It’s been in the news for a while now that Maruti Suzuki will have a petrol-only line-up from April 2020. While Maruti could spring a BS6 diesel surprise in the future, for now, the Fiat-sourced 1.3-litre diesel engine and the in-house-developed 1.5-litre diesel will not be offered on Maruti’s range of cars.
So in order to clear existing stock of the diesel-powered models, like the Maruti Ciaz (which retails through the premium Nexa outlets), dealers have been authorised to offer rather large discounts on benefits on the model.
From the Ciaz range, it is the 1.3 diesel model that is available with the highest amount of benefits (Rs 1.5 lakh), which includes a cash discount, corporate discount, exchange benefits and 5-year extended warranty worth Rs 15,000. This Fiat-sourced engine produces 90hp and 200Nm of torque in the Ciaz (75hp/190Nm in smaller Maruti cars) and comes paired with a 5-speed manual as standard.
The Ciaz 1.5 diesel – it’s a 95hp/225Nm unit that comes with a 6-speed manual gearbox – is now available with benefits worth Rs 1.25 lakh, including cash and corporate discounts, an exchange offer and a free 5-year extended warranty.
With the BS4 engines gone from the Ciaz line-up, the midsize sedan will only be available with the BS6 1.5-litre mild-hybrid petrol engine that makes 105hp and 138Nm, mated to either a 5-speed manual or a 4-speed torque converter automatic gearbox.
What's more, even this version of the Ciaz can be had with decent benefits – Nexa dealers will offer up to Rs 80,000 off in cash discounts, exchange bonuses, and corporate discounts.
2020 may be a difficult year for the Maruti Ciaz in terms of sales as there’ll be newer rivals coming to our market with BS6-compliant diesel engines, including the next-gen Honda City and the mid-cycle facelift for the Hyundai Verna.
Disclaimer: Discounts vary from city to city. Please check with your local dealer for exact discounts, which may not match figures quoted here.
Viraaj Bhatnagar
Uday Singh
Suraj Viswanathan
