[adneeraj]

Congrats Audioholic on your purchase. It's great to see you stuck to the ZXI (O) variant.
The color is absolutely striking and not to everyone's liking.
Leather steering looks tastefully done. I completely agree on your comment on the seats that they need to put on weight and the glaring omission of the fabric from the rear doors. Its blatant cost cutting, you ought to get a decent car if you are paying for the top end option pack.
Are you going to get the paint protection film done from 3M? Do post details.

[Swarit19]

First of all, congrats on the car! Gorgeous color choice and it really stands out. I can imagine it getting a lot of second looks although not to everyone's liking I can imagine

The leather wrap is what amazed me. What a beautiful job! But I imagine they could only do it because they are aware of the maruti steering wheel dimensions after working on them for so long? Wonder if they will still be able to pull it off on a car they haven't worked on much?

[audioholic]

Originally Posted by adneeraj

Congrats Audioholic on your purchase. It's great to see you stuck to the ZXI (O) variant.
Are you going to get the paint protection film done from 3M? Do post details.

Thanks. Yes the colour is not everyones choice but I badly wanted a change from the usual colours offered and hence landed with this one. There are more plans I had for the exteriors and this colour was the most suitable choice.

Their way of cost cutting is somewhat extreme. The dash and front console are not at all compromised in any way. They cut costs where the eye can't observe in detail.

Originally Posted by Swarit19

First of all, congrats on the car! Gorgeous color choice and it really stands out. I can imagine it getting a lot of second looks although not to everyone's liking I can imagine

The leather wrap is what amazed me. What a beautiful job! But I imagine they could only do it because they are aware of the maruti steering wheel dimensions after working on them for so long? Wonder if they will still be able to pull it off on a car they haven't worked on much?

Thank you. The leather wrap can be done to similar perfection on any steering as long as it can be taken apart. In case the steeering doesn't come out, they usually take a template of the steering and get the cutting and stitching done. These guys are pretty much experts in the field since they do everything from cars to sofas to jackets and so on. Hence it shouldn't be a problem for any steering wheel. They have done a lot of cars of all segments including imports.

[rselva]

Interesting choice of car and color for a BHPian. I am not sure Celerio has a good shell. Case in point is car dented when it crashed into a cycle rickshaw
at low speed (Image courtesy Akash@TAI), so I am not sure if airbags will be useful.
The color..well.. really stands out

[audioholic]

Originally Posted by rselva

Interesting choice of car and color for a BHPian. I am not sure Celerio has a good shell. Case in point is car dented when it crashed into a cycle rickshaw
at low speed (Image courtesy Akash@TAI), so I am not sure if airbags will be useful.
The color..well.. really stands out

Hi Rselva, well the strength of the structure has been debated enough here. Regarding the example you have given, I presume that the cycle rickshaw didn't suffer much damage. I work for active safety functions for a German major and if it were so that my car took some damage to save some other person or a cycle, I wouldn't be complaining. If this area hadnt absorbed the force and was rigid, the cycle rickshaw would have been sent flying across the road and perhaps killing it's occupants. Euro NCAP has regulations to avoid injury to cyclists as well forget cycle rickshaw. Hence even if you crash into a cycle, your car should suffer more damage and prevent injuries to the cyclist.

Regarding usefulness of the airbag, the airbag is never meant for such a collision. Hence its irrelevant to this example. I wouldnt want the airbags in such an event. If the person in the rickshaw was not hurt severely, thats all is the target that this design must achieve. If you have further questions about structures, lets take them on the relevant thread.

[Viju]

Lovely review of a nice, little car audioholic!

Usually, Maruti uses open end lug nuts on models with wheel caps. Alloy wheel equipped variants have better looking closed lug nuts (which are a bit costlier). I think your car will look better if you get a full set of closed lug nuts as well to complement the lovely alloys.

Sample pictures found online:

Open lug nuts



Closed lug nuts

[audioholic]

Originally Posted by Viju

Lovely review of a nice, little car audioholic!

Usually, Maruti uses open end lug nuts on models with wheel caps. Alloy wheel equipped variants have better looking closed lug nuts (which are a bit costlier). I think your car will look better if you get a full set of closed lug nuts as well to complement the lovely alloys.

Sample pictures found online:

Open lug nuts

Attachment 1546089

Closed lug nuts

Attachment 1546090

Thanks. You too have a superb eye for detail. Well I did ask them to swap them lug nuts. But they didn't have stock so advised me to get it done during first inspection. Definitely needed.

[rselva]

Originally Posted by audioholic

Hi Rselva, well the strength of the structure has been debated enough here. Regarding the example you have given, I presume that the cycle rickshaw didn't suffer much damage. I work for active safety functions for a German major and if it were so that my car took some damage to save some other person or a cycle, I wouldn't be complaining. If this area hadnt absorbed the force and was rigid, the cycle rickshaw would have been sent flying across the road and perhaps killing it's occupants. Euro NCAP has regulations to avoid injury to cyclists as well forget cycle rickshaw. Hence even if you crash into a cycle, your car should suffer more damage and prevent injuries to the cyclist.

Regarding usefulness of the airbag, the airbag is never meant for such a collision. Hence its irrelevant to this example. I wouldnt want the airbags in such an event. If the person in the rickshaw was not hurt severely, thats all is the target that this design must achieve. If you have further questions about structures, lets take them on the relevant thread.

No offense, but your statement is baloney and is an excuse for all zero NCAP rated cars, including Celerio. Since this discussion is OT, I will refrain from commenting further.

[New.Novice]

Great review. I wanted to write one of my own on my April 2016 bought red colored ZXi AMT(O), but couldn't get to it yet.

Surprisingly some of your observations are exactly tangential to the ones that I have, how I wish I could drive yours one day and see if it is actually nothing but a mental block that I have

Instead of waiting to write a review, let me note a few here. Let us see your and other Celerio owners response.

1. I somehow never get very confident driving my wife's Celerio (yes it was bought for her), I think the steering is very light and requires constant attention.
2. I find the car a little too jumpy for my liking. While I understand you find the car to be well grounded, I find it well...absolutely otherwise.

The above 2 could very well be because of the fact that I have been driving my Ford Fiesta since 2010 and I think we all can agree that very few cars match up to old Fiesta when it comes to handling.

3. I hear you when you talk about door padding. I actually find it very annoying to deal with that constant "jerk/screeching/static" sound that emanates out of door with every beat on the audio.

4 (and most important). What is troubling the most is that I am getting a ~11 KMPL from this car. My 12 year old Maruti 800 was giving a better average. FE was one of the criteria when we were short listing cars for my wife and I never imagined I will get anything less than 14-15 from a Celerio in city driving conditions. The odo reads ~3500 and the second service is yet to take place. Should I wait for the second service or is this a case of getting the car checked once for fe?

EDIT: I must add that we drive it on "D" (automatic) mode for 100% of the time, if that is a factor in FE discussion.

[NPV]

@Audioholic - Excellent review, eye for detail very evident, Thanks for sharing
Nice choice, a good upgrade from the WagonR and good that you got the Z variant with the (O) package!

I had a very similar opinion about the > a dozen variants in the Maruti pricelist, confuses the heck out of a buyer

And the car in Sunshine Ray color looks Stunning. We'd test driven a Celerio of the same color before we bought the WagonR.

[Lobogris]

Originally Posted by rselva

No offense, but your statement is baloney and is an excuse for all zero NCAP rated cars, including Celerio. Since this discussion is OT, I will refrain from commenting further.

Celerio did not receive zero NCAP ratings. Please post a link if you have any information on such a test.

[audioholic]

Originally Posted by Lobogris

Celerio did not receive zero NCAP ratings. Please post a link if you have any information on such a test.

The non airbag versions scored a zero star NCAP rating. The ones with two airbags scored three stars. I think there are relevant threads discussing the same.

[audioholic]

Originally Posted by New.Novice

1. I somehow never get very confident driving my wife's Celerio (yes it was bought for her), I think the steering is very light and requires constant attention.
2. I find the car a little too jumpy for my liking. While I understand you find the car to be well grounded, I find it well...absolutely otherwise.

The above 2 could very well be because of the fact that I have been driving my Ford Fiesta since 2010 and I think we all can agree that very few cars match up to old Fiesta when it comes to handling.

3. I hear you when you talk about door padding. I actually find it very annoying to deal with that constant "jerk/screeching/static" sound that emanates out of door with every beat on the audio.

4 (and most important). What is troubling the most is that I am getting a ~11 KMPL from this car. My 12 year old Maruti 800 was giving a better average. FE was one of the criteria when we were short listing cars for my wife and I never imagined I will get anything less than 14-15 from a Celerio in city driving conditions. The odo reads ~3500 and the second service is yet to take place. Should I wait for the second service or is this a case of getting the car checked once for fe?

EDIT: I must add that we drive it on "D" (automatic) mode for 100% of the time, if that is a factor in FE discussion.

Thanks, let me clarify your observations.
1. You can never compare the handling of a C segment sedan with an Upper A segment small car. Simple. As I mentioned, the Celerio cant come close to my SX4, or your Fiesta in those aspects.

2. I am running a slightly lower tyre pressure, of 33 front and 30 rear. The recommended pressure is 36 front and 33 rear. I did feel the same as you.

3. Damping and some work is required for this. It will make the audio system superb.

4. Currently I am managing an average of 13.5 with 80% AC and 50% of D mode. My wagonR used to fetch around 11-11.5 maximum in similar conditions. Go easy on the accelerator pedal. Sedate driving will give a higher figure I guess. Will try driving very calmly and check what the MID shows. Somehow I feel that D mode will advance gears too soon and that makes me go faster and then brake to a stop everytime. I am planning to increase the usage of manual and limit gear inside the city so that I wont go unnecessarily faster just to brake harder.

I am not sure if these services will help in improving FE since its a new car and the engine doesnt even need an oil change until 10k. Never felt a difference in FE in my WagonR throughout its age.

Originally Posted by NPV

@Audioholic - Excellent review, eye for detail very evident, Thanks for sharing
Nice choice, a good upgrade from the WagonR and good that you got the Z variant with the (O) package!
.

Thanks NPV. I would have given the WagonR AMT a much serious thought if I wasnt owning one earlier. But since I already had it, I did not want to get another WagonR. And one day with the Celerio ensured that I wouldnt go back to the WagonR again.

[McLaren Rulez]

Originally Posted by audioholic

I had to pay an additional 13k for ABS, EBD, Brake assist and a passenger airbag. This was a superb offer and compared to old times

I was given a lead time of 2 months for the car, and with no additional offers, and the colour choice was the rarest.

Congratulations on the car! 13k is indeed a very good price for the safety kit you're getting.

The only problem stopping people from buying the (O) variants appears to be the lead time - it is a bit too long for such a popular model. Do you know if that lead time would have been shorter if you'd gone for a white or silver instead?

[audioholic]

Originally Posted by McLaren Rulez

Congratulations on the car! 13k is indeed a very good price for the safety kit you're getting.

The only problem stopping people from buying the (O) variants appears to be the lead time - it is a bit too long for such a popular model. Do you know if that lead time would have been shorter if you'd gone for a white or silver instead?

Thanks. Its like a hen or egg scenario. And between this hen and egg, we have the guys at the accessory department who would want to make an omelette of a car by loading the lower end versions by adding all accessories they can.

It is rather the dealers to blame. They are not interested in selling the safety options to customers and hence try their best to put up all sorts of tricks to convince customers. It starts like this

• Safety kit? Whats that, no one buys it. I dont think its being produced.
• We have no stock and we cant give any commitment on delivery date.
• Brakes are good as it is, no need of ABS
• City use saar, you dont need airbags
• For the option packs, we cant give any offers or discounts

Getting through these many barriers requires the customer to be really stubborn(like me ) and not everyone will be holding ground after so many turn offs. If you get past all these, then the next thing they will do is to check existing stock. In my case, there was a VXi(O) AMT lying with the dealer. The SA then started that proposal of convincing me to go for it. Then the accessories guy jumped in with a proposal that we can add a lot of accessories and make it nice

Coming to my case, it was mainly the variant and not the colour that caused the delay. I would have got any other colour earlier only if it was lying in the stockyard. Their stock only had the VXi(O) AMT. Its the VXi that mainly sells and thats what they have their stockyards full of. The ZXi too has a wait of around two weeks but thats dispatched on demand. But my variant was made and dispatched on demand which took time.