Maruti Suzuki Celerio

Maruti Suzuki Celerio?

Maruti Suzuki has recently restyled one of the most reliable hatchback models. The new Celerio model is more advanced and stylish and has got more urban buyer responses than the first one. This car has a large number of features and it has enhanced its look and feel from the first one. This is India's most fuel-efficient petrol vehicle.

How is the design?

The older Celerio model had a beautiful and functional design. The new model, however, gives a more modern look to the sports car. One of the eye-catching features of the model includes the animated sweeping headlamps and the beautiful chrome highlights on the grille. It also comes with modern droplet-styled tail lamps. This has given the all-new Celerio a unique edge that can make it stand out among all the other cars. The overall design of this car is cheerful. This car is round in shape and it has a larger size. It has come up with an entirely new interior and exterior, a completely new structure. It has a carved and oval grille. On the sides, it has A and C pillars. It also comes with a 15-inch alloy. It has been built on Suzuki's HEARTECT platform with its front McPherson strut rear torsion beam suspension arrangement. This new Celerio model also comes with ORVMs with LED integrated turn signal indicators. Its 3D organic Sculpted design is one of a kind and has been able to create quite a name in the market.

How does it perform?

There are two engines available for the Maruti Suzuki Celerio. One is a 998cc Petrol engine that generates 66bhp at a 5500 rpm peak power. It also generates a torque of 89 Nm at the rate of 3500 rpm. Another is a 998cc CNG Engine which generates 56 bhp at the rate of 5300 RPM of peak power. This engine generates a torque of 82 Nm at the rate of 3400 rpm. Here, it is necessary to mention that higher power means higher speed and more acceleration. Higher torque provides better initial acceleration and better load capacity.

How's the mileage?

The mileage of the new Maruti Suzuki Celerio depends on some factors. If it is petrol driven and has automatic transmission then it can give an ARAI mileage of 26.68 Kmpl, a city mileage of 19.02 Kmpl and a highway mileage of 20.08 km/pl. In the case of petrol driven model with the manual transmission, the ARAI mileage is 25.24 km/pl, city mileage is 23 kmpl and highway mileage of 26 km/pl. However, in the case of CNG fuel for a manually driven model, the ARAI mileage is 35.6 km/pl per kg, city mileage is 32 km/pl per kg and highway mileage is 34 per kg.

How's the driving experience?

The driving experience of this car model is simply incredible. There are no possible hiccups or flat spots and the driving experience of this model is quite smooth. During long hauls, the car has an in-built mechanism to switch off its engine to reduce fuel consumption. The system is very quick to respond. But, one disadvantage is that when the engine is off the air con also shuts which creates which only keeps the blower on. This can be highly problematic on hot days. The Celerio AMT also provides a nice proposition for people who don't like to shift gears all the time. The gear shifts operate timely and the AMT typical head nods also occur perfectly. The driver can also take manual control via the gear lever. This system can properly respond to manual inputs, which also add up to its easy driving experience. Celerio is easy to park, has a small turning radius and the suspension can effectively take up bumps. This car is composed but the suspension crashes on potholes.

How's the off-road capability?

This car comes with a cross-hatch model and it has an average off-road capability. One can better understand the off-road features only after test-driving the car.

What's the interior like?

The Celerio model of Maruti Suzuki has used state-of-the-art interiors. On the inside, this model comes with a 7-inch touchscreen. It has door pockets and upholsters in different portions of the car. There are height-adjusted seats for the drivers. The front seats come with single-piece backseats with headrests. Visibility from the frontal section is quite good. The switch buttons for locking and unlocking the door and front power windows are positioned at the central console rather than the car doors. The passengers in the backseat will also have access to the lock/unlock buttons situated at the front. The rear seats are comfortable with ample knee room. All the seats are well cushioned. However, this space can become congested for more than two people. There are two brakes, one front and one back.

Tech and Infotainment

This modern version of Maruti Suzuki comes with a wide array of infotainment facilities. To start with, it has Apple CarPlay and Android Auto which enables passengers to access their smartphones in the car. It also has SmartPlay Pro or Pro+ voice assistant which can greet the passengers and can acknowledge voice commands. This ensures a hand-free operation. Celerio also has a new User Interface (UI) which helps the passengers to customize their viewing experience according to their preferences. It enables customizing wallpapers and widgets. The SmartPlay Pro also comes with Surround Sense, which can be used to play songs. This software provides three different kinds of ambience namely Natural, Dynamic and Acoustic. Along with this, 360 view camera, Over Air (OTA) updates through smartphones and advanced vehicle information, alerts and controls are embedded within this model.

Safety equipment

All of the variants of the Maruti Suzuki Celerio model have 2 airbags for the safety of the passengers. It also has seat belt warnings, Over speed warnings child lock and central locking. It also has central locking and anti-theft engine immobilizer. There are airbags available for both passengers and drivers to get double safety.

Which variant to buy?

There are 5 variants of Maruti Suzuki Celerio available on the market and these are LXI, VXI, ZXI, ZXI Plus, and the VXI CNG. VXI CNG is the only option available for customers who want to buy CNG Bi-fuel cars. But, ZXI is said to be the best variant among all the others. The price of ZXI is Rs 5,94,000. VXI, on the other hand, is suitable for buyers who are going for a budget-friendly car. The price of this variant is Rs 5,74,000 and it has received a ranking of 4. LXI is not at all recommended even if it has received a ranking of 2. Lastly, ZXI Plus has received a ranking of 1 but this model needs serious upgradation. However, in the case of automatic cars, ZXI is the top model with a rank of 2 and a price of Rs 6,44,000. The ZXi variant has an inbuilt audio system with Bluetooth, a window washer and a rear defogger for bad weather days.

Which cars compete with the segment?

Some of the main competitors of Maruti Suzuki Celerio include the Tata Tiago, Datsun Redi Go, Maruti Suzuki WagonR and Hyundai Santro. While Celerio has K10C Petrol-65 HP and 89 Nm torque, the Datsun Redi Go has the 1.2L petrol-76 HP and 104 Nm torque. The Tata Tiago comes with 1.2 L petrol -86 HP and 113 Nm torque. However, some models of Maruti Suzuki WagonR and Hyundai Santro have a capacity of 1L petrol-68HP and 99Nm torque. In terms of mileage, Celerio ranks number 1 with an average mileage of 24-26 km/pl. But, the price range of all of these car models is similar. Thus, it can be said that Maruti Suzuki Celerio has always been a strong competitor. With the future safe added features, this car has become even more reputation in the market.

Verdict ( Value for money)

It can be said that some of the variants of Celerio variants, especially the ZXI variant offers greater value for money. This model is highly budget-friendly and the customers do not have to compromise much. It has all the modern features that a typical Celerio model comes with including its high-tech and infotainment features. The car is still competitively priced despite the availability of all these features.