Stocks of the existing Maruti Ciaz are running low as dealers have been offering discounts on the mid-size sedan, and Maruti-Suzuki too have dispatched just 48 units in the month of July. The company deliberately reduced production of the Ciaz to avoid piling of inventory at the dealer end which usually then are discounted heavily.
The 2018 Maruti Ciaz (facelift) is reported to have its launch on August 20, and several NEXA dealers have (unofficially) started accepting bookings for a deposit of INR 21,000. As reported earlier, Maruti is likely to have only petrol variants of the new Ciaz at launch, though the diesel will follow at a later stage.
The 1.4-liter K-series petrol will be replaced with an all-new 1.5-liter K15B VVT four-cylinder engine capable of 104.7 PS and 138 Nm of torque. This is the same engine that powers the 2018 (Maruti) Ertiga in the Indonesian market, and will be a mainstay on future premium Maruti products. The 1.5-liter K15B will reportedly get Maruti's SHVS mild hybrid technology to further increase fuel efficiency. Until now, Maruti buyers could experience this technology only on diesel cars such as the Ciaz, S-Cross and Ertiga.
New LED headlights, LED daytime running lights, a redesigned grille, revised bumpers and LED brake lights are the changes observed outside. Inside, a new, lighter shade of faux-wood elements, height-adjustable rear headrests and a new instrument cluster with a new multi-info display are the reported changes.
Also read: 9 models of Maruti Suzuki meet India's new crash test norms
The 2018 Ciaz will rival the Hyundai Verna, Honda City, Toyota Yaris, VW Vento and Skoda Rapid when it goes on sale this month. The Ciaz has consistently been among the top 3 in its segment (sales wise).
