We drove the all-new Maruti-Suzuki Celerio recently in Udaipur Rajasthan. Here are a few things to know. Read our full review in the upcoming issue of Car India magazine.
Design: The new Maruti-Suzuki Celerio looks better than its predecessor, with a more rounded and modern design. The Celerio does take inspiration from a bunch of other vehicles in the Maruti-Suzuki range, we saw the Swift at the front and a vague reminisce of the Baleno at the rear. However, on a whole, the Celerio does have its own identity with design. The most noticeable visuals are the black 15-inch alloy rims and a car in India with almost zero chrome. The only chrome can be seen in the front grille and that is all.
Engine: Powering the Celerio is a 998-cc, three-cylinder, dual-jet engine that makes 67 horses and 89 Nm of torque. The dual-jet system is where each cylinder has two injectors to allow a better mixture of fuel and air, which in turn relates to better fuel efficiency. Maruti-Suzuki claimed that the fuel efficiency figures around the 26 km/l region, making the Celerio the most fuel-efficient car in the Indian sub-continent.
Handling: The handling has also been improved from the previous generation, as the suspension has been stiffened, as well as, better damped. Hence, the car does stay fairly stable in the turns with barely any body roll. Additionally, when we approached a stretch of broken tarmac the suspension handled it quite well, without ever losing shape or bouncing around.
Is it spacious?: The Maruti-Suzuki Celerio has one of the most spacious interiors in the segment. With even a tall driver, the rear passenger still has ample legroom. The seat cushioning was comfortable too, making the Celerio quite a comfortable place to be. Couple that with a 313 litre boot space and the 60/40 split rear seats, one may be quite pleasantly surprised with the roominess on offer.
Interior features: the interior is full of hard plastics, that do not look too bad, with a decent fit and finish. You get a digital tachometer that sits at the side of a huge analog speedometer and does have a youthful funky design. The 7-inch infotainment system is quite good-looking and houses the regular Bluetooth facilities, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. All in all the Celerio does feel well-built.
Safety: The Celerio does sport a few safety features as well with the likes of dual airbags, an anti-lock braking system (ABS), and a seat belt reminder light. You also get Hill-Hold Assist, electric rearview mirrors, and the key-less entry feature.
Price: Pricing starts at Rs 4.99 lakh ex-showroom for the LXI base variant and goes up to Rs 6.94 lakh for the top-of-the-line ZXI+ AGS variant. That puts the Celerio in competition with the likes of the Hyundai Santro and the Tata Tiago.
