2018 Maruti Ciaz Facelift (1.5L Petrol) : Official Review

[extreme_torque]

I really really like the Ciaz. Its a really well rounded product. I can live with lower power figures because peak power and torque (in a petrol that is) especially in Indian context where you dont revv as much, are purely academic. If the engine has a good low range and healthy mid range, its good for our traffic conditions.

The only big negative for me is light build. I am not averse to light weight cars but Ciaz is the size of a Corolla almost but weighs 300 kgs less! And its not that its made of exotic materials either... not even aluminium! So all that weight coming off can't be good for safety or longevity. The recent NCAP tests have showed how bad Maruti's are when it comes to crash safety. For this reason alone, I would not buy it and buy a City or a Verna instead.

[sajo]

Originally Posted by GTO

No & no. It's not 'really bad' and the NVH isn't a deal breaker at all.

However, when compared to the super smooth petrols of the City & Verna, the Ciaz falls short.

Apart from the NVH characteristics, how do you rate the petrol engines of the Ciaz and the Yaris ? Both built for sedate motoring and put out roughly the same power figures.

[SchumiFan]

Originally Posted by extreme_torque

The only big negative for me is light build. I am not averse to light weight cars but Ciaz is the size of a Corolla almost but weighs 300 kgs less! And its not that its made of exotic materials either... not even aluminium! So all that weight coming off can't be good for safety or longevity. The recent NCAP tests have showed how bad Maruti's are when it comes to crash safety. For this reason alone, I would not buy it and buy a City or a Verna instead.

One really can't buy a Honda City nor a Toyota Yaris if this is the reason you are worried. They weigh more or less in the same category.

1310 for Corolla and

1027 v 1107 for Ciaz v City.
1027 v 1120 for Ciaz v Yaris.
1027 v 1127 for Ciaz v Vento.

Not able to find Verna figures. Hyundai keep it a secret.for some reason.

[Lone Ranger]

Originally Posted by SchumiFan

One really can't buy a Honda City nor a Toyota Yaris if this is the reason you are worried. They weigh more or less in the same category.

Actually I think it could be a bit of an issue - if the weights are for similar specced cars then the differences translate to between 8 to 9 percent, which is not irrelevant. Especially considering that the Ciaz has a bigger footprint, and dosen't use exotic materials for weight saving. Of course, we really can't say for sure until there's a proper crash test. Unfortunately, until then we are all forced to resort to these 'unscientific' hypotheses!

[extreme_torque]

Originally Posted by SchumiFan

One really can't buy a Honda City nor a Toyota Yaris if this is the reason you are worried. They weigh more or less in the same category.

1310 for Corolla and

1027 v 1107 for Ciaz v City.
1027 v 1120 for Ciaz v Yaris.
1027 v 1127 for Ciaz v Vento.

Not able to find Verna figures. Hyundai keep it a secret.for some reason.

Ciaz is bigger than all of them and yet lighter by a considerable margin. 90kg of metal would amount for a lot in a crash test.

[SchumiFan]

Originally Posted by extreme_torque

Ciaz is bigger than all of them and yet lighter by a considerable margin. 90kg of metal would amount for a lot in a crash test.

Now you are going into 'hypotheticals'.

The cars here are almost similar in dimension and I am not even going to mention the weight of the Etios twins who rank so highly in crash tests.

Interestingly there's no mention of weight in platinum Etios web page in Toyota site whereas Yaris' page has it.

The car had gotten heavier in this edition, let's wait for GNCAP to do a test before declaring it unsafe.

[vsrivatsa]

Originally Posted by extreme_torque

Ciaz is bigger than all of them and yet lighter by a considerable margin. 90kg of metal would amount for a lot in a crash test.

Here is the Weight Stats from the first page of this article: URL


Kerb Weight Comparison C2 Sedans

Now the additional dimension that needs to be considered here is the Engine weight of these cars. I don't have the information for all fuel types but I did find an article which calls out that the Fiat MJD is the lightest engine of all at 125 kg. The Honda iDTEC despite being an Alumimium engine weighs in at 152 kg which in itself is a difference of 27 kg. Adding the same 27 kilos makes the Ciaz heavier than the City by 5 kilos . These are considered to be the lightest engines along with the K9K. [Reference: URL]

I assume the other engines being cast iron and 1.5 liter and higher (Verna) would weigh more. Hence the difference in weight is not all due to sheet metal quality but the engine weight would also offset the low weight of both the Ciaz and the Honda City in comparison with cars like the Verna and the Vento. So making the weight comparison is not as straight forward as it seems...and I am sure there would be other parameters as well.

Originally Posted by SchumiFan

Now you are going into 'hypotheticals'.
The car had gotten heavier in this edition, let's wait for GNCAP to do a test before declaring it unsafe.

I agree we need to wait for the official results...

[aveoman19]

Thank you so much for this very detailed and wonderful review. Great pictures and an equally awesome review. Feels like I can sit in the pictures and experience how the car is!

On a different note, this is what I could understand from this facelift. (Sorry if it sounds like a rant)

Imprortant features and improvements:

1. Nexa safety shield. Safety? Yes! 2 Airbags and ABS with EBD! Slow clap. No side and curtain airbags, lap belt for the rear centre passenger and no rear disc brakes.

2. 4 speed Automatic! Wow. 4 speed automatics are cutting edge. In the 90s! We have 7 speed DSGs in the premium hatchback segment in India.

3. Improved interiors. This is good. Looks fresher and more premium for sure. Especially love the matte wood finish.

4. A bigger heart. Again. Good job but a much needed one.

5. Facelifted front end and better alloy wheels. Looks premium and particularly liked the wheel design.

Safety is the main thing that is taking the backseat. Not sure why. The latest generation Swift's bad performance in the NCAP rating is proof of that. They need to give us a lot more than a nip and tuck here or there and a Handsome looking Bollywood brand ambassador. Stop milking us

[tharunkar]

Took Delivery of the ciaz alpha petrol MT in the premium silver colour. Have been driving the car for two days now and I must say that I am really satisfied. This is also my first petrol car. The other car I drive is the Volkswagen Ameo diesel. I am really enjoying the refinement levels of the petrol engine after experiencing the diesel clatter. The main factor in choosing this car was the new front face, all LED light setup and the pricing.

[aveoman19]

Congratulations! Looks downright gorgeous in Silver. Wish you many happy and safe miles

[ss11011988]

@tharunkar, congratulations on your new ride and wishing you many happy miles with her!


To me, the MS Ciaz was always a beautiful car. It looks contemporary, has oodles of space and despite being low on bhp kept high on sales. With the facelift and the change of heart, it can only bring more customers to the MS bandwagon, if i am not wrong. For the masses who want a spacious car with frugal engines and fuss-free ASS, this car is a winner.


PS : As always, TeamBHP reviews are in a league of their own. Peace.

[nikipedia87]

Originally Posted by tharunkar

Took Delivery of the ciaz alpha petrol MT in the premium silver colour.

Many congratulations on your new ride! Wishing you many happy miles. Looking forward to your ownership review soon .

Originally Posted by aveoman19

Congratulations! Looks downright gorgeous in Silver. Wish you many happy and safe miles

The silver shade looks stunning alright. I think what helps it look even better is that those chrome bits around the fog lamp housing get camouflaged with the surroundings; whereas on a darker shade, these stand out and look a bit awkward.

[pavi]

Originally Posted by tharunkar

Took Delivery of the ciaz alpha petrol MT in the premium silver colour. Have been driving the car for two days now and I must say that I am really satisfied. This is also my first petrol car. The other car I drive is the Volkswagen Ameo diesel.

How do you compare between Ameo and Ciaz. I expect you to cover on the following,
1. How safe do you feel in Ciaz compared to Ameo?
2. How do you feel about the build quality of Ciaz interior as well as exterior?
3. Which one will you prefer for highways?
4. How do you rate the new petrol engine?
5. How is the ride quality in new Ciaz? I felt the previous Ciaz have a very bouncy rear.

Thanks,
Pavi

[tharunkar]

Originally Posted by pavi

How do you compare between Ameo and Ciaz. I expect you to cover on the following,
1. How safe do you feel in Ciaz compared to Ameo?
2. How do you feel about the build quality of Ciaz interior as well as exterior?
3. Which one will you prefer for highways?
4. How do you rate the new petrol engine?
5. How is the ride quality in new Ciaz? I felt the previous Ciaz have a very bouncy rear.

Thanks,
Pavi

1. The ciaz does feel a little light on the highways. For a driver although good, it is not as confidence inspiring as the ameo.

2. Sheet metal is definitely lighter in the ciaz. A hard press on the body panels does flex the metal. Interiors are way better in the Ciaz. This may be due to the fact that I got the alpha variant in the ciaz and the base trend line variant in the Ameo.

3. Ameo in the highways.

4. The 1.5 petrol motor is very refined. The low end performance is very good and throttle response is impressive. Coming from diesels the refinement levels is what puts a big smile on my face. I would say this engine is adequate for a gentle driver who is not looking for a pushed back in the seat experience. The car runs out of breath on the highways with a full load of people and luggage. On the first tank of petrol I averaged 14 kmpl under mixed driving which included a hill station climb.

5. Ride quality is outstanding. Bumps and potholes are handled maturely. I don’t think the suspension setup has changed from the previous ciaz but I find the ride particularly good.

I hope I have managed to answer your queries. I am enjoying the car very much and people around me are already tired of hearing me singing praises all the time . A lot of small aspects in the car is what is making me enjoy the experience. To name a few, footwell lights, rear sun blinds, hybrid start stop, apple car play, colour MID and many more. The head light illumination is very good and I have not seen any other car come close in this price range. I will post pictures soon.

[PraNeel]

Hi all we had been contemplating for a replacement for our Wagon R . We bought it 8 years ago when the new generation was launched with the K10 engine.
The natural upgrade was Dzire and it sells like hot cakes, however didn't like the front end and supremely light build quality. Swift looked much better but didn't feel like a true upgrade.
Was eagerly waiting for Honda Amaze, but the official review pointed out many cost cutting tactics which were a deal breaker for me. That unpainted poorly finished sealant around front suspension mounts was the last straw.
City V variant was considered however due to botched up pricing for Jaipur (10.85 lacs vs 10.25 lacs in Delhi) and current price increase along with lackluster attitude from Honda dealerships it was dropped.
Verna Petrol was dropped due to poor rear seat space.
Finally went for Ciaz Petrol Alpha MT in Nexa blue colour as it was VFM and the car will be primarily driven by my Dad who is a very sedate driver. Maruti has done justice to this facelift with a bigger engine, better styling and added equipment making it an excellent package. Having the Maruti service center within 1km radius of home is an added bonus. Have booked the car and will be taking delivery on 5th November on Dhanteras.
Thanks to all the forum members and mods for such an excellent review.