The Maruti Suzuki Celerio has been playing a different game in the compact hatchback segment of India since it was launched. Brilliant on fuel efficiency and on affordability, compact, the first-time car buyers and city commuters are sporting the Celerio like a badge of honour.
This new hatchback has been reimagined from the brand to give it the feel of modern drivers, and therefore, the new features incorporated along with enhanced fuel efficiency and technology updates are the latest iteration of the hatchback.
The article takes you deep into the most important aspects of this new 2024 Maruti Suzuki Celerio: Design, Performance, Safety, Technology, and Market Positioning.
Clearly, this is a brand that offers the best value for money, and the new Celerio is cutting through to be one of India’s most prized small cars.
And the much-awaited Maruti Suzuki Celerio comes in a brand-new young design. It seems after putting a whole new look onto car designs, Maruti Suzuki has come up with a product that is even more stylish for young and urban people who do not compromise on style yet need it to be practical.
The front grille of the new Celerio is bold machined chrome-accented and pushes for a more advanced look. Its swept-back halogen headlamps enhance modern appeal.
Its rounded headlamps and sculpted bonnet give a friendly and approachable design. The front bumper of the car is wide and takes in the housing of the fog lamp-a well-balanced stance on the road.
Aerodynamics abound in the shape of the Celerio. The flowing lines and curves, along with 15-inch alloy wheels for the higher trim variations, make it sporty-looking.
At just short of 3.7 meters in length, the compact size takes care of nitty-gritty problems such as navigating those seemingly impossible spaces within the confines of a bustling city.
The rear of the car has also had a facelift with new tail lamps and an altogether cleaner design.
The tailgate with the chrome strip above the number plate gives a sort of width and sophistication to the car. Though a compact hatchback, the Celerio manages to project a balanced and proportionate design that really appeals to the style-conscious buyer.
The new color palette of the Celerio introduces energetic shades like Solid Fire Red and Speedy Blue along with classic white, silver, and grey. It is very much for all sorts of buyers in its mind.
Engine and Performance: Fuel-Efficient Powerhouse
The most significant highlight of the 2024 Maruti Suzuki Celerio is its next-generation K10C DualJet petrol engine.
More performance- and efficiency-oriented, this 1.0-liter three-cylinder engine happens to be one of the most fuel-efficient petrol cars available in India, chugging out a maximum power of 66 bhp at 5,500 RPM and a peak torque of 89 Nm at 3,500 RPM; there’s enough on tap to provide smooth city driving and occasional highway runs.
The Celerio comes both in 5-speed MT and 5-speed AGS. Maruti Suzuki has only built up from the perfectness of the AGS with smoother and quicker gear shift.
So it became easy to drive through the traffic for the new driver without constant stress regarding the change of the gears.
Fuel efficiency has also been an ever-present highlight for the Celerio, and this new version raises the industry benchmark to the next level with its mileage standing at 26.68 km/l for the VXi AGS variant.
Much of this goes to the DualJet, Dual VVT technology enhancing combustion efficiency through two injectors per cylinder.
More fuel-saving ability is now provided to the auto start-stop feature because it turns off the engine during idle periods- like at traffic lights and once the clutch has been pressed then the engine will resume smoothly.
To attract those who are interested in environment and emission, it comes with a Celerio CNG variant also, so the 1.0-liter petrol-CNG engine; this achieves an even more impressive fuel economy of about 35.60 km/kg in CNG mode.
This is, quite obviously a strong contender in its class, with such an attractive proposition for fleet operators, and for those looking after longer-term benefits of fuel-cost saving.
Suspension Celerio features MacPherson strut at the front and torsion beam suspension at the rear so that it rides wonderfully on even the roughest of city roads and highway conditions. Compact size and light steering make it nimble enough to cut through tight spots or traffic easily.
Interior and Comfort: Spacious and Feature-Rich
Despite having a rather minute outer dimension, Maruti Suzuki Celerio surprisingly accommodates five comfortably. The big change here has been inside. Exterior looks pretty similar but the new design of the interior gives the driver and passengers more premium experience.
This dashboard is plain but functional, flaunting a 7-inch SmartPlay Studio infotainment system front and center. The touchscreen unit completely works with both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, so hooking up your phone for music, navigation, or receiving handsfree calls couldn’t be any more simple. Bluetooth functionality is also included as well as USB and AUX inputs for added convenience.
Audio controls on the steering wheel and voice command allow drivers to maintain control of infotainment functions without requiring them to move their hands off the wheel for safety and convenience.
The semi-digital instrument cluster is helpful for information that a driver may need or want on a vehicle, which includes digital information on a speedometer, fuel efficiency, and gear shift indicator.
The Celerio will be provided with relatively soft-cushioned seats which later provide good back support, and hence long drives will not be tiring. Apart from that, cloth upholstery and other interior designing also might save time every day for families and daily commuters.
Better visibility and comfort are achieved for all heights through the adjustment in the driver’s seat height available in higher variants.
There is an abundant amount of car-sized storage space in the Celerio, with a boot space that extends to 313 liters. It has been perfect for small families or perfect for people who want good room for grocery shopping, luggage, or whatever haul one needs to get home for the weekend.
But what most interestingly guarantees to use all that space is the offer at the back of split-fold 60:40 rear seat design.
On top of that, these convenience features such as keyless entry with push-button start, adjustable electrically operable ORVMs, and power windows for all four doors add even more to the above overall user friendliness factor.
Safety: More Security for Daily Driving
Maruti Suzuki has engineered this new Celerio to be safe while, at the same time, fully comprehending what the modern buyer of a car expects.
The car is engineered on the Maruti’s Heartect platform so that it will absorb and dissipate crash energy much better and, thus, protect the cabin from the impact at the time of collision.
The Celerio comes standard with dual front airbags to all versions. It allows basic protection for the driver and the front passenger.
Up variants are in sync with ABS that has EBD or Electronic Brakeforce Distribution, which smoothes out braking as it disperses breaking force in accordance with load and road conditions to minimize the chances of skidding or losing ground.
All the variants come with reverse parking sensors, which add up to another important feature with regard to safety.
They save chances of accidents that may occur due to reverse parking into a cramped parking space. To help the driver visually detect the parking spot, rearview cameras are designed for the higher variants to ensure maximum safety.
Seatbelt reminders for driver as well as front passenger; warning signals about car speed while traveling, and a center locking system with child security locks are provided as additional for the protection of people inside the car.
Fuel Efficiency and Eco-Friendly Options
As discussed above, the new benchmark of fuel efficiency is Celerio by Maruti Suzuki, hence this can be treated as the best car for townrunners who would want to spend less on fuel.
And the petrol variant of Celerio has a certified mileage of 26.68 km/l in making it one of the best fuel-efficient vehicles in India. The CNG variant offers more money-saving points, which attracts the drivers concerned with the environment or who love crossing long distances.
The auto start-stop system is improved in terms of fuel economy and reduced co2 emissions, therefore, it is in line with the trend of producing more environmentally friendly vehicles throughout the global market.
Market Positioning and Competitors
Maruti Suzuki Celerio car correctly owns a top position in the highly competitive compact hatchback space in India. Hyundai Santro, Tata Tiago, and Renault Kwid are some of its arch rivals. However, three critical factors like outstanding fuel efficiency, compact size, and price make this car differentiate it from others.
The car will come at a price which would fall between INR 5.39 lakh and INR 7.14 lakh, ex-showroom, depending upon the variant and the transmission options chosen.
In that sense, the Celerio promises fantastic value for money, especially if one is a first-time car buyer, young professionals, or small family size.
The other reasons that make Celerio a still more attractive choice to most Indian buyers is its massive servicing network and low cost of maintenance. The strong resale value and proved reliability of the vehicle ensure its position in the list of top sellers in compact hatchback cars.