Aniruddh Parmar
Maruti Suzuki has finally launched the much anticipated Ciaz facelift in India today. The sedan has been updated after running the same model for almost four years. The new model gets a number of exterior upgrades including an all-new facia and also a bunch of new comfort and safety features.
The new Ciaz is available with both petrol and diesel engine with an automatic option in petrol. The car continues to be available in four trims – Sigma, Delta, Xeta, and Alpha. Prices start at Rs 8.19 lakh for the base model and go up to Rs 10.97 lakh for the top variant. (All prices ex-showroom, Delhi)
Though the overall silhouette of the car remains the same, the most visible change in the sedan is the front fascia. New Ciaz gets all-new front grille with a sleek design and chrome linings at both ends. The headlamp hoses have also gone sharper and give a little aggressive look compared to the old model which was on a softer side. The front and rear bumpers have also been redesigned.
The interior of the car is mostly the same, except for some minor changes such as some wooden touches and a new steering wheel. In terms of features, Ciaz continues to get smartphone connectivity through Apple Carplay and Android Auto, and now also gets cruise control for convenient long drives. In terms of safety, Maruti is offering dual front airbags and ABS as standard across all variants.
A big change in the new Ciaz is its new 1.5-liter K15B four-cylinder petrol engine with micro-hybrid technology, which makes 104hp of power and 138Nm of max torque. It can be had either with a 5-speed manual or 4-speed automatic transmission. ARAI-certified fuel economy of the engine is 21.56 kmpl for the manual and 20.28 kmpl for the automatic gearbox. The old 1.3-litre 90hp/200Nm diesel engine remains unchanged and continues to power the sedan along with SHVS technology to save some fuel.
New Ciaz will also be sold exclusively from Maruti Suzuki’s Nexa dealerships. It will take on some heavy and popular rivals like Hyundai Verna, Honda City, Volkswagen Vento, and newly arrived Toyota Yaris.
Image source: Nexa