Suzuki Celerio

The cabin of the 2022 Suzuki Celerio might feel like a cost-effective space, and might not evoke the sense of style as many young buyers might expect from it. However, this all-black cabin, which is spruced with contrast silver bits on the steering wheel, centre console and door panels, is practical, with all the controls in the easy reach of the driver.

Seats and upholstery

The new Celerio comes with black coloured fabric upholstery for the seats as standard, with the seats perfectly aligned even for taller people. However, while the driver’s seat lacks the height adjustability feature, which might bother shorter people, the rear seats come with a flat-folding option, which can maximize boot space at the back.

Comfort and convenience

Though the facelifted Celerio might appear like a small car from the outside, you will be amazed to see the sense of space it packs in on the inside. This little car from Suzuki is big enough to accommodate four people very easily, with additional room for a moderate-sized person. 

Given that it is a budget-oriented hatchback, the Suzuki Celerio gets only the basic essential features on board. The three-spoke steering wheel here gets controls for audio and Bluetooth, behind which sits a comprehensive-looking instrument console with round-themed analogue dials for speedometer, tachometer, fuel gauge, gear indicator, odometer, trip meters and range. 

The centre console of the dashboard here, which is slightly protruding out, gets a Sony-sourced 6.2-inch touchscreen infotainment system. Below the infotainment system, you get controls for manual AC and power window switches, with vertical AC vents on either side of the centre console, apart from rounded AC dials on extreme corners of the dashboard. The centre console area also gets a USB port and a 12V charging socket.

Entertainment, information and communication

The 6.2-inch touchscreen infotainment system of the Suzuki Celerio is sourced from Sony and gets basic facilities like USB, Aux and Bluetooth. It does not look as sophisticated as the 7-inch Smartplay Studio infotainment system available in the India-spec version. It also misses out on Android Auto and Apple Carplay, which have become essential in the present era. This infotainment system is assisted by a four-speaker music system, with one speaker each on all four doors.

Storage

The Suzuki Celerio shows its practical side in the number of small storage spaces available in the car. It gets a closed glovebox on the co-passenger side of the dashboard, two cup holders in the centre console area and bottle holders and map pockets in all the four-door panels.

Compared to the previous-generation Celerio, which had a tall boy design and boxy stance, the new-generation version looks a radical departure with its rounded and curvy design language. The overall design is youthful and looks proportionate from whichever angle you look at it.

At the front, the Suzuki Celerio gets an ovular grille, which gets rectangular inserts within it and is accentuated by a thin strip of chrome running across its width. The end stretches of this chrome strip extend towards the curvy-looking halogen headlamps, which have curved edges on all the sides and stretch a bit upwards. Even the large fog lamp housings, which have a blacked-out finish and gel with the large air dam in the middle of the front bumper and form a single-stretched wide unit, have rounded edges. 

Moving to the side profile, the Suzuki Celerio continues its rounded design philosophy, with visible curves above the front and rear wheel arches. It gets basic-looking claw-type door handles and fender-mounted turn indicators, and it misses out on rearview mirror-mounted indicators present in the India-spec version. Even the B-pillar here is not blacked out and is body-coloured. The 15-inch black-coloured multi-spoke alloy wheels somehow add some zing to the otherwise boring-looking side profile.

At the back too, the 2022 Suzuki Celerio continues to wear a few curvy design hints, which are visible in the design of the wide teardrop-shaped tail lamps and smooth-looking compact boot lid. The rear windscreen is accompanied by a body-coloured spoiler at the top, while the high-positioned rear bumper gets thin strips of reflectors on either corner. It also gets a rear windscreen wiper and washer, which is a rarity in the vehicles of this price segment.

Having a length of 3,695 mm, a width of 1,655 mm and a height of 1,555 mm, the new Suzuki Celerio measures bigger than the S-Presso, above which it is positioned in Suzuki’s lineup. This compact car has a wheelbase of 2,435 mm and a ground clearance of 170 mm, which are decent figures for a vehicle of this size.

Unlike the previous-generation model, the new-generation Suzuki Celerio is based on Suzuki’s versatile and modern Heartect platform, which also underpins several other global Suzukis like WagonR, Swift, Dzire and Baleno. This platform is known for making the frames stronger without compromising on factors like performance and fuel efficiency, and it is why this version of the Celerio feels lighter and agile to drive compared to the previous generation model.

The Celerio comes with Macpherson struts and the front and torsion beam at the rear, and coupled with a light steering setup, it feels quick and easy to drive in the urban environment. Though, as the speeds rise, the lack of feedback from the steering robs the joy of high-speed driving. Having said that, there is an ample amount of grip from the 175/60 R15 tyres, which are perfectly sized for a vehicle of this category. 

Compared to the previous-generation model, the new Suzuki Celerio is powered by a new-generation 1.0-litre K10C Dualjet petrol engine. Featuring a different valve setup, auto start-stop and a few other minor changes, this new engine claims to be lighter, more responsive and more fuel-efficient than the previous engine, which is still available in the S-Presso.

Available with the transmission choices of a 5-speed manual in GL MT and 5-speed AMT in GL AGS variants, this engine produces 67 bhp of maximum power and 89 Nm of maximum torque. Suzuki claims fuel efficiency figures of 25.24 kmpl for the manual version and 26 kmpl for the AGS version, which are easily the segment-best figures in the entry-level compact car category. 

Both the variants of the Suzuki Celerio are decently equipped with basic safety features like dual front airbags, ABS with EBD, reverse parking sensors, an electronic stability program and ISOFIX mounts for child seats, all of which do make it a much safer vehicle than the previous generation model. In addition, the GL AGS variant also gets hill hold assist, which is not available in the GL MT variant. 

 Warranty

Suzuki is offering a complete warranty coverage of 3 years or 100,000 km (whichever is earlier) on the Celerio, which is even more than what the hatchback gets in other markets, including India.

Suzuki Celerio vs the competition

The Suzuki Celerio is priced at PHP 708,000 for the GL MT and PHP 754,000 for the GL AGS variants, which might not make it the most affordable car in its segment. Following are three other small cars in the same category, which are slightly bigger and more powerful than the Suzuki Celerio, thus proving to be worthy alternatives for the new Suzuki offering:

Toyota Wigo – Priced between PHP 568,000 and PHP 700,000, the Toyota Wigo is an established small car and the most affordable product from its expansive portfolio of Toyota. This little car, which is originally a rebadged Daihatsu product, gets a 1.0-litre three-cylinder petrol engine, which produces 66 bhp of maximum power and 89 Nm of maximum torque, and is available with both 5-speed manual and 4-speed automatic gearbox options.

Honda Brio – With a starting price of PHP 598,000, the Honda Brio offers a slightly bigger car experience over the Suzuki Celerio, and has been a tried and tested product in all these years. The current version of the Honda Brio is powered by a 1.2-litre four-cylinder IVTEC petrol engine, which is easily the best in class. Available with both 5-speed manual and CVT gearbox options, this engine produces 90 bhp of power and 110 Nm of torque. 

Mitsubishi Mirage – Compared to the other small cars mentioned here, the Mitsubishi Mirage is the largest, but also the oldest, and it’s felt in the way it is designed and equipped in and out. Nevertheless, like all Japanese products, the Mirage banks on quality, reliability and practicality. With a starting price of PHP 711,000, the Mirage gets a 1.2-litre three-cylinder petrol engine, which churns out 76 bhp of power and 100 Nm of torque, and is available with both 5-speed manual and CVT gearbox choices.

 Final words

With the new-generation model, Suzuki has certainly improved on all the parameters, when compared to the previous generation model. It looks cuter and more modern, has a slightly bigger and more feature-laden cabin, is more powerful and fuel-efficient at the same time and rides even better with more agility on its toes. But when compared to other entry-level small cars available in the market right now, the new Celerio feels like a more expensive proposition, which doesn’t justify its high asking price much. But even then, for those who are seeking a little hatchback which is practical and fun at the same time, the Celerio does make a lot of sense.