Maruti Suzuki Celerio: A car that’s been around for quite some time now is the Maruti Suzuki Celerio, it’s a budget hatch that is known to everyone, to be frugal, practical and an easy solve to point a to point b vehicle.
With its unassuming design, open spaced interior and conservative approach, the Celerio is just what many urban drivers have been looking for – it’s not an automotive confection where bells and whistles are concerned, yet still maintains its road-going credentials.
Design: The Bold Whisper Of Confidence
The Celerio doesn’t try to stand out with radical styling – instead it has a design that sits easily with what you’ll see every day on the roads.
The latest iteration takes in a cleaner, softer-edged front end treatment and its compact grille and neatly packaged headlamps are well resolved. The body shapes are sleek and give a design conscious look.
It mightn’t wow you if you are on the catwalk of fashion, but in proportion and size it actually takes up just the right amount of space on Indian urban roads — easy to whip around and easy to park even in tight spots.
It rides on 15-inch alloy wheels in the top trims and despite it not having a class leading ground clearance, it is more than sufficient for the average Indian road.
The rear is plain, but serves its purpose including h mounted stop lamp and well stacked taillamps.
In terms of design philosophy, the Celerio seems to go with function over flair — and that’s where it finds its sweet spot with more mature, value-conscious buyers.
Cabin Space and Comfort
On the inside, the Celerio manages to feel a lot less claustrophobic than it should through its size. The tall-boy stance means there’s decent headroom, and even rear legroom is fine for adults of average height.
The dash is ergonomically laid out with a centre-mounted infotainment touchscreen (on higher variants), steering-mounted controls and a digital instrument cluster.
The plastic quality is still plain and the fit and finish is passable for the price. The cloth seats provide good support for city driving. Unfortunately, boot space is limited to 313 liters for the hatchback category.
Everyday usability has obviously been a focus — the glovebox, cup holders and door pockets contribute to that convenience.
Engine and Driving Experience
Powering the Celerio will be a 1.0-litre K-Series petrol engine. It makes about 67 PS of power and 89 Nm of torque — numbers that may sound conservative on paper but work fine for an overall light weight vehicle.
One of the reasons this car is one of the most affordable cars from a reputed manufacturer (From Maruti), is because it is available in both 5 speed manual and AMT(automated manual transmission).
Performance is sufficiently peppy for city driving. They are far better today, and if customers demand their shifts be smoother, spirited drivers might still prefer the manual.
Fuel efficiency is where Celerio scores one of its biggest wins.
The petrol version of the car has ARAI-certified fuel efficiency figures of over 25 kmpl, and even higher with CNG.
Features and Technology
The Celerio may not be aiming at premium hatchbacks but it offers a good feature list for its price point.
Key features of the top trims of the Alto include the 7-inch SmartPlay touchscreen infotainment system with smartphone connectivity, dual front airbags, ABS with EBD, rear parking sensors and power adjustable ORVMs.
There’s no sunroof, rear AC vents or fancy-ass ADAS tech — and that is by design.
Maruti has made the Celerio simple and focused, not burdening it with unnecessary extravagances which can only add to its cost.
Pros:
Great fuel economy, especially the CNG version
Easy drive and park for city use
Large cabin for a hatchback of its size
Affordable maintenance costs and extensive service network
AMT offering provides more convenience
Cons:
Bodywork is a bit flimsy; does not feel solid on the highway.
Poor Interiors & without any luxury features
Lacks engine punch for highway passing
2, No diesel option; only offered in petrol and CNG
Maruti Suzuki Celerio: Conclusion
The Maruti Suzuki Celerio is not a thrill machine or a tech laden marvel and it doesn’t pretend to be one either.
It fulfils its brief as a cheap-to-run, easy-to-live-with and stable city car very well.
For anyone seeking a no-nonsense car with cheap maintenance, decent comfort and the bulletproof inheritance of being a Maruti, the Celerio is a sensible, pragmatic and practical option — it does the needful: Peacefully, effectively and cost effectively.