The new hybrid in town
Maruti-Suzuki recently launched the upgraded version of the Ciaz. We take the face-lifted sedan for a spin to decipher how much of it has changed and come back convinced of a thing or two. Read on to know
Selling the Ciaz through its premium Nexa dealership, Maruti-Suzuki has pitched the sedan for an updgrade of sorts. Post which, the company has launched a new spruced up version of their popular sedan. It is then safe to say that the new Ciaz has not exactly gone through a generation change. But despite the mid-life face-lift, the newly-launched car packs in changes which are more than just skin deep. It now gets a new set of projector headlamps which also pack in LED daytime running lights. The grille is redone and gets a touch of chrome. The front bumper now gets LED fog lights and some more chrome trim as well. In profile, the only major change appears to be the sporty new alloy wheels. The tail lights are new and look smart as well. Overall the Ciaz comes across as a tad more mature and self assured sedan than its earlier variant. This new version has also gone through quite a few changes in the inside as well. Maruti-Suzuki has added new birch blonde wood grain accents on the dash which, we think adds to the overall appeal not to forget looks good as well. While the infotainment system remains the same as before, it now comes with voice control option. The instrument panel is new and comes with a 4.2-inch multi information coloured TFT display. This display can be used to monitor the car’s smart hybrid system operation along with checking numerous other functions. All this can be controlled via toggles provided on the instrument binnacle. The steering houses controls for the audio, voice commands and cruise control is also a new feature on the Ciaz. Another immediate
THE MID-LIFE FACE-LIFT OF THE NEWLYLAUNCHED SEDAN PACKS IN CHANGES WHICH ARE MORE THAN JUST SKIN DEEP
stand out in the interiors is the plastic quality that has improved significantly. The Ciaz is a spacious car and comes with plenty of room both up front and at the rear as well. Rear passengers also get air conditioning vents and 12Volt charging points. The boot can take in 510 litres of cargo. The changes to the exteriors and interiors of the Ciaz might sound light, but what actually has changed is the motor. The old petrol engine is replaced by a 1.5-kitre K15 motor. The engine produces more power and torque as compared to the old engine and at the same time is greener and more efficient. It also comes with what Maruti-Suzuki is hailing as ‘Smart Hybrid’ technology. The system in-
WHILE THE INFOTAINMENT SYSTEM REMAINS THE SAME AS BEFORE, IT NOW COMES WITH VOICE CONTROL OPTION. THE INSTRUMENT PANEL IS NEW AND COMES WITH A 4.2-INCH MULTI COLOURED TFT DISPLAY
cludes a start/stop function and also comes with an additional lithium-ion battery pack which assists the motor as and when required. However the battery pack is not powerful enough to power the car on its own. As far as the gearbox options are concerned, the new petrol variant comes with a 5-speed manual or a 4-speed automatic. Which begs an answer to the question of how does it drive? The engine feels fairly refined on startup. Vibes are controlled well and it’s somewhat quiet in the cabin. The clutch feels light and on letting go of it, the new Ciaz takes off smoothly. Ac-
celeration is not exactly blistering, but is linear. The motor is not rev happy in nature either and it climbs to the red line taking its own sweet time. But one glance at the speedo and you will see the needle hovering around 120kmph. So it won’t be true to call the sedan slow. The manual gearbox offers precise shifts and sifting through is also easy. Moving on to the automatic version, to begin with this is not exactly a hi-tech modern gearbox. It is a simple one and hence shifts are not fast enough. Driving within the city, one will be hardpressed to feel the shifts. When dealt with gently, the box responds well and makes driving the Ciaz a pleasurable experience. However as you push the car a tad harder all hell breaks loose. The revs rise and the engine keeps yelling while the box merrily decides on downshifting activities. So it is better and advisable to keep you cool while driving the new Ciaz automatic. Another important function on the Ciaz is the smart hybrid unit. The start/stop function is extremely sensitive and the car restarts quickly. The display on the instrument panel can also be made to display driving parameters to make the car more efficient. Moving on to the ride and handling capabilities, the suspension of the Ciaz has been fine tuned as well. As a result, the overall ride quality is refined. Rutted roads and uneven tarmac can barely felt within the cabin except for the a bit of tyre noise, which is hard to ignore. The steering feels a bit weighed in and artificial. However it does offer decent feedback to the driver.