Maruti Suzuki Celerio - VXI MT

Exterior

-- Exterior is good looking (from the front side), back side looks can be improved. There are lots of gaps in the body around the edges where dust gets collected easily.

 

Interior (Features, Space & Comfort)

 -- Interior is spacious and good enough for a family of 5 people. AC cooling is quick and the engine noise is very much less compared to previous cars.

 -- When comparing the Price-to-Features value, Celerio has a downside. For the VXI trim, it is hard to believe the following are not added to the car -> no fog lamps, no remote locking (central locking with keys are there), no body colored ORVM or handles (!), no audio system.

 -- These all accessories add up to the bill and comes to a hefty sum overall. I have got the car after the price hike (Jan 2015 model) and it is dissappointing that MSL does not offer many accessories with the car. I strongly feel that fog lamps and remote locking should be included in the VXI cut in the current price. At least the body cover !!

Engine Performance, Fuel Economy and Gearbox

 -- Engine is peppy and very responsive. Gearbox is smooth and gives good feedback when reducing the gears. While you try to switch to a lower gear at faster speeds, the gear stick gives a "stop-doing-that" feedback so that damages can be avoided. As I am still a learner, this helps a lot actually.

Ride Quality & Handling

 -- Ride quality is pretty good, handling is easy.

Final Words

 -- I am happy with the car itself. Good looks, nice driving control, great space and overall VFM.

 -- Had peculiarly "unsettling" experience with the MSL sales/dealer. First, they wanted to sway away customers to WagonR than Celerio (May be WagonR's are not selling enough) even if you are not interested. Second, lots of promises made during test drive/booking time which did not materialize while paying the final settlement - citing certain rules. These rules were known to them at the time of promises. It was awkward, but went ahead with the purchase as I had finalized the car already.

Areas of improvement  

 -- Rear design can be improved for sure.

 -- Interiors still feel a bit cheap compared to competitions.

 -- Few more accessories can be provided with the car in the VXI trim. For the money taken from  the customer starting Jan 2015, fog lamps and remote locking should be provided with the model itself at the same cost.

 

Space, Front Look, Ground clearance, Driving experiencePricing - bit higher, not many accessories given with car