Class leading space, added features
Step inside and you continue to get the same airy feel, something that goes down well with family buyers. The Ciaz has the longest wheelbase in the segment and this liberates oodles of space on the inside. This is one of those rare cars wherein a 6 feet tall person can sit behind an equally tall front passenger and yet have enough room to cross his legs! The Ciaz is still the most spacious car in the segment save for limited headroom and the new version gets additional kit in the form of faux wooden inserts on the fascia and the doors, cruise control and a new TFT screen in the speedometer console. This is only offered in the petrol line-up and gets new dials for the pods. Looks sporty! The TFT also showcases the working of the mild hybrid set-up.
The top spec Ciaz comes with leather upholstery while a dual tone theme is standard across the range. In terms of features, the only two important things missing here is a sunroof and ventilated seats, something that the Verna offers. Apart from that, we don’t find any fault with the cabin of the Ciaz. That said, ingress and egress isn’t the best around. Boot space stands at 510 lites, which is among the best for a sedan under Rs 12 lakh.

Adequate but very efficient
The biggest change however is under the hood. The old 1.4 petrol has been replaced by the 1.5-litre K15B unit that not only offers larger displacement but churns out more power and higher torque. The icing on the cake comes in the form of better fuel economy than ever before, partially due to the Smart Hybrid tech, which is now being offered on the petrol Ciaz as well. The engine comes mated to a choice of transmission options, a 5-speed manual or a 4-speed Auto.
The engine is less powerful than the petrols offered by the Honda City and Hyundai Verna. This said, the real strength of the new motor is in the way it builds up speeds from lower engine speeds and this makes it a great city tool.
In fact, in spite of the a 4-speed auto (as compared to 5 or 6 or CVT for rivals), the A/T Ciaz does not feel under-powered, nor does it run out of breath on open roads. Both the A/T and M/T do similar speeds in their top gears at 2000rpm – roughly 82 as per display.
The new K15B engine also performs well when given the stick. While it will not be able to overshadow the Honda City 1.5 petrol or the Hyundai Verna 1.6 petrol, it will keep most owners happy, more so due to its frugal nature.
Being a Ciaz owner back home, I also feel that engineers have tweaked the suspension, aiding both comfort and stability at higher speeds. The diesel remains the same tried and tested 1.3 litre motor that has a bit of turbo lag under 1750 rpm, but strong performer thereafter. However, it is still not a match for the 1.6 of the Verna or the 1.5 of the Rapid / Vento. Also, unlike rivals, no automatic here either.

Neutral and comfortable
The Ciaz was never meant to be an enthusiast’s delight. Comfort is where it scores and this is evident from the way it handles. Drive this car normally and you will have no reason to complain. The ride quality is fantastic and this will be preferred by most owners. The steering however is a tad heavier at parking speeds.
Throw the Ciaz into corners and you can’t expect the same kind of agility as say a Vento. Highway manner though are nice and the car remains planted at triple digit speeds. The automatic version gets electronic stability control for added driving confidence.

Adequate
The Ciaz is Maruti’s flagship sedan and is offered in four different versions. Even the base Sigma comes with electronic outside mirrors, keyless entry, all four power windows, rear ac vents, front and rear armrests, audio system with Bluetooth connectivity with steering controls, rear sensors, ABS and even dual Airbags. This is fantastic by any means. The top spec version on the other hand adds in a touch-screen system (SmartPlay), rear camera, stunning alloy wheels, smart keyless entry with push button start, leather seats, cruise control and auto ac. Rivals like Verna however offer a sunroof and ventilated seats.