After several teasers, the new Maruti Suzuki Ciaz has been introduced in India, priced from Rs 8.19 lakh onwards.
Following its move to the Nexa umbrella, the Ciaz is set for yet another lease on life with the facelift model bringing in new style and improved equipment list. Major changes include a new grille the projector headlamps with LED daytime lights, LED fog lamps, with the tail-lamps retaining their lines but incorporating sharp new LED design elements. The interior features birch blonde wood accents and satin chrome highlights, with a new 4.2-inch TFT colour multi-information display. On the safety front, the Ciaz will get standard ABS and two front airbags, ISOFIX child-seat anchors, along with several other enhancements to bring it more up-to-date.
On the engine front, the petrol engine is all new. Out goes the 92.5-PS 1.4-litre four-cylinder K14B and in comes the new 1.5-litre K15 unit with 105 PS at 6,000 rpm and 138 Nm at 4,400 rpm that also packs the next-generation SHVS smart hybrid system. SHVS works like a mild-hybrid system with a lithium-ion battery. It features an integrated starter-generator (ISG) and provides for brake energy regeneration, idle start/stop, and even torque assist for the combustion engine when needed. A five-speed manual or a four-speed automatic transmission will be offered as well. Claimed efficiency is 21.56 km/l for the manual and 20.28 km/l for the automatic.
The diesel Ciaz continues with the 1.3-litre 90-PS DDiS200 which gets its name from the 200 Nm of peak torque. It will continue to be offered only with a manual transmission along with the SHVS smart-hybrid system. Claimed fuel efficiency is 28.09 km/l. The variant structure will be the familiar Sigma, Delta, Zeta and Alpha, in ascending order of equipment offered. 15-inch wheels are standard, with the Alpha getting 16-inch wheels in a Metallic Pebble Grey finish.
The pricing of the new Ciaz is as follows:
Sigma Petrol: Rs 8.19 lakh
Delta Petrol: Rs 8.80 lakh
Zeta Petrol: Rs 9.57 lakh
Alpha Petrol: Rs 9.97 lakh
Delta Petrol Auto: Rs 9.80 lakh
Zeta Petrol Auto: Rs 10.57 lakh
Alpha Petrol Auto: Rs 10.97 lakh
Sigma Diesel: Rs 9.19 lakh
Delta Diesel: Rs 9.80 lakh
Zeta Diesel: Rs 10.57 lakh
Alpha Diesel: Rs 10.97 lakh
Look out for the first drive review in the upcoming issue of Car India.
Story: Jim Gorde
