Maruti has launched the new Ciaz sedan starting at Rs 6.99 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi). With its upmarket styling and competitive pricing, the Ciaz does make a much stronger case than the brand’s previous two attempts at the segment – the Baleno and the SX4. We take a look at how it compares on paper against its mid-size rivals – the Honda City, the Hyundai Verna, the Volkswagen Vento, Fiat Linea and Ford Fiesta.
Under the hood
The Maruti Ciaz gets the option of a 1372cc, four-cylinder petrol engine and a Fiat-sourced 1248cc, four-cylinder diesel engine. The petrol motor makes 91bhp and 13.2kgm, while the diesel engine makes 89bhp and 20.4kgm. The petrol motor comes mated to a five speed manual and a four-speed automatic gearbox, while the diesel variant gets only a five-speed manual 'box.
The Honda City is also available in both petrol and diesel guise. The City petrol is powered by a 1497cc, four-cylinder, i-VTEC engine which makes 117bhp and 14.8kgm. It is offered with the option of a five-speed manual transmission and a CVT auto box. The City diesel variant gets a 1498cc, four-cylinder i-DTEC engine which is good for 99bhp and 20.4kgm. The diesel engine is only offered with a six-speed manual transmission.
The Volkswagen Vento, on the other hand, offers the option of two petrol engines – a smaller 1197cc, four-cylinder, turbocharged, direct injection motor which makes 103bhp and 17.8kgm, and a bigger 1598cc, four-cylinder petrol motor that also makes 103bhp but lower torque of 15.6kgm. While the former comes mated to a seven-speed DSG automatic gearbox, the bigger motor gets coupled to a five-speed manual transmission.
The Vento diesel variant gets a new 1498cc, four-cylinder motor which makes 103bhp and 25.5kgm and comes with an option of a five-speed manual transmission or a seven-speed DSG automatic.
Just like the Volkswagen Vento, even the Hyundai Verna is available with two petrol engine options. The petrol Verna offers buyers the choice of a 1396cc, four-cylinder engine which makes 105bhp and 13.8kgm of torque, and comes mated to a five-speed manual transmission. There's a bigger 1591cc, four-cylinder engine which generates 121bhp and 15.8kgm of torque. This motor is offered with the option of a five-speed manual transmission and a four-speed automatic gearbox.
The Hyundai Verna is the only mid-size sedan that gets two diesel engines. There's a 1396cc, four-cylinder unit which is good for 89bhp and 22.4kgm, while the bigger 1582cc mill makes 126bhp and 26.5kgm. The smaller engine gets a six-speed manual transmission while the 1.6 diesel offers the option of a six-speed manual gearbox and a four-speed automatic transmission.
Even the Fiat Linea offers the choice of two petrol engines. There's a 1368cc, four-cylinder, naturally aspirated motor which is good for 88bhp and 11.7kgm and a 1368cc, four-cylinder, turbocharged engine which develops 112bhp and 21.1kgm. The Fiat Linea diesel gets the same 1248cc Multijet engine as the Ciaz, but it produces 92bhp and 21.3kgm.
Unlike all the other mid-size sedans, the Ford Fiesta is available only with a diesel engine, a 1498cc, four-cylinder unit which makes 90bhp and 20.8kgm.
Dimensions
At 2650mm, the Maruti Ciaz has the longest wheelbase in this group. The Fiat Linea comes closest with a wheelbase of 2603mm, but is 47mm less than the Ciaz. The Honda City is next, but its wheelbase at 2600mm is still 50mm short of the Ciaz. The City is followed by the Hyundai Verna with a 2570mm wheelbase (80mm short of the Ciaz), while the Volkswagen Vento slots in next at 2552mm (98mm shorter than the Ciaz). The Ford Fiesta's 2489mm wheelbase (161mm less than the Ciaz) is the shortest here.
At 4490mm in length, the Ciaz is 50mm longer than the City, 106mm over the Volkswagen Vento, 120mm than the Hyundai Verna and 170mm as compared to the Ford Fiesta. But, the Fiat Linea is 106mm longer than the Maruti Ciaz.
At 1730mm in width, the Ciaz is also 35mm wider than the Honda City, 31mm than the Vento and 30mm wider when compared to the Hyundai Verna. The width of the Fiat Linea is identical to that of the Ciaz but the Ford is wider by 34mm.
The new Maruti Ciaz (1485mm) is also taller than the Vento and the Verna by 19mm and 10mm, respectively. However, it is shorter than the City by 10mm and also shorter than the Linea and the Fiesta by a marginal 2mm and 1mm, respectively.
Pricing
The Maruti Ciaz petrol model is priced in the range of Rs 6.99 – 9.34 lakh, in comparison to the Honda City (Rs 7.25 – 11.02 lakh), the Hyundai Verna (Rs 7.39 – 9.51 lakh), new Volkswagen Vento (Rs 7.44 – 9.92 lakh) and the Fiat Linea (Rs 7 – 9.02 lakh).
The Ciaz diesel costs anywhere between Rs 8.04 lakh and Rs 9.80 lakh, as compared to the Honda City (Rs 8.43 – 11.11 lakh), Hyundai Verna (Rs 8.56 – 11.72 lakh), new Volkswagen Vento (Rs 8.57 – 10.94 lakh), Fiat Linea (Rs 8.16 – 9.74 lakh) and the Ford Fiesta (Rs 8.70 – 9.44 lakh).
How does it stack up?
The Maruti Ciaz has the longest wheelbase amongst its rivals which suggests that its cabin is the most spacious. The carmaker has also said that it has focussed on back seat comfort with the new sedan.
Among the petrol powered mid-size sedans, the power and torque output of the Maruti Ciaz engine is higher than only the Fiat Linea's naturally aspirated 1368cc motor. All the others – the Vento 1.2 TSI, Vento 1.6, Verna 1.4, Verna 1.6 and the Fiat Linea T-Jet – make more power than the Ciaz 1.4 petrol on paper.
The Ciaz diesel's power output is similar to the Hyundai Verna 1.4 variant. However, the Fiat Linea too gets the same 1.3-litre Multijet engine but makes a bit more power and torque. Similarly, the diesel variants of the Honda City, Volkswagen Vento and the Fiesta facelift look more powerful on paper. The Verna 1.6 diesel variant with 126bhp and 26.5kgm is the most powerful oil burner here.
In terms of pricing, the Ciaz has been slotted in a bracket that is marginally more affordable than some of its closest rivals.
Maruti Ciaz petrol vs rivals
Maruti Ciaz Honda City Hyundai Verna VW Vento Fiat Linea
V 6.99 E 7.25 1.4 Base 7.39 1.6 Trendline 7.44 FIRE Active 7
V+ 7.55 S 7.89 1.4 CX 8.28 1.6 Highline 8.87 T-JET Active 7.45
Z 8.24 SV 8.47 1.6 SX 8.79 1.2 Comfortline AT 9.35 T-JET Dynamic 8.54
Z (O) 8.59 V 9.03 1.6 SX (O) 9.73 1.2 Highline AT 9.92 T-JET Emotion 9.02
V+ AT 8.65 VX 9.97 1.6 SX AT 9.51 -
Z AT 9.34 SV CVT 9.47 - -
- VX CVT 11.02 - -
(Prices in lakh, ex-showroom Delhi)
Maruti Ciaz diesel vs rivals
Maruti Ciaz Honda City Hyundai Verna VW Vento Ford Fiesta Fiat Linea
V 8.04 E 8.43 1.4 Base 8.56 Trendline 8.57 Trend 8.70 Active 8.16
V+ 8.63 S 9.06 1.4 CX 9.49 Highline 9.90 Titanium 9.44 Dynamic 9.29
Z 9.45 SV 9.60 1.6 SX 9.97 Comfortline AT 10.49 Emotion 9.74
Z (O) 9.80 V 10.17 1.6 SX AT 10.68 Highline AT 10.94
VX 11.11 1.6 SX (O) 11.01
1.6 SX (O) AT 11.72
[/img]Maruti Ciaz Honda City Hyundai Verna VW Vento Fiat Linea
V 6.99 E 7.25 1.4 Base 7.39 1.6 Trendline 7.44 FIRE Active 7
V+ 7.55 S 7.89 1.4 CX 8.28 1.6 Highline 8.87 T-JET Active 7.45
Z 8.24 SV 8.47 1.6 SX 8.79 1.2 Comfortline AT 9.35 T-JET Dynamic 8.54
Z (O) 8.59 V 9.03 1.6 SX (O) 9.73 1.2 Highline AT 9.92 T-JET Emotion 9.02
V+ AT 8.65 VX 9.97 1.6 SX AT 9.51 -
Z AT 9.34 SV CVT 9.47 - -
- VX CVT 11.02 - -
(Prices in lakh, ex-showroom Delhi)
Maruti Ciaz diesel vs rivals
Maruti Ciaz Honda City Hyundai Verna VW Vento Ford Fiesta Fiat Linea
V 8.04 E 8.43 1.4 Base 8.56 Trendline 8.57 Trend 8.70 Active 8.16
V+ 8.63 S 9.06 1.4 CX 9.49 Highline 9.90 Titanium 9.44 Dynamic 9.29
Z 9.45 SV 9.60 1.6 SX 9.97 Comfortline AT 10.49 Emotion 9.74
Z (O) 9.80 V 10.17 1.6 SX AT 10.68 Highline AT 10.94
VX 11.11 1.6 SX (O) 11.01
1.6 SX (O) AT 11.72
