If you attended the Auto Expo, earlier this year, you will recall the handsome Concept Ciaz on display at the Maruti Suzuki stall. It was a preview to what was going to be eventually an SX4 replacement. Now it’s here, albeit in a much watered down version. We will be the first country to sample the full-sized family sedan before the rest of the world. China is supposed to be the second country to get the Ciaz, but that’s another story.
For now, we have the Ciaz ready to battle in a segment bitterly contested by some really strong sellers starting with the Honda City, Hyundai Verna, Volkswagen Vento, Nissan Sunny and Renault Scala. The new car replaces the current SX4, which was essentially a sedan made from a small city SUV. In terms of size it isn’t much different. Overall dimensions are almost the same, except for the wheelbase. The production-ready Ciaz isn’t as mesmerising as the earlier concept, but does have a street presence with its huge chrome grille and large swept back headlamps. The increased wheelbase allows a nice sweeping silhouette for the roof which smartly dives into the boot. The rear is smartly sculpted with a slightly raised boot and wraparound tailamps.
Gallery: Maruti Suzuki Ciaz
While the overall size is the same, the Ciaz offers a much more spacious cabin. Rear legroom is phenomenal and the backrest is angled comfortably with just the right amount of lower back support. It’s a clean layout, reminds you a bit of the larger Kizashi, with beige/black interior. The Zdi+ /Zxi+ gets leather upholstery too. The dashboard gets an elegant waterfall layout with an all-new multimedia system that includes a large touchscreen with access to music, telephone and navigation. It’s an all-new system developed specially for the Ciaz and it is pretty simple to use. Plus it also gets voice command, which actually works quite well with Indian accents.
Also very Indian, is the choice of powertrains. Maruti has stuck to the same petrol/diesel combo from the earlier SX4. The petrol is a new iteration of its K series engine. Displacement, power and torque figure are near identical but the engine has been modified extensively to be more efficient. Maruti claims 20.73kpl under test conditions, which is impressive for a car this size. The diesel goes a step further with a claim of 26.21kpl. A part of this increased efficiency has also to do with overall weight reduction - use of lightweight high tensile steel in making the chassis and a host of weight-saving measures has brought down the weight significantly – upto a whopping 120kg for the top-end diesel variant. This shows in the way the car picks up speed.
The diesel is the better one here. Low-end torque has improved significantly and lag has reduced to offer a more seamless power delivery through the range. The five-speed manual box has smoother shift-feel in the petrol than in the diesel but throws, in either case isn’t too long. If you find a decent stretch of road, both cars can build speed easily and confidently. The steering weighs well at lower speeds but doesn’t get heavier enough as speed builds up. This is more pronounced in the petrol version, thanks to a lighter front end.
In a straight line, the Ciaz is most confident. The suspension is supple and makes the ride quite comfortable for all passengers. Quick lane changes may not trouble the