Maruti Suzuki to Launch Ciaz by July: Report

Maruti Suzuki, the country's largest car maker, is reportedly gearing up to launch its new sedan Ciaz in July 2014, claims a new report.

Ciaz, the new entry into the C-segment, was first seen at the Delhi Auto Expo 2014, and is likely to make its India debut by mid-2014, reported I.C.E, citing sources close to the development. The car, codenamed YL1, is expected to replace the underperforming SX4 sedan in the country. It is based on the Suzuki Authentics concept car, which was displayed at the 2013 Shanghai Motor Show. However, Maruti is yet to confirm the launch date and availability of the car in the sub-continent market.

If reports are to be believed, the new C-segment offering of Maruti will pack the same 1.3 liter Multijet diesel or 1.4 liter K Series petrol engine of Ertiga under the hood, and is expected to carry some of the features of both SX4 and Ertiga. Other speculated features of the car include 16-inch alloy wheels, keyless entry, push button start, puddle lamps and leather seats.

Talking about the safety features of the new Ciaz, it is likely to come with Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) with Electronic Brake-force Distribution (EBD). When launched, Ciaz will challenge Hyundai Verna, Honda City and Volkswagen Vento in the domestic market.

Previous reports suggested that Maruti is also planning to launch the Automated Manual Transmission (AMT) version of the Ciaz in India, which was introduced with the Maruti Suzuki Celerio. Maruti Celerio has been earning tremendous reviews in the auto market, and has garnered more than 25,000 bookings since its launch in India.

Maruti is also rumoured to launch the AMT version of its best-selling Alto K10. Car makers like Tata Motors, Mahindra, Hyundai and Volkswagen are also working on the same. Tata's Nano and Zest will be the first few vehicles in the domestic market to follow in Maruti Suzuki's footsteps.