Maruti Suzuki diesel hybrid has finally been launched in India at a sticker price of Rs. 8.23 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi). The affordable pricing has been made possible due to Government’s FAME scheme which offers incentives to company’s making Hybrid vehicles, so it benefits from excise duty lay off from 24 to 12.5%. Dubbed as Ciaz SHVS (Smart hybrid vehicle by Suzuki) delivers 28.09 KMPL of mileage making it the most fuel efficient car in India.
The Ciaz now the first car in its segment to offer mild hybrid technology though it’s not a proper hybrid vehicle like Camry but still it will help the sales of Ciaz.
The new Ciaz is powered by a tried and tested 1.3l DDIs Multijet diesel engine which continues to produce 88.7bhp@4000rpm and peak torque of 200Nm@1750rpm mated to a 5-speed manual transmission. The same engine now comes with mild smart hybrid technology along with integrated starter technology (ISG) and large lithium ion batteries.
Ciaz SHVS comes with a start/stop function which automatically shut down the engine completely when vehicle is in idle and starts again as soon as clutch is pressed. Alongside start/stop technology, Ciaz SHVS comes with deceleration energy function that sends back wasted energy to its electric system resulting in greater fuel efficiency and also keeps down the cost. A gearshift indicator has been added to instrument cluster which enables driver to change gears more efficiently and smoothly.
The Ciaz SHVS is being available in five variants- VDi, VDi (O), VDI+, ZDI and ZDI+ and replaces the existing standard diesel variants. Maruti Ciaz Hybrid is available in seven paint shades– Pearl Snow White, Metallic Glistening Gray, Metallic Silky silver, Pearl Midnight Black, Pearl Metallic Dignity Brown, Pearl Sangria Red and Metallic Clear Beige.
The new update is rather mechanical than cosmetic, Ciaz hybrid does not feature any design change at all except for the SHVS badging at rear. It continues to flaunt large projector headlamps, multi slat front grille which we Indian love, 16 inch alloy wheels and wraparound taillights. Even inside the cabin it still features dual beige interiors with faux wood finish and Smartplay infotainment system.
Feature list on Ciaz SHVS includes dual airbags, ABS, automatic climate control, multi function steering wheel, rear AC vents with 12V power socket, touch display with navigation, reverse parking display aid and bluetooth connectivity. The Maruti Ciaz is selling around 4000 units a month but still lags behind the segment leader Honda City. The new technology will surely work in its favor and should increase the sales.
