Good city car

Exterior

 Maruti has long way to go when it comes to exterior design and when compared to their closest competitors in terms of sales, Hyundai, they just are not good enough. The car seems to be designed by different people for different sections. The rear side is the worst and the tail lamps are just not up to the mark. It looks rigid due to the high stance and except for the front grille and lamps the looks are quite ordinary.

Interior (Features, Space & Comfort)

 Maruti has imporoved here but yet again fall flat when compared to Hyundai. The plastics are hard and do not have the premium finish quality that Hyundai boasts of even in the basic car like Eon. The lines and design elements are good and the dual tone adds character. 

Space wise maruti have hit all the right buttons. They seems to have learnt from the Honda Brio and have carved out space from every nook and corner. The legroom for this segment is fantastic and the comfort level is within acceptable limits. 

The car is feature rich in the ZXi badge but unfortunately not availbale in the AMT version. The VXi does not even come with stereo. The safety features on the ZXi like ABS and airbags are also not available (not even as an option) on the VXi. Why maruti decided not to offer the AMT version with the ZXi badge is beyond me. The VXi is poorly equiped while the ZXi in the manual version boasts of safety features, electric ORVM, Alloy wheels, stereo, steering mounted controls and more. 

Engine Performance, Fuel Economy and Gearbox

 The refined K10 engine is a gem. The proven machine in the alto just got better. Drive quality is excellent and feels very smooth. Once you get used to the AMT and its gear changes, you will instinctively know when the gear shifts happen and you will see yourself in control of the car much more.

The AMT although not the best automatic around has its advantages and its pretty refined in the celerio. The best part is the proivision of the manual mode. In light traffic when you feel like driving enthusiastically and want better control you can shift into the manual mode and have some fun. You do not have to downshift as the car will automatically do that for you irrespective of whether you are in manual ot auto mode. For overtaking and zipping through traffic, this is the best mode. 

Fuel economy is really good for an auto gear car. I am getting a constant 16.5 (on MID, 2200KMs and after first service) with a combination of heavy and light traffic. I travel atleast 40KMS everyday. And the ease of the auto gear is a boon in city conditions. 

Ride Quality & Handling

 The car handles well in low and high speeds. I have taken it upto 120KM/hr, and it behaved quite well in those speeds. However due to lack of safety features its not a great vehicle to take at those speeds. 

The power steering is pretty precise and feels very smooth. 

Final Words

 Overall its a winner. Good city car with mileage that you can be proud of even in a manual car. The only drawback (shocking drawback) is the unavailablity in ZXi version. 

Areas of improvement  

 The exterior has to improve a lot. Maruti has to get some fresh ideas in the design department (or hire the guy from Hyundai... :p). Interiors could be more refined and please o please release the car in the ZXi version. Too late for me but let the other buyers have the choice. 

 

Good fuel economy, Easy to drive in the city, Manual mode for enthusiastic driving, Good space.Poor exterior design, Not available in ZXi (shocker), Interior plastic quality is just ok.