2021 Maruti Suzuki Celerio Review, First Drive

The 2021 Maruti Suzuki Celerio. The hatchback from the manufacturer is finally here with us in its brand new avatar promising more of everything. Maruti has an aggressive strategy ahead by bringing out new models to make sure they stand out and grab sales numbers. This hatchback is going to do so for them as it has always done the same. Be it on the inside and outside, it has what it takes to impress a set of consumers. Like always there are core strengths and weaknesses of any product that comes from the Maruti stable. We find out what the 2021 Maruti Suzuki Celerio offers and doesn’t to its prospective buyers.

On the outside, the 3.8 meter hatchback has the silhouette of a stretched Alto and the elements on the car make that quite clear such as the head and tail-lamps. The front grille, bonnet and alloy wheels are entirely new and Maruti says 3D process has been used to sculpt them. The build quality on the outside seems good enough as always but could be better. The overall departure from the clean and crisp lines of the old Celerio has given way to a curvy and more funky design. The colors also signify it is targetting a slightly younger audience.

On the inside, the build and quality are good, not great. The stowage is good, charging points are in plenty, and overall a very practical cabin. The feature list, we have explained time and again in our launch reports. You get every Smarplay touch screen with Android Auto, and Apple Car Play. The sound system is good too considering the segment. Power windows are below the touch screen making it differently convenient than the usual setup of window operating buttons. Start-stop button, oddly mounted headlamp adjuster knob, digital and analog speedometer inspired from the Ritz and steering mounted controls are on offer.

Space is quite good too. The shoulder, head, leg, and knee rooms are segment standard and better as always than all its rivals. The boot space is good by segment standards. Road and wind noise inside the cabin is also well controlled, but road noise can get intrusive and wind noise also does, but after 110 km/hr. The safety kit includes ABS and EBD with two airbags that come as standard.

The only option is a petrol 1.0 litre engine making 75 PS and 90 Nm of torque is a free-revving and low on NVH unit. Be it in any part of the rev range. Be it automatic or manual either it is easy to drive. Also, the clutch is light and so is the gearbox to operate. Automatic is the highly optimized AMT which is now in second generation within the Maruti gearbox universe and it is a gem. It shifts smoothly, almost seamlessly at all speeds making the best AMT after the Mahindra units. It delivers spectacular fuel economy on the highway and city. We saw the claimed number on the Udaipur highway of 26 km/l. Really gunning it we saw 19 km/l and i think that is a great number to have in today’s time! Low and mid-range are good and the top-end is good enough as well and it cruises at legal speeds easily. This makes good enough for city and highway duties.

Like most Maruti cars, the low to medium ride quality is good, yet slightly stiff this time around. The high-speed ride can be a bit floaty. Body roll increases as speeds get higher while taking a corner or changing lanes at high speeds. Steering is light, barely precise and has almost negligible feedback on offer which makes the car not so fun or 100% confidence-inspiring to push harder. Brakes are good with well-done pedal bite. Overall, very easy to drive and quite fun to drive by far compared to most of its rivals.

2021 Maruti Suzuki Celerio Review, Verdict

All Maruti cars are reliable and have great reach and quality when it comes to after-sales service. With cheap and cheerful service on offer, Maruti customers can expect hassle-free ownership experience with the Celerio which continues to be its strong point.

It is almost fun to drive, extremely fuel-efficient, has the space and features to make it slightly more premium than the previous Celerio which takes the game higher for customers as expectations rise from this class of consumers as well. Just like any other hatchback from the Maruti stable, the Celerio is here to establish its monarchy even deeper in the segment.