Maruti Ciaz first look

Maruti is currently working at fever pitch to get the new Ciaz ready for launch in India. Expected to be in showrooms some time before Diwali, the new SX4 replacement (revealed at the Auto Expo in February) is more attractive to look at, more luxuriously appointed and even more spacious on the inside. There's little doubt this car promises, at least on paper, to be one of the most accomplished Marutis yet. Thing is, it will have to be if it wants to be a big success; just look at some of the competition it is up against. The new Honda City, Hyundai Verna and the Volkswagen Vento are certainly no pushovers; far from it. And then there's the legacy of the previous SX4 this car has to overcome. The part crossover, part car sure got off to a good start, but apart from size and space, it had little to offer buyers looking for a car at this price. Sales suffered in later years. So, does the new Maruti Ciaz have what it takes to go head-to-head with the competition? Let's take a closer look. 

 

What's it like on the outside?

 

Often criticised for its bland and uninteresting designs, Suzuki seems to have done well with the new Ciaz. The almost street-spec car is attractive, well-proportioned and fresh; and the low crouching stance immediately gives it the look of something sporty. The design starts off at the low slung bumper, makes its way up the windshield in a clean sweep and then seamlessly flows down the rear of the car. 

 

The 4545mm overall length is considerably longer than that of the current 4500mm SX4, and it is longer than the new City too (the final production car, however, will be slightly shorter than the show car). What you also don't notice, unless you look closely at the car in profile, are the huge doors and the long wheelbase. However, the Ciaz does look very similar to the new Honda City from the rear – the treatment of the tail-lights and the chrome strip are quite similar looking. 

All the details will not get carried over onto the production car though. Some of the fussier chrome bits were, of course, put there to liven up the car on the show floor. You can see them in the chin and around the exhausts. What has worked regardless is that this car looks like a bonafide Suzuki at first glance – the big grille with the big 'S' in the centre working a treat.