Maruti Suzuki Ciaz Long Term Report: December 2019

As mentioned in our last report, the Ciaz has now become the Honda City’s nemesis, for this Maruti sedan beats its rival in terms of length, which translates into the most space, and has the same boot space as the City. Keeping all this in mind, its dimensions I mean, I was really impressed by the fuel economy it was returning. According to the fuel economy meter, it returned 19 kmpl for almost the entire month. So, even if I consider an error in the reading, the Ciaz still realistically returned around 17 – 18kmpl. We achieved all this with the air conditioner on, of course. And just to jog everyone’s memory, we are driving still the 1.5-litre mild-hybrid petrol version.

So, how did I manage to achieve this? It’s very simple really. You just have to ensure that you change the gears when the rev needle is approaching the 1,500rpm mark and avoid mashing the pedal. If you manage to do this, then you’ll feel the need run to a fuel station less frequently than you do right now.

Apart from being fuel-efficient, the 1.5-litre powerplant is refined. It offers power from as low as 1,800rpm, making it a hoot to drive in the city, although its highway mannerism does need some improvement. Once nearing 6,000rpm, the power becomes flat, and then you’re forced to downshift to get any juice out of the motor.

There’s no doubt, the Ciaz still remains a reliable, and a fuel-efficient sedan, and the one that offers the most value for money in the segment.