New Maruti Celerio review, test drive

What is it?

The 2nd-gen Maruti Suzuki Celerio is India’s most fuel-productive petrol motor vehicle. That one line introduction ought to stick in these instances of small focus spans and significant fuel charges. Now that you’re interested, here’s extra on the newest Celerio. It is new outdoors as well as within, it’s built on a new platform and also comes driven by a new engine. As ahead of, there is handbook and AMT choices (the authentic debuted transmission kind in India), with charges for the midsized hatchback ranging from Rs four.99 lakh-6.ninety four lakh (ex-showroom India).

What’s it like on the outdoors?

1st matters initially. There’s no visible backlink amongst Celerios old and new. Whilst the authentic was normal in appears to be, the new one is extra cheerful. It athletics a rounded shape that basically appears to be greater in the steel than it does in pictures. It is not a classically handsome motor vehicle, but the new Celerio guaranteed has extra existence than the old one. The a little bit larger sized dimensions (it is 55mm broader) aid to this stop far too.

 

Curved and swept-back headlamps and an oval grille that’s bisected by a chrome bar give the Celerio a cutesy face, whilst the black plastic surround for the fog lamps and air dam increase some sportiness to the seem. At the sides, you are going to observe quite thick A- and C-pillars, a standard glasshouse and smooth contours at the doors and wheel arches. Top rated-spec versions ride on 15-inch alloy wheels and they guaranteed do their portion to aid the stance.

Unfortunately, the old model’s premium pull kind doorway handles have made way for inferior raise kind ones. And whilst the new Celerio has attained keyless entry, the placement of the ask for sensor on the doorway helps make it seem like an afterthought. There’s a great flow from the shoulder to the tail lights, with the Celerio’s rear continuing the curvaceous theme.

  

Below the pores and skin, the Celerio has substantially in widespread with the newest of Maruti’s hatchbacks. It is built on Suzuki’s Heartect platform and sticks to conference with its front MacPherson strut and rear torsion beam suspension arrangement.

What’s it like on the within?

Like the exterior, there is extra flavour to the new Celerio’s interior far too. The winged seem to the dashboard is rather classy, the seven-inch touchscreen will get thanks prominence and the portion digital devices from the Wagon R also increase to the look within. The cabin guaranteed appears to be a bit extra upmarket than the old car’s. It is functional, far too, with doorway pockets and cupholders up front, and a substantial recess at the centre console to preserve your cell phone and wallet. Experience your way all over although and you are going to uncover that good quality hasn’t taken substantially of a leap. Certain, there is a great textured finish on the dash top rated, but tough plastics make up most of the cabin.

 

The Celerio isn’t a tall motor vehicle, but receiving in and out is rather straightforward. Motorists will also value the inclusion of height modify for their seats. As on the previously Celerio, the front seats feature solitary piece backrests with built-in headrests and rating well ample on ease and comfort. Frontal visibility is fantastic, but the rather thick A-pillars did have us peer all over it at crossroads. What also normally takes receiving utilized to is the placement of the window and doorway switches. The doorway lock/unlock and front ability window controls are positioned on the centre console somewhat than at the doors. Travellers at the back will also have to get to out to the rear window controls that sit amongst the front seats.

 

Rear seat ease and comfort is fantastic but not excellent. The substantial windows offer a good see out, there is enough kneeroom even for taller occupants, and the seat is well cushioned far too. Difficulty is, the seat’s built-in mounted headrests are just far too small to offer any actual head (and whiplash) support to taller travellers, and their small and angled placement also helps make them uncomfortable. Sitting down three abreast is also a squeeze.

 

Wherever the Celerio has taken a massive action up is in baggage place. The 313-litre boot can keep two substantial suitcases and two cabin luggage with simplicity, and ought to you will need extra place, there is the option to fold the sixty:forty split rear seat backrest as well. You will will need to load your baggage with care as the lip is significant and not all that large.

 

What attributes does it get?

The Celerio is on offer in four trims, specifically LXI, VXI, ZXI and ZXI+. Showcased in this article is the top rated-spec ZXI+ that packs in rather a couple of attributes. There’s keyless entry, push button begin, driver seat height modify, electrically adjustable mirrors, steering-mounted audio controls and front and rear ability windows. Infotainment obligations are dealt with by Maruti’s Smartplay device that comprises a seven-inch touchscreen. The monitor is great ample to use and does well to offer Android Automobile and Apple CarPlay connectivity. What’s missing, having said that, is a reverse digital camera that would have served greater justify the model’s rather significant rate. And whilst car weather regulate is not on the attributes listing, we did uncover the air conditioner to do a fantastic career of cooling the cabin.

 

In phrases of security devices, as regular, the Celerio will get dual front airbags, Ab muscles, front seatbelt reminders and rear parking sensors, whilst hill begin help is portion of the package on AMT variations. Increased spec versions increase in a rear wiper and defogger. On the subject, whilst the Celerio complies with newest Indian security norms, it’s not been put to the test by International NCAP as yet.

 

What’s it like to push?

< p class="new-pare-p">Run by a new engine and built on a new platform, you’d hope the Celerio to be quite distinctive to push, suitable? But the matter is, it isn’t. And that’s not automatically a undesirable matter, mainly because the authentic was a helpful motor vehicle to push.

 

The Celerio debuts Suzuki’s K10C Dualjet engine in India. The acquainted K10 in the title tells you it’s a three-cylinder, 1.-litre device, whilst the new Dualjet signifies the use of two injectors per cylinder. With an injector for each and every intake port, fuel and air mixing is substantially greater, leading to higher performance. Idle begin/quit is regular match, far too, and can help to the stop of maximising financial system. The most productive of the Celerios, the VXI AMT, has been rated with an financial system determine of 26.68kpl. The ZXI MT with us offers of a determine of 24.97kpl. The variance in figures is possible thanks to distinctive tyre sizes and weights. In phrases of ability and torque, the new engine’s 67hp and 89Nm device is basically 1hp and 1Nm down on the old Celerio’s device.

 

The engine may well not be massive on ability but is quite likeable in how it provides it. There’s a clean up build of ability from small in the rev band and, whilst not peppy like the larger sized-hearted Swift, functionality in town is basically rather great. There are no flat spots or hiccups in the supply and you will like the smoothness with which the Celerio goes about town. What also functions genuinely well is the idle begin/quit. At very long ample halts, the program switches the engine off. Depressing the clutch delivers the device back to everyday living. The program is fast to reply and doesn’t go away you 2nd guessing like comparable units on some other cars. Difficulty is, with the engine off, the air-con also shuts off, leaving only the blower on not perfect on a scorching day. You do have the option to switch idle begin/quit intervention off by using a button.

The Celerio will fortunately preserve tempo with city website traffic and will get to freeway speeds with simplicity far too, although on the open up highway you will have to strategy overtakings. For its portion, the 5-pace handbook gearbox that comes allied to a gentle clutch doesn’t simply call for substantially work.

 

The Celerio AMT is also a somewhat great proposition for those who don’t want the hassle of shifting gears at all. Gearshifts are, for the most portion, timely and the AMT-normal head nod or pause amongst shifts is well contained far too. It is nevertheless not as clean as a torque converter or CVT computerized, but the AMT guaranteed has appear a very long way due to the fact the initially of the kind on the authentic Celerio. You can choose handbook regulate by using the snazzy equipment lever far too. The program responds well ample to handbook inputs although, once more, it’s finest to undertake an straightforward-going driving type.   

 

If your driving will be principally in small pace city options, you are going to choose to the Celerio’s helpful manners. It is got a small turning radius, it’s straightforward to park and the suspension also does a fantastic career of soaking up the bumps. At higher speeds far too, the Celerio feels rather surefooted although the suspension does crash as a result of on potholes. Dealing with isn’t remarkable, but the motor vehicle feels composed and that’s just as well.

What continues to be a complaint is the lifeless steering. Certain, it’s straightforward to twirl, but it doesn’t self centre adequately, so you generally have to preserve a agency hand on the wheel.

Should you obtain one?

Priced amongst Rs four.99 lakh- 6.ninety four lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi), the Celerio goes up against the Tata Tiago, Hyundai Santro and Datsun Go. Whilst the mid-spec variations that make the bulk of sales rating well on value, the array-topping variations appear across a contact pricey for what they offer. And it doesn’t aid that the Wagon R with a larger sized and extra highly effective 1.two-litre engine charges significantly less.

 

The new Celerio may well not be a groundbreaking product in any way, but there is no denying that it presents most of what normal city potential buyers want. It is straightforward to push and roomy, and that tag of India’s most fuel productive motor vehicle is guaranteed to be a pull in its possess suitable.

It is not the motor vehicle that will pull at your heartstrings, but, like the old design, continues to be a stage-headed alternative of city motor vehicle.