The upcoming Maruti Ciaz will be launched next month. The properly proportioned sedan replaces the ageing SX4, which is no longer in production, and will compete against more established rivals like the Honda City, the Hyundai Verna, the Volkswagen Vento and its cousin, the Skoda Rapid. Although not as striking as the concept shown at the 2014 Auto Expo, the car looks striking from most angles, until you reach the boot, where the tail lights look like they flew from a Honda City and got themselves fitted on the Ciaz.
The Maruti Ciaz will be offered in 8 variants, which will start with the ‘V’ line.
- VXi, VDi
- VXi+, VDI+
- ZXi, ZDi
- ZXi+ and ZDi+
The front is dominated by a large grille, which has four vertically stacked chrome strips running across, while the Suzuki emblem takes its place bang in the middle. Headlights are large, upward sweeping projector units, while the fog lamp housing in the bumper looks pretty standard. Alloy wheels are 16-inchers and feature a multi-spoke design, although they are standard only on the ZXi+ and the Zdi+ variants. The ZXi and the ZDi get 15-inch alloys, while the rest of the variants will come with steel rims.
Door handles are dipped in chrome and are flanked by a crease running across, which extends to merge in the tail-lamps. Although the car appears to be long at 4490 mm, the Fiat Linea beats it in the length war by being longer at 4560 mm. The Ciaz boasts of the largest wheelbase in the segment though, which at 2560 mm should make it boast of class leading space at the rear. The Ciaz is 1730 mm wide and stands 1485 mm tall. A driver side airbag is standard on the VXi+ and VDi+ variants, while a balloon will inflate on the front passenger side at impact in the ZXi, ZDi and the +variants.
Interiors are dual tone, while the steering wheel is a three-spoke, multifunction unit. The large instrument cluster houses large dials and an MID display finds space between them. Wood finish inserts start from the center panel and extend into the doors. The AC vents are rectangular, while the center console features a prominent infotainment system, below which sits an Automatic climate control panel. Rear passengers get an AC vent, while the flat floor should ensure the bench can seat three in relative comfort.
The Maruti Ciaz petrol will be powered by a 1.4-litre, K-Series engine, borrowed from the Ertiga, which will develop 95 PS of power and 130 Nm of torque. The Diesel variants will be powered by the popular 1.3-litre DDIS engine, which in its higher spec of tune will produce 90 PS of power and 200 Nm of torque. Both engines will come mated to a 5-speed manual gearbox, while a 4-speed auto option will only be available on the petrol variant.
There are rumours that dealers will start accepting booking tomorrow, however, ensure you check with your nearest Maruti Suzuki dealership, before you leave home to plonk a booking amount. The Ciaz is well proportioned and should be able to entice buyers who fancy a large sedan, while the Maruti tag and the proven engines which power the car will ensure reliability and low cost of maintenance. The car is expected to be priced between the Rs. 7.5 to 10.5 lakh bracket, which looks like a good value-for-money proposition.