Maruti Suzuki Celerio CNG heats up competition in hatchback segment

The Celerio hatchback from Maruti Suzuki hit to instant fame from the day it was launched in the country. The carmaker seems to be in no mood to let off the new raskal in town with a popular EZDrive technology. The key factor that made it a grand success is the lucrative starting price tag of about Rs. 4,36,677 (Ex-showroom Mumbai) for the Automated Manual Transmission (AMT) technology version. The carmaker has now ushered in a new CNG variant rechristned as Celerio Green. The new Celerio CNG is available for sale in India at Rs 4.92 lakh (ex-showroom Mumbai).

The new CNG variant shall use the current 1.0-litre K-Series engine, that generates about 68 Ps of power with about 90 Nm of torque. The existing engine is mated to a five speed gearbox in manual transmission. Whereas, the Auto Gear Shift system version has no manual clutch and thus there are only two pedals. It is based on an electronic control unit which drives the precision hydraulic actuator to control the clutch engagement and the gear shifting. It also ensures that the gear and clutch operations happen at optimal timings. The hatchback is stated to be highly fuel efficient and delivers an impressive mileage of about 23.1 kmpl in petrol, whereas the CNG variant shall return a fuel economy of about 31.79 km/kg.

The interiors in the Maruti Suzuki Celerio is said to be intelligently designed to maximize space and comfort. The rear seats get 60:40 split option known as 'XpanDesign' for more luggage space. The cabin space is neat and has a premium feel too it. Moreover, the occupants get ample headroom, legroom and shoulder-room for a comfortable travel. News has now been doing rounds that Celerio may be launched in diesel version soon. Based on unconfirmed reports, the Celerio hatchback may receive a 800cc diesel engine. Currently the engine is at a development stage and the popular hatchback Celerio shall be the first one to receive it. When successful, it may find its way into the Eeco van as well. With the launch of the cars in a diesel variant, the Indian manufacturer aims at gaining an entry in commercial vehicle segment.