz is available in 7 body colours – Pearl Snow White, Clear Beige, Midnight Black, Sangria Red, Silky Silver, Dignity Brown and Glistening Grey.

The Ciaz is a handsome car with a large footprint & good road presence:


Familiar Maruti-Suzuki face. You won't mistake it for any other brand. Clean, inoffensive styling:


Rear end can easily be mistaken for that of the Honda City. One of the rare cars to use 'lower case' letters for the model name:


Clean design is a welcome change from the 'Fluidic' influence, although many of you might find the Ciaz boring:


Looks great from this angle. Rear bumper houses a pair of reflectors and 4 parking sensors:


Prominent 'S' badge on the 4-slat chrome grille. The air dam is wide:


Striking projector headlamps are standard across all trim levels. DRLs aren't available, unfortunately:


No creases here. The Ciaz has a smooth, round nose:


Round fog lamps. Horn is placed low in the bumper...visible through the foglamp housing:


16" rims look elegant. 195/55 R16 tyres provide decent grip:


Electrically-foldable ORVMs with integrated blinkers:


With the smart key in your pocket, simply press that 'black request sensor' to unlock the door. This convenient feature is present on both front door handles. Driver's door gets a slot to insert the emergency key as well:


'City lights' tail-lamp is large. No rear foglamps:


India's most familiar badge:


Top variant diesel gets ZDi+ nomenclature:


170 mm of ground clearance raises concerns (due to long wheelbase & soft suspension):


Neither bumper actually protrudes out, making the body prone to dents & damage:


A parting shot:

[Aditya]

Interior - Front

With the smartkey in your pocket, simply walk up to the Ciaz and press the request sensor (on the door handle) to open the car. There's no need to remove the key from your pocket.

The Ciaz's doors open wide in a 3-stage action. Getting in & out isn't a difficult process. The first thing you notice is that, unlike most Maruti cars, the Ciaz has an extremely roomy cabin. The sheer amount of space, large glass area and light colours lend the interiors an airy feel.

Just like the exterior, the car's interior sports a neutral design (not too flashy). The black & beige combination with silver accents is universally appealing. Those faux wood touches are tasteful too (for a change). Owners will appreciate smaller details like the footwell's illumination (customizable) & theatre-like dimming cabin lights.

The SX4's budget interiors were a common source of complaint with its owners. The Ciaz changes that with a nicer cabin. The quality of most materials and fit & finish meet the expectations of a C2 sedan customer. No rough edges are found anywhere. Look closely though and you'll see some plastics feeling budget-grade, albeit they're few & far between. A handful of parts have been lifted from the Dzire parts bin (e.g. power window controls).

The dashboard layout is straightforward, yet contemporary enough. Importantly, it is user-friendly. The design is a lot more cohesive than that of the Honda City. The 3-spoke steering wheel is similar (but not identical) to the Dzire's unit. It feels nice to hold and has integrated buttons for audio & telephony. That said, the horn pad isn't very wide and you have to stretch your thumbs to honk. Also, the steering only offers tilt adjustment. Reach adjustment would have been nice to have. The wiper & light stalks are easy to reach and operate. As with most Japanese cars, the Ciaz has sorted ergonomics.

Leather upholstery is standard on the top variant. The chosen leather gels well with the rest of the interior & the stitching appears fine. The front seats, although a bit on the firmer side, offer good support. Remember, a firmer compound is preferred for long journeys. The driver's seat can be adjusted for height, but it somehow doesn't go low enough. Tilt the steering wheel all the way down and, even with the driver's seat at its lowest position, the wheel will touch your thighs. On the flip side, the height adjustment will easily accommodate short drivers. The ABC pedals are properly spaced out and there is a raised dead pedal area to rest your left foot. Good thing that the seatbelts are height-adjustable.

Frontal visibility is satisfactory. Though the A-pillars are thick, they don't pose as much of a problem as in the SX4. The ORVMs are nicely styled and electrically foldable. They could have been a little wider though. The IRVM is an electrochromic mirror.

The dials in the simple instrument cluster are new, although the layout is very similar to the Swift / Dzire. It's easy to read on the go. To the left bottom corner is a temperature gauge, while the right bottom corner houses the fuel gauge. The MID offers the usual data: real-time & average fuel economy, distance to empty counter, temperature & time. Various settings for security levels, lights etc. can be accessed via the MID.

The 7" touchscreen of the 'SmartPlay infotainment system' is a highlight. It has USB, AUX, SD card and Bluetooth connectivity. Video playback is possible via USB & SD card. Sound output is via 6 speakers - one on each door, and 2 tweeters located on the front doors (near the A-Pillar). The touchscreen doubles up as a reversing camera and navigation system. Maps have been sourced from Nokia. The system supports smartphone integration and has an SMS readout function. However, everyone at the drive agreed that it didn't appear to be compatible with all smartphones. My Sony Xperia was one of them, so I couldn't test phone-related functions. The infotainment system also accepts voice commands; those for playing music worked beautifully. Maruti says that the ICE has been optimised to understand Indian accents. As loaded as the head-unit is, I found it to be sluggish. Response times can be slow.

Below the infotainment system are the display & controls for the climate control. The system is capable and cools the interiors sufficiently well.

There's plenty of storage in the Ciaz's cabin. The glovebox is medium sized. At the bottom of the waterfall console is a cubicle with a plastic lid that can be opened via a push & click action. Here lies a 12V power outlet, USB / Aux-in ports and two cup holders. This area is illuminated with a red light which comes on with the parking lights. Neat touch! All 4 doors get storage pockets and can hold water bottles. There is a sunglass holder for the driver, and a center armrest with a storage bin underneath. What's unique is the small pocket sewn onto the front seat where one can park a smartphone or the odd item.

Dashboard gets a dual-tone theme with classy faux wood & silver inserts:


Angled shot of the cockpit:


Typical Maruti steering wheel is nice to hold. It can be adjusted for height, but not reach. Reaching the horn pad is a bit of a stretch:


Large & well-spaced audio controls. 'Mute' button is useful:


Buttons for operating the telephone function are unconventionally located lower down. Not the most user-friendly. Should've been on the right of the steering wheel, as is usually the case:


Typical Maruti instrument cluster. Simple & functional. White backlighting is very classy:


MID has readouts for outside temperature, average & real-time fuel economy, distance to empty, 2 trip meters etc.


The engine start / stop button. Located on the right (not left, as is usually the case). With the smartkey in your pocket, press the clutch and hit this button to fire up the engine. Press it without the clutch to access accessory & 'ignition on' modes:


Smartkey has a boot release button too:


7" touchscreen audio system. Not available yet, until some bugs are sorted. We found its response times to be slow:


The home screen:


Choose from many media options:


Navigation by Nokia:


Straightforward interface allows you to search for a particular location with ease:






Effective climate control. Look is typically Maruti:


Storage compartment right below has a plastic lid with a soft closing action:


Opening the cover reveals a power outlet, Aux-in & USB sockets and two cupholders. The area is illuminated with a red light which turns on with the parking lights:


Front seats provide adequate support. They're placed too high though:


Driver's seat is height-adjustable:


Front seats get a full-sized bar for fore & aft adjustment:


Front doors open in a triple-stage action. Door pads are predominantly beige. They house a speaker, tweeter, 1 liter bottle holder and (very usable) door pocket:


Same console as the Swift, Dzire etc. Driver's window gets auto up / down functionality. Door mirrors are electrically foldable:


A closer look at the door-mounted tweeter:


I would have preferred wider ORVMs:


Pedals are well spaced. Dead pedal is actually just a pad on the floor:


Footwells are illuminated with a red light. It can be dimmed or switched off by using the stalk jutting out of the instrument cluster:


Buttons for the parking sensor, foglamps and headlight beam adjuster are located on the RHS of the dashboard:


Height-adjustable seatbelts:


Driver armrest is soft & comfortable. Located too far back to be useful for all drivers though:


Lifting the armrest reveals a storage bin with a card & pen holder:


The handbrake area. No cubby holes here:


Simple glovebox is medium-sized:


Electrochromatic rear view mirror (automatic day / night mode switching):


Twin cabin lights with a sunglass holder:


Sunglass holder has a soft opening action:


Passenger-side sunvisor gets a ticket holder on the mirror's cover:


Vanity mirror only for the co-passenger:


The unique storage pocket sewn onto the front passenger's seat (pic credit to BHPian Reihem):

[Aditya]

Interior - Rear

The rear doors open wide in a 2-stage action. While getting in is pretty easy, taller folk might need to bend a bit. The long wheelbase of the car is immediately obvious. There is ample legroom for rear seat passengers! Such is the space that, even with the front seat pushed all the way behind, there is about 4 inches of legroom for a 5'10" passenger. With the seat in my own driving position, it was up to 6 inches. This is a sedan in which 2 six-footers will be able to sit front & back. The floor hump is negligible in height, translated the middle passenger won't have much trouble with placing his feet. The rear bench is also wide enough to accommodate 3 adults. Headroom was just about enough for me. 6-footers will find it to be in short supply.

What's not as impressive is the seat itself. While the backrest recline angle is comfortable, the seat is placed on the lower side, thus you sit in a somewhat knees-up position. Under-thigh support is poor (not as bad as the Verna though). In comparison, the Honda City's rear seat offers superior support. Unlike the Vento & Verna, the rear neck restraints (headrests) aren't adjustable. As is the case with the front seats, the rear seat's compound is on the firmer side.

The rear of the cabin is very user friendly. There is a comfy center armrest with 2 inbuilt cup-holders, wide door pockets with 1-liter bottle holders and a 12v power socket for your smartphone. To keep passengers cool, there's a rear air-con and a manually operable sunshade for the rear windscreen. In this non-sunfilm era, the sunshade is an immensely welcome feature. Maruti has provided 2 push-to-activate reading lamps (on either side), while the right-side grab handle sports a coat hook. Both front seats get nifty seatback pockets which rear occupants can use for storage. The parcel shelf isn't impressive though. While it is pretty wide, there's no lip or elevation to stop things from rolling onto the rear seat under hard braking.

There are 3 ways of opening the boot; pull the conventional boot release lever, hit the button on the key fob and, if the smartkey is within 15 cm of the boot, press the little release button located next to the number plate lights. The boot of the Ciaz is truly spacious. A capacity of 510 liters makes it the largest in the segment (along with the Honda City). Even though the wheel wells eat into the available space, it won’t embarrass you on airport runs. The wide mouth helps, although the boot sill is rather high, which means you have to lift heavy bags that much more. Unfortunately, the boot lid isn't clad on the inside and the ugly body work is exposed. This kind of cost cutting is becoming more & more common! After paying a million bucks, you certainly want such areas to be addressed. No, the rear seat doesn't fold down for added cargo capacity.

Rear doors open in a two-stage action. With door pockets & 1L bottle holders:


Exceptional rear legroom. Underthigh support could have been better. Fixed head restraints are soft:


With the front seat in full-back position, a 5'10" occupant has ~4 inches of legroom!


Manual sunshade for the rear windscreen is a welcome feature, especially since sunfilms have been banned:


Two air-vents for rear passengers, with a common air volume setting. Single power outlet with a small storage cubicle below:


Center armrest is soft and has two cupholders:


Push-to-activate reading lamps:


Spring-loaded grab handles. This one on the right gets a coat hook:


510 liter boot is the best in class (along with the Honda City). Nope, rear seat doesn't fold down. Wheel wells do eat into the available space. Loading sill is rather high:


Tools & safety triangle get a Styrofoam housing:


Spare wheel isn't an alloy. It's a smaller 15" steel rim shod with 185/65 R15 rubber:


No cladding underneath the boot lid - something you don't expect on a million rupee sedan:

[Aditya]

Driving the 1.3L Diesel

1.3-liter DDiS fills up the engine bay. 89 BHP and 200 Nm torque aren't enough to provide thrills:


5-speed manual gearbox of the Ciaz diesel. Gear knob has a chrome ring and is nice to hold:


DDiS badge on the front fender:


The Ciaz is powered by the familiar Fiat-sourced 1248 cc, 4-cylinder diesel engine. It gets a variable geometry turbo here (the Swift & Dzire utilize a fixed geometry turbo). Just like the Ertiga and the SX4, the oil burner produces 89 BHP @ 4000 rpm and peak torque of 200 Nm @ 1750 rpm. With these figures, the Ciaz is placed lower down in the C2 sedan pecking order. All of its direct competitors have more power under the hood, especially the likes of the VW Vento, Skoda Rapid & Hyundai Verna. Of course, the Ciaz is the lightest sedan from the segment, yet with the 1.3L, it's an average performer on the road. Must be added that the Ciaz does have a better torque / weight ratio than the Honda City and its power / weight isn't far off from the Honda either.

To bring the engine to life, you need to press the clutch and hit the engine start / stop button (unusually located to the right of the steering wheel, not left). On start-up, you’re greeted with the familiar clatter of the national engine of India. It's well controlled and certainly doesn't sound as unpleasant as the City's 1.5L i-DTEC. The diesel gets fairly audible when revved hard, but it's nicer sounding than the Honda. In terms of overall refinement though, the Verna's 1.6L CRDi remains the segment benchmark.

The clutch is light and the gearbox is smooth enough (note: the Swift's gearbox feels nicer). Starting off isn't a problem. Thanks to the shorter initial gear ratios, the Ciaz moves forward without struggling. Stomp on the accelerator pedal and progress can be best described as "not so urgent". It is adequate for most users, but those looking for excitement will be disappointed. There is definite turbo lag, although it isn't too noticeable in the lower gears. In 2nd gear at low rpm, the Ciaz will pull at a reasonable rate. You almost never have to shift down to 1st gear around town, except for the times that you come to an absolute stop. Just don't be in a hurry and have some patience. However, there will be several situations where you'll need to downshift. As an example, need to close that gap in traffic quickly? The only way to do that is via a downshift. The Ciaz's progress is slow below 1,800 rpm and driveability is nowhere as good as in the Honda City & VW Vento. In higher gears, the lag is much more pronounced. Driving in 3rd gear & up, the engine feels weak at lower rpms. Try accelerating without a downshift and it takes quite a while to cross 1800 rpm or so, which is where the torque comes in. Progress is faster then.

The turbo lights up at about 2,200 rpm. Mid-range is where all the action is with this engine. Once the rpm needle climbs past this mark, there is good response from the engine and acceleration is brisk. For a diesel, the engine is free-revving and climbs all the way up to 5,200 rpm. You can easily keep up with traffic on the expressway, though you won't be flying low on highways with the Ciaz diesel. It's not fast, neither is it too slow. Still, if you're cruising at a relaxed pace and need to overtake, be in no doubt that you will have to downshift. Further, overtaking might require some planning if you're carrying a full load of passengers & luggage. The Ciaz diesel is no scorcher, but most people will find its performance to be acceptable. This car is for those with a sedate driving style. Enthusiasts are likely to give the Ciaz a miss.

At 100 kph in 5th gear, it‘s relaxed at 2200 rpm. Cruising at this speed, you'll be hard pressed to tell that there is a diesel engine under the hood. Drive easy and the Ciaz will reward you with good fuel economy too. Maruti claims that the Ciaz is the most aerodynamic Suzuki sedan ever built. It's ARAI rating of 26.21 kpl is currently the highest of any car sold in India.

Driving the 1.4L Petrol

The 1.4L with 91 horses on tap. Has variable valve timing on the intake side only:


Petrol gets an insulation sheet under the hood...


...and on the firewall, but it's not enough:


The petrol's rev-counter. Free-revving engine, although max rpm is a conservative ~6,200:


The Ciaz petrol is powered by a 1.4L K-Series engine which is basically a larger version of the 1.2L found in cars like the Swift & Dzire. This 1,373 cc motor was first seen in the Ertiga. It makes 91 BHP (@ 6,000 rpm) and 130 Nm of peak torque (@ 4,000 rpm). Admittedly, the Ciaz has the smallest engine from the C2 segment where 1.5L & 1.6L petrols dominate. It also has the least power & torque output from the group. The fact that the Ciaz is the lightest sedan here somewhat helps its cause.

The small size won't bother you in the city. Start the Ciaz petrol & the engine settles into a refined idle. Maruti engineers have smartly tuned the 1.4L for low-end power delivery, and it shows. Engine pep when moving off from 0 kph is good. Even the ratio of the 2nd gear has been well-chosen for city driving. Sub-2000 rpm throttle responses are satisfactory and you won't be using the gearshift too much on your daily commute to work. Driveability is healthy and, at commuting speeds, the petrol is actually better than its 1.3L diesel sibling. The engine allows you to remain in 2nd gear in situations that some competitors would require a downshift to 1st. The Ciaz feels acceptably peppy and isn't under-powered at all for urban conditions. It's very practical.

The story is different on the highway. This is exactly where the engine's size & power deficit are evident. When you spend a million bucks, you expect something special....but the Ciaz doesn't give you any 'wow' moments. Power delivery is straightforward & linear in nature. On the open road, this Maruti sedan is best driven conservatively. While the low-end response impressed us in the city, the weak mid-range disappointed us on the highway. It feels rather flat in the mid-rpm range and you'll frequently downshift to keep up with fast traffic. Even if you are cruising in 5th gear, any change in driving conditions (e.g. traffic, inclines) means you have to downshift to 4th. This weakness is amplified with 4 occupants & luggage onboard. The petrol is reasonably rev-happy, albeit the max rpm is a conservative ~6,200 (the Honda City revs to 7,100 rpm). Though the Ciaz doesn't seem under-powered, you will have to work the engine harder than in the Honda City or VW Vento TSI. Don't get me wrong, the car can cruise comfortably on the expressway...just that it's no road-burner. A sedate driving style is most suitable for this engine. Where the Honda City, Vento TSI & Linea T-Jet are entertaining, the Ciaz is boring.

There's another reason for me to recommend an easy right foot. Rev the engine hard and it becomes noisy! The sound gets irritating after a while and you'll feel it's better to cruise than push the car hard. 100 kph is seen at ~2,700 rpm and 120 kph at ~3,200 rpm. These cruising rpms are a little on the higher side. Make the speedometer climb up and the engine becomes audible. Leave aside high rpms, even at 3,000 rpm, the motor is audible. It’s not a sweet sounding engine either; raspy note, but far from being music to your ears.

The gearbox is nice enough to use. Its gates are well defined and they're placed close to one another. That said, this isn't a short-throw gearshift. The throw is longer than some competitors. The clutch is light enough. It's a tad too grabby though, and the pedal comes out more than I prefer. The clutch pedal should have had a shorter throw. If convenience is a priority for you, the Ciaz is available with a 4-speed automatic (conventional torque-converter transmission). The Rs. 1.1 lakh premium for the automatic is on the higher side, especially when you consider that the segment norm is a 5-Speed AT. The best-in-class VW Vento Automatic is equipped with a 7-Speed DSG!

In summary, the 1.4 petrol does the job. It's competent in the city, but not on the highway. The Ciaz petrol isn't for enthusiasts, even though it meets the needs of its target (commuter) market.

Ride, Handling, Steering & Braking

Ride quality is a strong point of the Ciaz. Unlike the overtly stiff SX4, the Ciaz has a soft suspension and at slower speeds, ride quality is very absorbent. The compliant suspension soaks in bumps competently. Sharp jolts are hardly ever felt in the cabin. Owners will love this aspect of the car and the lesser variants with 15" wheels should ride even better (our test car had 16" rims). Expressway ride comfort is good as long as the road is flat. On undulating highways however, the car has a tendency to pitch & bounce. It doesn't ride flat at speed like the Europeans. Due to the soft damping, there is some vertical movement on uneven roads and it can feel wallowy. Solution? Drive easy on a typically Indian highway.

With that soft ride quality and ample rear bench space, it's becoming clear that the Ciaz targets the chauffeur-driven owner (not enthusiast). Its dynamics reflect that. The overall handling is safe & neutral. It behaves as a family sedan should and there aren't any nasty surprises. Grip levels are acceptable. Push hard, and the resultant body roll is enough to discourage drivers from flicking the car around in high speed corners. This is no corner carver....not a Linea or even a Vento. The stiffly sprung SX4 was definitely a better handler. Do note that the OEM Apollos make way too much noise at high speed. As mentioned earlier, we have our reservations over the 170 mm of ground clearance, due to the soft suspension & long wheelbase. Final verdict to the Team-BHP ownership reports.

The EPS steering is light enough in the city (not super light like some rivals), and the turning radius of 5.4 meters is the same as the Vento (City & Verna are slightly tighter). At speed, the steering weighs up adequately. While things aren't as bad as the Hyundai Verna, it feels numb and there is very little feedback. It's a typical EPS unit in that sense. The Swift / Dzire steerings are definitely sharper and more fun to use.

Braking is par for the course. There is very little pedal travel before the brakes bite. Brake hard and the car feels stable, maintaining its composure. The brakes are adequate and the pedal offers decent feel. I did notice that the ABS kicks in a little earlier than expected; it's probably tuned conservatively.

Disclaimer : Maruti invited Team-BHP for the Ciaz test-drive. They covered all the travel expenses for this driving event.

Thank you to BHPian Gannu_1 for sharing the following information with other enthusiasts.

The owner's manual of the Maruti Ciaz can be downloaded here.

Manuals of all Maruti Suzuki cars can be downloaded here.

[aaggoswami]

The prices are :
Petrol
V 699000
V+ 755000
Z 824000
z(O) 859000
V+ AT 865000
Z AT 934000

DIESEL
V 804000
V+ 863000
Z 945000
Z(O) 980000

EDIT Difference between Petrol and Diesel variants :
V 105000
V+ 108000
Z 121000
Z (O) 86000

IMO, diesel is overpriced. MSIL may get away with it as its main competitor, City Diesel, is far from ideal. Suzuki performs better or as good overall and is more refined along with better FE. But for a small diesel, its certainly overpriced. MSIL produces this engine in large quantities and the margin on Ciaz diesel may be very good.

[RavenAvi]

Pricing:

Prices, ex-showroom Delhi:

Petrol

1.4L VXI = 6.99 lacs,

1.4L VXI+ = 7.55 lacs,

1.4L ZXI = 8.24 lacs,

1.4L ZXI+ = 8.59 lacs,

1.4L VXI+ AT = 8.65 lacs,

1.4L ZXI AT = 9.34 lacs.


Diesel

1.3L VDI = 8.04 lacs,

1.3L VDI+ = 8.63 lacs,

1.3L ZDI = 9.45 lacs,

1.3L ZDI+ = 9.80 lacs.

Very aggressive pricing, I must say!


Other points:

- 98% localisation levels.

- Over 10,000 pre-launch bookings.


Here is how the Maruti-Suzuki Ciaz stacks up against the competition:

Petrol.


Diesel.

[arnabchak]

Well!!

This pricing is good but not great. Similar to the Verna Pricing, give or take a few ,000s.

It will find takers no doubt but was expecting the pricing as below:

1.4L VXI = 6.99 lacs--- SPOT ON

1.4L VXI+ = 7.55 lacs-- 7.45

1.4L ZXI = 8.24 lacs- 7.99

1.4L ZXI+ = 8.59 lacs- 8.30

1.4L VXI+ AT = 8.65 lacs- SPOT ON

1.4L ZXI AT = 9.34 lacs- 9.15

Diesel

1.3L VDI = 8.04 lacs- 7.99

1.3L VDI+ = 8.63 lacs- 8.50

1.3L ZDI = 9.45 lacs- 8.99

1.3L ZDI+ = 9.80 lacs- 9.50

[CrAzY dRiVeR]

Very aggressive pricing indeed. Should translate to savings of well over 1.5L in cities like Bangalore.

Also, with all variants under 10L ex-showroom - the top end Ciaz will fall under the lower tax bracket at the RTO when compared to the higher variants of the City.

Eg: Vento diesel at 9.9L ends up at 12L OTR while City with 11L ends up at 14 OTR.

[SchumiFan]

Pricing seems to be fine to me. We compare it to the City but the latest edition of City is not so premium like its predecessors. I think Ciaz will do just fine. Might not take a big chunk off City but will have its own buyers.

The problems with SX4 have been addressed, space and diesel from the start. Now to ensure that the car performs without any glitches.

[amitpunjani]

Originally Posted by arnabchak

Well!!

This pricing is good but not great. Similar to the Verna Pricing, give or take a few ,000s.

It will find takers no doubt but was expecting the pricing as below:

Pricing of the Ciaz is not very extraordinary. I'm sure by Jan 2015 or by the end of Honeymoon period, they would be offering atleast 30-40k discount, then it would be reasonable to consider. Right now its thumbs down from me.

[RavenAvi]

Superb review, with a great eye for the small details!

Indeed, I had a chance to check out the Ciaz before it's launch and it appeals to the mind over the heart. It's the longest and widest in it's class, which translates to superb front and rear legroom, and it also carries a humongous boot. It's perfectly tailored for the urban commuter for his daily in-city runs, and is also a no-fuss highway option for those weekend getaways. For it's pricing, it comes very well-loaded with contemporary features and the petrol variants, especially the top ones, are superb VFM options over the segment competitors.

MSIL has done the basics right, and have priced the car bang in the middle of the competition offerings. With over 10,000 bookings in their kitty, the Ciaz may well turn out to be a much-elusive C2-segment bestseller for them in the days to come. They have very rightly pointed out in the launch presentation that their first and foremost target are the longtime Swift DZire owners, who are looking for an upgrade. Since most of them would be Maruti loyalists, those are the best group who would look at the Ciaz as a viable, all-round option. All the best to Maruti-Suzuki and their honest (and best) attempt by them to crack this segment!

Rated thread a very well-deserved 5-stars!!

[Sahil]

Great review!

I was hoping we could get a review of the Automatic variant since no magazines have reviewed it either. Why is maruti not giving those to the press?

I am skeptical on the 4 speed auto's FE. Currently am deciding between getting the Sunny CVT or Ciaz AT as our company work horse. FE in this case is a priority.

[CrAzY dRiVeR]

Excellent review. Has been a real long wait and feels every bit worth it.

I like the pricing for what's on offer. With all variants having an ex- showroom price of under 10L, it will translate to near 2L savings on the top end Ciaz when compared to the top end City diesel- that's a LOT of money for the segment, specially the diesel.

Petrol - I'm having an average opinion thanks to that engine.

[Leoshashi]

This review couldn't have come at a better time. Attention to detail in fantastic, something which is the USP of a TBHP review.

As stated in the review, this car can get lost in the crowd easily. I still maintain- it needed that 1.6 DDiS and 1.6 VVT from SX4 to have some sort of crowd-pulling effect. Whether only the MSIL brand will provide that effect, only time can tell.

Rated thread a very well-deserved 5-stars!!

Regards,
Shashi