With substantial modifications to its interiors and exteriors, the four wheeler offers everything that ordinary urbanites want – a smooth drive, spacious design and the tag of being India’s most fuel-efficient car.
The new second generation Maruti Celerio is said to be the most fuel efficient petrol car in the country. However, there is more to this hatchback than just that. It is now a bit bigger than before, is new inside and out, sits on Maruti’s new-age Heartect platform and also gets a new engine under the hood. As before, there are manual and AMT options, with the mid-size hatchback priced from ₹4.99 Lakh to ₹6.94 Lakh (ex-showroom India). So how’s the new Celerio?
Maruti has gone for a clean slate design with no visual link between the new Celerio and its predecessor. While the original was conservative in appearance, the new one is more cheerful with a more rounded shape that looks better in person. It’s not a classically pretty car, but the new Celerio certainly has more of a presence than the old one. The slightly larger dimensions (it’s 55mm wide) help to this end as well.
The oval grille surrounded by curved, swept-back headlamps gives the Celerio an attractive face with a blacked-out section on the bumper which adds a touch of sportiness to the design. On the sides, you’ll see fairly thick ‘A’ and ‘C’ pillars, a traditional glasshouse and soft contours on the doors and wheel arches. The top-spec models ride on darker 15-inch alloy wheels.
Sadly, the older model’s premium pull-type door handles have made way for the lower lift-type ones. And when you enter without a key, the position of the request sensor on the door makes it look like an afterthought. There is good flow from the shoulders to the taillights, while the rear of the Celerio has a curvaceous theme.
There is a lot of flavor in the interior as well. The winged look on the dashboard is stylish, the 7-inch touchscreen gets prominence and the WagonR’s digital instruments also add to the presence. The cabin looks more upmarket than the older cars and there is a lot of storage space too. Feel your way though and you’ll find that the quality hasn’t made much of a leap, as most of the cabin has hard plastic.
The Celerio isn’t a tall car, but it’s easy to get in and out of. Drivers will appreciate the inclusion of height adjustment for their seats. Like the first Celerio, the front seats have single-piece backrests with integrated headrests and score ample comfort. Front visibility is good, but the relatively thick A-pillars create a blind spot at the intersection. It also takes a habit of using centrally located switches for front windows and central locking – they sit under touchscreens rather than on doors. Similarly the rear window controls sit between the front seats instead of the doors.
Back seat comfort is good, but not great. The large windows provide a nice view, there’s ample kneeling space for taller people, and the seat is well-cushioned as well. The trouble is, fixed headrests are too small to offer any real head support to tall passengers, and their low and angled position also makes them uncomfortable.
Where Celerio has taken a big step is in the luggage space. The 313-liter boot can easily hold two large suitcases and two cabin bags, and there’s an option to fold up the 60:40 split rear seat backrest for more room.
Talking about the equipment, this ZXI+ variant has been introduced here with some special features. It gets keyless entry and go, driver seat height adjustment, electrically adjustable mirrors, steering mounted audio controls and front and rear power windows. Infotainment duties are handled by Maruti’s SmartPlay unit which includes a 7-inch touchscreen. The system does well to offer Android Auto and Apple CarPlay connectivity, though the screen does catch some reflections. What is missing a reverse camera would have helped better justify the relatively high price tag of the top-spec versions. And while auto climate control is not on the list of features, the air conditioner did a good job of cooling the cabin.
In terms of safety equipment, the Celerio gets dual front airbags, ABS, front seatbelt reminder and rear parking sensors as standard, while the AMT variant also gets hill start assist.
The Celerio introduced Suzuki’s K10C DualJet engine in India. The familiar K10 in the name tells you that it is a 1.0-litre, three-cylinder unit, while the new DualJet embodies the use of two injectors per cylinder which essentially helps in a more fuller burn and better economy. Passive start/stop is also standard fit, and helps maximize economy at the end. The most efficient VXI AMT from Celerios is rated with an economy figure of 26.68kpl. In terms of power and torque, the 67hp and 89Nm units of the new engine are actually 1hp and 1Nm less than the old unit.
The rave band has a clean build of low to power and, while not being as peppy as the big-hearted Swift, the performance in the city is actually quite good. There are no flat spots or hiccups in the delivery and you will love the ease with which the Celerio moves around the city. The stop/start technique works well too. On prolonged pauses, the system shuts down the engine and the unit comes back to life by depressing the clutch. The system is quick to respond, but the trouble is, with the engine off, the air-con also shuts down, leaving only the blower on; Not ideal on a hot day. You have the option of turning off the idle start/stop intervention via a single button.
The Celerio will happily sync up with city traffic and even achieve highway speeds with ease, though you’ll have to plan for overtakes on the open road. For its part, the five-speed manual gearbox that comes with a light clutch doesn’t require much effort.
The Celerio AMT is also a good proposition for those who do not want the hassle of changing gears at all. Gearshifts are, for the most part, timely and the AMT-specific head node or pause between shifts is also well contained. It’s still not as simple as a torque converter or a CVT, but the AMT has certainly come a long way since the original Celerio was the first variant. You can also take manual control via the snazzy gear lever. The system responds well enough to manual inputs, however, it is best to adopt an easy-going driving style.
If your driving will primarily be in a low-speed city setting, you’ll adopt the Celerio’s friendly demeanor. It has a small turning radius, easy to park and the suspension does a good job of damping down bumps. Even at high speeds, the Celerio feels fairly certain, although the suspension crashes through the potholes – the handling isn’t exciting, but the car feels composed.
One complaint that persists is lifeless steering. While it’s easy to spin, it doesn’t self-center enough, so you’ll always have to keep a firm hand on the wheel.
Priced between ₹4.99 Lakh and ₹6.94 Lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi), the Celerio goes up against Tata Tiago, Hyundai Santro and Datsun GO. While the mid-spec versions that make up the bulk of sales tend to score well on value, the range-topping versions come across as a touch value for the price they offer. And it doesn’t help that the Wagon R with the bigger and more powerful 1.2-liter engine costs less.
The new Celerio may not be a revolutionary product, but there is no denying that it offers exactly what ordinary urbanites want. It is easy to drive, spacious, and the tag of being India’s most fuel efficient car is sure to be an attraction in itself.
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