Maruti Suzuki Ciaz C-Segment Sedan – All the Details

Maruti Suzuki has lined up the Ciaz C-Segment sedan for an Indian launch in the middle of October 2014, bang in the midst of India’s Dusshera-Diwali festive fervour. On first glance, the car is larger than the rest of the C-Segment crop, including the best selling 2014 Honda City. The Ciaz’s exterior dimensions are generous to say the least. Bookings open on September 3.

Armed with length, width, height and wheelbase figures that clock 4,490 mm, 1,730 mm, 1,485 mm and 2,650 mm respectively, the Ciaz is fairly large, but is still not larger than the Fiat Linea. With the top-end variants of the Ciaz riding on 16 inch alloy wheels that fill up the wheel wells nicely, the car is one of the best looking Marutis in recent times.

These large proportions are expected to give the Ciaz class leading space on its innards, making it a very comfortable car. The car’s ground clearance measures 170 mm while the boot is capable of accommodating 510 liters of stowage. Though the Ciaz has big dimensions, the kerb weights of the petrol and diesel engined models are big surprises too.

The petrol powered Ciaz weighs in at 1,010 kilograms, with the diesel powered model clocking 1,105 kilograms. These weights make the Ciaz rival sub-4 meter compact sedans rather than full sized C-Segmenters. So, it isn’t surprising that Maruti Suzuki has gone in for engines that seem low on power and torque, on paper. Maruti has resorted to considerable weight-savings in the panels, so it might not feel as solid as the SX4 or the Linea, but mileage seekers will be happy.

The petrol motor is the 1.4 liter-4 cylinder K-Series (91 Bhp-130 Nm) unit that also does duty in the Ertiga while the diesel motor (89 Bhp-200 Nm) is the 1.3 liter-4 cylinder Fiat Multijet unit, again borrowed from the Ertiga. With the Ciaz C-Segment sedan, Maruti Suzuki is clearly aiming for the masses and the market leading Honda City, and the fuel efficiency figures of the new car reflect just that.

The Ciaz is now India’s most fuel efficient car, with the diesel model eking out an ARAI certified 26.3 Kmpl, which is the best ever a car has offered in terms of fuel economy. The petrol powered Ciaz fares very well too, with an ARAI certified 20.73 Kmpl.

The Ciaz will be sold in 8 variants, 4 each in petrol (VXi, VXi+, ZXi and ZXi+) and diesel (VDi, VDi+, ZDi and ZDi+). The car gets 7 colour options, with the palette borrowed from the Ertiga. This extensive parts and production process sharing should give Maruti Suzuki the volumes of scale and allow it to price the Ciaz very competitively.

Here’s a quick round up of the interesting features and creature comforts on the 2014 Maruti Suzuki Ciaz,

• 16 inch alloy wheels (ZXi+/ZDi+)
• Twin airbags (ZXi+/ZDi+)
• ABS+EBD (upwards of VXi+/VDi+)
• Projector headlamps
• Automatically retracting wing mirrors
• Keyless entry
• Push button start
• Automatic climate control
• Leather wrapped multi-function steering wheel
• Leather seat upholstery
• Rear AC vents
• Rear power sockets
• Reverse camera and parking sensors
• Auto-dimming rear mirror
• Electric boot release
• Rear sunshade
• Touch screen infotainment console with navigation
• 6 speakers (4 speakers + 2 tweeters)
• USB, Radio, AUX, SD-Card and Bluetooth audio and telephony compatible
• Voice assist

However, a big miss is on the safety front. Only the top-end ZXI/ZDI variant gets a driver and passenger airbag and ABS. The mid-variant gets only a driver’s side airbag, while the base variant has none.

Dealer dispatches of the Maruti Suzuki Ciaz have already commenced. The bookings of the car will open on the 3rd of September, with the booking amount pegged at 21,000 rupees. The exact pricing details will be revealed on the day of launch in mid-October.