Maruti will soon have its third shot at the mid-size sedan segment. The company's first attempt, the Maruti Baleno, received less-than-expected response. In 2007, Maruti introduced the SX4, which in its introductory period, got the desired sales volumes for the company.
However, sales of the SX4 have decelerated over the last couple of years. For the last six months of 2013, the SX4 sold somewhere between 200-380 units/month, while the Verna sold nearly 10 times more. The newly-launched Honda City on the other hand sells in excess of 7,100 units/month.
With the Ciaz, Maruti aims to take the fight to the City, which is the new segment leader. Previewed by the concept Ciaz showcased at the Auto Expo, and by the Concept Authentics shown at the Auto Shanghai, the Ciaz is due to launch in the country by the festive season this year.
This mock up created by Indian Autos Blog's render artist, Shoeb Kalania, shows the look of the production Maruti Ciaz. Inspired by the concept, the production version would look almost like a mini Kizashi with its large grille, peeled-back headlights and 16-inch alloy wheels.
Maruti will launch the Ciaz with a petrol and diesel engine right from the start. Reports also suggest that the sedan could be extended the automated manual transmission (AMT) technology which is seen in the new Celerio.
