Maruti has launched the new Ciaz sedan starting at Rs 6.99 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi). With its upmarket styling and competitive pricing, the Ciaz does make a much stronger case than the brand’s previous two attempts at the segment – the Baleno and the SX4. We take a look at how it compares on paper against its mid-size rivals – the Honda City, the Hyundai Verna, the Volkswagen Vento, Fiat Linea and Ford Fiesta.

Under the hood

The Maruti Ciaz gets the option of a 1372cc, four-cylinder petrol engine and a Fiat-sourced 1248cc, four-cylinder diesel engine. The petrol motor makes 91bhp and 13.2kgm, while the diesel engine makes 89bhp and 20.4kgm. The petrol motor comes mated to a five speed manual and a four-speed automatic gearbox, while the diesel variant gets only a five-speed manual 'box.

The Honda City is also available in both petrol and diesel guise. The City petrol is powered by a 1497cc, four-cylinder, i-VTEC engine which makes 117bhp and 14.8kgm. It is offered with the option of a five-speed manual transmission and a CVT auto box. The City diesel variant gets a 1498cc, four-cylinder i-DTEC engine which is good for 99bhp and 20.4kgm. The diesel engine is only offered with a six-speed manual transmission.

The Volkswagen Vento, on the other hand, offers the option of two petrol engines – a smaller 1197cc, four-cylinder, turbocharged, direct injection motor which makes 103bhp and 17.8kgm, and a bigger 1598cc, four-cylinder petrol motor that also makes 103bhp but lower torque of 15.6kgm. While the former comes mated to a seven-speed DSG automatic gearbox, the bigger motor gets coupled to a five-speed manual transmission.

The Vento diesel variant gets a new 1498cc, four-cylinder motor which makes 103bhp and 25.5kgm and comes with an option of a five-speed manual transmission or a seven-speed DSG automatic.

Just like the Volkswagen Vento, even the Hyundai Verna is available with two petrol engine options. The petrol Verna offers buyers the choice of a 1396cc, four-cylinder engine which makes 105bhp and 13.8kgm of torque, and comes mated to a five-speed manual transmission. There's a bigger 1591cc, four-cylinder engine which generates 121bhp and 15.8kgm of torque. This motor is offered with the option of a five-speed manual transmission and a four-speed automatic gearbox.

The Hyundai Verna is the only mid-size sedan that gets two diesel engines. There's a 1396cc, four-cylinder unit which is good for 89bhp and 22.4kgm, while the bigger 1582cc mill makes 126bhp and 26.5kgm. The smaller engine gets a six-speed manual transmission while the 1.6 diesel offers the option of a six-speed manual gearbox and a four-speed automatic transmission.

Even the Fiat Linea offers the choice of two petrol engines. There's a 1368cc, four-cylinder, naturally aspirated motor which is good for 88bhp and 11.7kgm and a 1368cc, four-cylinder, turbocharged engine which develops 112bhp and 21.1kgm. The Fiat Linea diesel gets the same 1248cc Multijet engine as the Ciaz, but it produces 92bhp and 21.3kgm.

Unlike all the other mid-size sedans, the Ford Fiesta is available only with a diesel engine, a 1498cc, four-cylinder unit which makes 90bhp and 20.8kgm.