A premium offering, the Maruti Ciaz is being offered through the manufacturer’s NEXA dealerships since April. Although it sells in great numbers, on paper, it’s Fiat sourced 1.3-litre engine lags behind power plants which propel the competition. That could soon change though, as the Ciaz could get a transplant in the form of a new 1.5-litre diesel engine, developed in-house by Maruti. According to a report, the car maker has successfully tested the new oil burner, which could make its debut with an updated Ciaz in 2018.
Currently, the 1.3-litre Multijet under the sedan’s hood pumps out 90 PS and 200 Nm of torque, which is well short of the power figures which the Honda City, the VW Vento, Skoda Rapid, and the Hyundai Verna boast of. For comparison’s sake, the 1.6-litre diesel mill under the Verna’s hood makes 123 PS and 259 Nm of twist, while the 1.5-litre TDI motor in the Vento and the Rapid makes 110 PS and 250 Nm. Apparently, another new 1.5-litre petrol motor could replace the existing 1.4-litre VVT engine, where both these new power plants will make their debut in an updated Maruti Ciaz which is said to make its debut next year.
While Maruti could have also decided to opt for the punchy 1.6-litre Multijet, which powers the S-Cross, they’ve decided to build something on their own rather than sourcing another motor from Fiat this time. Meanwhile, in the Ciaz’s rival camp, Hyundai will soon be launching a facelifted Verna, which will get more equipment and a premium looking face based on Hyundai’s Fluidic 2.0 design philosophy. Like the recently updated Honda City, the Verna too will get projectors and LED DRLs up front, along with similar high-tech lighting at the rear. A new 7.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system with CarPlay and Android Auto support is also said to be one of the changes inside.
Source: Team-bhp