Maruti Suzuki Ciaz 2020 Review - Prices, Specs, Variants, Features and Mileage

What are the various variants on offer?

Offered in four variants: Sigma, Delta, Zeta, and Alpha and the recently introduced S, Maruti Suzuki has a perfect variant of the Ciaz for everyone. The basic feature listing is the same for all trims and differences are confined to the creature comforts and aesthetics, with the most aesthetically different variant being -the Ciaz S.

Features are plentiful in all of the trims and the pricing is bang on with a heightened price t feature ratio. But we really wanted the Ciaz S to be more than just aesthetic mods with a proper RS treatment, but that's not what MS had in mind.

Which variant to choose for?

At a price premium of over Rs 60,000 compared to the Sigma variant, the Delta appears to be priced neutrally - neither expensive nor moderate priced. The Delta makes itself subpar over the bare basic Sigma, both feature-wise and design. It offers features like cruise control and height-adjustable driver’s seat, which are hard to find in the aftermarket zone.

It also gives buyers an option of an automatic transmission with the petrol motor that comes with standard with electronic stability program (ESP). In our consideration, the Delta is the most value-packed offering in the Ciaz’s variant lineup.

Maruti Suzuki Ciaz March offers

Maruti Suzuki is offering an official cash discount of Rs. 25,000 on all models in exchange for old cars. Apart from it, you can also avail special Corporate discounts rates and added cash benefits. The various offers in play are listed below.

 Also Read,

How does Maruti Suzuki Ciaz stand up against the God-father of this segment?

How does Ciaz hold up against the Korean of this lot?

Volkswagen has a sedan up its sleeve, does the Ciaz stand corrected?

What are the various powertrain options in the Maruti Suzuki Ciaz?

The 2020 Maruti Suzuki Ciaz is powered by two engine options: a 1.5-litre diesel engine that produces 93bhp and 225Nm of torque, paired to a 6-speed manual gearbox, and a 1.5-litre petrol engine that makes 103bhp and 138Nm of torque, paired to a 5-speed manual gearbox. Another notable feature of the petrol motor is its mild-hybrid setup that helps chuck out better mileage figures as compared to its counterparts.

The SHVS system, as Maruti Suzuki likes to call it is a mild hybrid setup which is backed up with a 12V Lithium-Ion battery that takes care of independent electrical systems of the car. Performance experience from the engine is more than expected, and the power is delivered linearly. The engine also loves to rev and feels very smooth for most section. The 6-speed transmission is smooth makes it a breeze to drive this large-sized sedan around cities.

On the spec sheet, Hyundai’s Verna makes the most power and Volkswagen’s Vento makes most torque. But the City feels quicker and more responsive than the Verna or the Vento. The city goes on to prove that the power or the torque figures do not tell you the full story.

How quick is the Maruti Suzuki Ciaz from 0-100?

It takes 12.10 seconds for Ciaz to achieve a 100 KMPH mark from the halt. It is not the fastest in the class but can gracefully travel from point A to point B all the while keeping the occupants comfortable, courtesy of the most comfortable seating in this class.

The engine is by no means a shy one, but the sheer size and weight of the car take the most of this motor and thus the lethargic performance. But it is a cosy companion on the highway due to the engine's strong mid-range and the new 1.5L motor is a much-needed update which surely oomph up its appeal.

Models	Maruti Suzuki Ciaz	Honda City	Hyundai Verna	Volkswagen Vento
0-100 KMPH	12.10	9.83	10.2	12.18
Engine	k15B VVT Engine	i-VTEC	Kappa Dual VTVT Petrol	MPI Petrol Engine

Even with the highest power figures, Hyundai Verna is no match for Honda City. The Ciaz and Vento meanwhile are neck and neck due to similar gear ratios and power figures. But Maruti Suzuki with its hybrid setup in the Ciaz has an edge over the Vento in terms of optimum performance management.

How stable is the Maruti Suzuki Ciaz around corners?

The Ciaz Sedan is confident in driving and the ride quality in the city is a delight. The suspension places itself on the soft side but makes up offering plush response over uneven roads. At low speeds, the steering is light and builds up, on its weight as the speed increases. This gives the flexibility to have a nimble car in cities and a well-planted one on highways. Another smart feature is the positioning of the hybrid battery back, which helps lower the centre of gravity, by a margin, but it makes a difference in the handling of the car as well.

The driving dynamics are well-sorted and you will never be bored of it, by a long shot. The size of this vehicle doesn't cause any hindrance in terms of manoeuvrability and its a good cause. But the soft suspension setup gets on the nerves at times, due to the varying road conditions of our country. Honda City is second to none when it comes to perfecting driving dynamics and it is the most involving to drive among this lot.

How has regenerative braking modified the braking performance?

You can also feel the Smart Hybrid regenerative braking at work if observe closely. As a result, the brake pedal offers the best modulation but doesn't always feel the sharpest at the corners. Regenerative braking has its perks but it comes with sluggish actuation which is due to the added load on the brakes to activate.

Due to the low slung design language, the Ciaz is pretty good at braking and you don't get to feel a hint of nose-dive. Brake modulation, however, can be worked upon as newbies will need some time to get used to it. But there is enough cooling to work at its optimum even during elongated travel. Kerb weight plays a very important factor in braking, and somehow, Maruti Suzuki has managed to put the longest vehicle in this class, on an aggressive diet and that completely transforms the experience.

Model	Maruti Suzuki Ciaz	Honda City	Hyundai Verna	Volkswagen Vento
Front Brakes	Disc	Disc	Disc	Disc
Rear Brakes	Drum	Drum	Drum	Drum
Kerb Weight (kg)	1010	1107	1050	1126

Even with a heavier kerb weight, the City gives a satisfactory braking performance. We also found the brake pedal feel to be better than its rivals. All of the competitors are equipped with a disc-drum setup which is a common practice in this segment to cut costs without the hassle of losing braking performance.

How has hybridization bumped up the efficiency of 2020 Ciaz?

The Ciaz proved to be exceptionally frugal on the highway, at 21.9kmpl. While surprisingly in the city where you'd expect the mild hybrid to make the most difference, the Ciaz managed 12.8kmpl. This is a sector in which the Ciaz shines and hybridization seems to work, at least, most of the times!

Even in the case of its IC engine, it chucks out impressive mileage figures which are better than most of the competitors. The lithium-Ion battery pack comes into play mostly during idling and the impressive start-stop feature which helps conserve fuel in traffic and usage of electrical resources on idling.

Model	Maruti Suzuki Ciaz	Honda City	Hyundai Verna	Volkswagen Vento
Mileage (Kmpl)	21.56	17.4	16	16.09
Fuel Tank Capacity (Litres)	43	40	45	55

There is no denying the fact that Maruti Suzuki Ciaz is way ahead in terms of mileage figures as compared to the competition, but it the gap that evident when we have an additional battery pack at play? Honda City has a fine blend of performance and efficiency and it clings onto it despite weighing in at the most. Hyundai Verna is the most powerful of this lot and it shows up in its thirst.

How well-sculpted is the Maruti Suzuki Ciaz?

The design styling still looks refreshing with a noticeable slim and wide grille, improving the front fascia of Ciaz. The side design remains the same as its predecessor. However, there’s some added chrome workaround. The base models still use similar headlights, taillights and black plastic cutouts over the bumpers.

But the higher variants get projector headlamps and LED taillamps to show its upmarket looks. The 12-spoke alloy wheels complement its looks and are well built. The B-pillar lining between the doors is wrapped in black to give it a seamless look. Door handles are chrome-laden and the front doors have keyless entry actuators that add to its list of features.

Both the front and rear bumpers are laden with chrome inserts, especially around the fog-lamps, and the newly introduced Ciaz S has most of its changes confined to aesthetics. The most notable part is the addition of lip-kits which includes components for the front and rear bumper along with side skirts. It also gets a rear spoiler with integrated brake light. The various notable exterior features are listed below.

Exterior Features

• Halogen Projector Headlamp
• Integrated LED Daytime Running Lamps (DRLs)
• LED Rear Combination Lamps
• Alloy Wheels
• Chrome Accents on Front Grille
• Trunk Lid Chrome Garnish
• Door Beltline Garnish
• Glass Antenna
• Body Coloured ORVMs with Turn Indicators
• Body Coloured Door Handles
• Front Fog Lamp Ornament
• Rear Reflector Ornament

How spacious is the cabin of Maruti Suzuki Ciaz?

To be honest, the Ciaz offers the better of premium cabins in its class. The car has been given an airy touch with the use of lighter wood-ash plastic trim across the dual-tone dashboard. The Ciaz comes with SmartPlay infotainment and a 4.2-inch display between the dials taken from Baleno. It shows the Smart Hybrid System information onto its instrument console, with dials showing real-time power and torque figures.

Inside the Ciaz, you need not worry about space and the seats are designed for optimum comfort. The legroom available in the rear is just marvellous, though we would have loved to see more headroom. But everything can't just be perfect right? And so Maruti Suzuki has come real close to providing with the perfect cabin layout.

The added length has paid off in providing you with a very comfortable cabin which the competition struggles to come at. Hyundai Verna comes close to the Ciaz in terms of space-management but it still doesn't cut it. Volkswagen Vento and Honda City, both have cramped second rows, but the first rows are impressively comfortable.

What are the various creature comfort features on offer?

Maruti Suzuki offers an extensive feature list to keep most customers happy. The usage of premium materials is a boon to the already well-built cabin. Ciaz shares most of its components with its brothers including Maruti Suzuki Baleno, which has the most weightage here. The infotainment system and instrument cluster are a direct plug and play from the Baleno and so is the air-con controls.

Maruti Suzuki hasn't left the base variants bare, as you get a fair bundle of features even on the base variants. The dashboard flaunts a clean look and its mostly due to the embedded storage space and cup holders beneath the air-con controls. MS has stuck with its no-frills setup that doesn't have a lot of premium appeal but still ticks all of the boxes for a comfortable drive.

The various creature comfort features are as follows:

• Leather Seat Upholstery
• Leather Wrapped Steering Wheel
• Chrome Garnish (Steering Wheel, Inside Door Handles, AC Louvers Knob, Parking Brake Lever)
• MID (With Coloured TFT)
• ECO Illumination
• Wooden Finish on I/P and Door Garnish
• Satin Finish on AC Louvers
• Rear Seat Adjustable Headrest
• Chrome Finish on Floor Console

What are the infotainment features on offer?

The infotainment on offer is a direct plug-in unit from the older Baleno, which had the Bose sourced unit. The new Maruti Suzuki Baleno has been updated with a newer Samsung sourced unit that is much more intuitive to use. We hoped for Maruti Suzuki to update the unit in Ciaz as well, but that didn't happen!

But the older unit is not a bummer as the sound quality is far more superior than its competitors, but lacks added features like Android Auto and Apple CarPlay which have kind of become a necessity now. The map data is also stored in an external SD card which needs constant updation.

Here's  a list of features available with Maruti Suzuki Ciaz Infotainment System:

• 17.8 cm Touchscreen SmartPlay Infotainment System
• Bluetooth Connectivity
• Inbuilt Navigation System
• Mirror Link support for SmartPhone Connectivity
• Voice Command System
• Audio with CD Player
• Speakers + Tweeters (4 + 2 Nos.)
• USB Connectivity
• Steering Mounted Audio Controls
• Steering Mounted Calling Controls

How spacious is the cargo space of Maruti Suzuki Ciaz?

Maruti Suzuki Ciaz offers a boot space of 510 litres, keeping itself close to the Honda City. The added length also helps in chucking out more space for the cargo. The floor is flat and well padded to be soft on fragile cargo.

What the cargo space lacks are tow hooks and nets which can be used to keep small cargo from not jumping around a lot, in a huge space like the one in Ciaz. The opening is wide and low which helps loading and unloading easier.

What are the various safety features available in the Ciaz?

Safety has always been the most questionable part of any Maruti Suzuki product, but it has shown otherwise in the case of Ciaz. Maruti Suzuki has bundled the Ciaz with a fair bundle of safety features that includes a rearview camera system with guidelines along with airbags and driving assists.

The ABD and EBD system helps in controlling the vehicle in case of a mishap and the various other features are enlisted below. In the case of safety, Maruti Suzuki is actually behind that of its competitors which have a more comprehensive setup and we hope the automaker to improve on this aspect soon, to provide for a more wholesome product.

 Maruti Suzuki Ciaz safety features on offer include:

• Automatic Headlamps (With Auto Levelling)
• Front Fog Lamps
• Rear Defogger
• Auto Day/Night IRVM
• Reverse Parking Sensors
• Reverse Parking Camera
• Anti-theft Security System
• Electronic Stability Program with Hill Hold
• Seat Belt Reminder (Driver + Passenger)
• Speed Alert System

How does Maruti Suzuki Ciaz fare against its competitors?

Maruti Suzuki Ciaz vs Hyundai Verna

Maruti Suzuki Ciaz vs Honda City

Maruti Suzuki Ciaz is a segment leader in terms of sales. With the backing of Maruti’s after-sales support, it has been able to maintain its top spot in the charts. But if you are looking for the best car experience then the Ciaz falls short when compared to the CIty. The Ciaz offers more space than the City on the inside and provides a mouth-watering fuel economy. But when we talk about the driving experience, the Ciaz is probably the worst car to buy in this segment. The engine of Ciaz is no match in front of City’s i-VTEC motor. The city has far better driving dynamics and its cabin provides a more premium experience with features like the electric sunroof and feather touch controls.

Maruti Suzuki Ciaz vs Volkswagen Vento

Volkswagen tried its luck at the entry-level sedan segment with its Vento, that is based on the Polo. It has a good start but then with costly parts and premium service costs, it dulled down in front of its competitors which have much cheaper service costs and spare part costs. But the driving experience it puts forth, it impressive. It actually is a car for a niche market as most of the consumers in India are all ears for an "easy on the pocket" car and that is where the Ciaz scores high.

What is the final take on 2020 Maruti Suzuki Ciaz?

The Ciaz is a wonderful product from Maruti Suzuki but this premium offering still lacks in certain parts of which safety has more weightage. But at this price point, it is the most desirable car out there and there is no denying that. It is certainly a deal breaker at Nexa, where you get ample services in a well-processed budget. So, if you in for the best value for money proposition in this segment, then look no further and head to the nearest NEXA dealership but if you are someone who wants a bit of fun now and then from your car, then the Honda City is still available!