Suzuki Ciaz

Overview

Suzuki Ciaz is one of the two sedans, the other one being the Dzire, that the Japanese car maker has to offer in the Philippines market. Suzuki has used just the precise quantity of the right ingredients while designing the Ciaz. One of the biggest USPs of the Ciaz is its capacious interior which, if not the best, is one of the best that you can get in this segment. Available in a single engine option but with both manual and automatic transmissions, the Ciaz price starts at Php 795,000.

Interior & Features

Stepping into the cabin of the Suzuki Ciaz you’d notice that Suzuki has used an all-black theme here. This brings out the sporty character of the car. The design of the dashboard isn’t very exciting but is simple and gets the job done. We don’t have anything to complain about that. The centre console houses a large touchscreen that is responsible for handling audio and navigation duties. The higher end GLX variant gets Android OS with Mirror Link Capability. Below the screen is the controls for air conditioning. The three-spoke steering wheel appears sporty and has got a few mounted controls. Behind it is the meter cluster with a MID (Multi-information display) unit in the middle.

The long wheelbase of the Ciaz enables it to provide an ample amount of legroom for all the occupants. However, the rear seat passengers could face some issues with the headroom because of the sloping roofline. The seats, on the other hand, are well designed and provide great support. Even after keeping the legroom at max, the Ciaz offers a large boot capacity of 495L.

Suzuki has cleverly used different parts of the cabin of the Ciaz to provide many utility spaces. These spaces include centre-lower box with lid and light, driver's side pocket, front centre armrest with console box, front and rear door pockets, and rear centre armrest with cup holders.

Exterior

With the Ciaz, Suzuki found the recipe for making a car classy and sporty at the same time. The front end of the Ciaz has got this sloping nose and narrow nose which makes it a bit sporty. Another feature that adds to the sportiness of the car is the set of projector headlamps. These are conventional halogen bulbs but they look nice. The entire size of the headlight assembly seems to be just of the right size to suit the other proportions of the car.

The front grille has been done in chrome with horizontal slats. They bear the Suzuki’s logo in the centre. We’re glad that Suzuki didn’t go overboard with the use of chrome here at the front. Then we’ve got the front bumper with fog lights and air intake for the radiator.

Moving to the side of the Ciaz you’d instantly notice its long wheelbase. And Suzuki has done a good job in keeping things in proportion here as well. The side view is lit up by the gorgeous alloy wheel design which brings classical look with it. The sloping roofline seems to be done just right. Another good touch is the chrome door handles; it just adds a bit of more premiumness. However, they are available in the highest model only. The rear end of the Suzuki Ciaz features a two-part combination tail lights. The stylish boot lid has got a chrome ornament to keep things interesting.

Ride & Handling

Suzuki has worked tirelessly on the ride quality of the Ciaz. The suspension setup on this car has been designed exclusively to make sure to provide assured handling and ride quality and comfort. The Ciaz deals with bumps on the roads pretty well. It would not take in larger undulations that well because it’s a sedan after all and it isn’t meant for that. Suzuki has also tried and kept the NVH levels in check.

The rigid body structure, aerodynamic design, and light weight allow the Ciaz to be pushed around corners at decent speeds. But don’t expect it to set lap times. The Ciaz is a car which will be at its best when driven calmly. It can deal with the city as well as highway conditions without any problems.

Engine & Fuel Consumption

Suzuki has provided the Ciaz with only a single engine option for the Philippines. It is a 1.3-litre 4-cylinder K14B VVT petrol engine that has been tuned in a state to churn out a max power of 92 horsepower at 6,000 revs and generates 130 Nm of peak torque at 4,000 revs. Suzuki has worked on the refinement of this engine by incorporating new cylinder heads and piston crowns and other parts. This enhances the performance of the car without compromising on the fuel efficiency.

Suzuki has used high-tensile steel for the construction of the Ciaz’s body. This not only provides great strength but also keeps the overall weight of the car in check. This reduced weight comes in handy to enhance both performance and fuel efficiency.

The 1.4-litre engine is mated to either a 4-speed automatic gearbox or a 5-speed manual transmission. While the automatic gearbox has been fine-tuned to provide seamless and smooth shifts, the manual unit has got the perfect gear ratios to suit the character of the car. Both of them provide the best balance of performance and efficiency.

Braking & Safety

The braking duties on the Ciaz are handled by ventilated disc brakes at the front wheels and leading and trailing drum brakes at the rear. The brakes are further aided by the Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) and Electric Brake-force Distribution (EBD). Suzuki has used its TECT (Total Effective Control Technology) in designing the body of the Ciaz. This has allowed Suzuki to use high-tensile steel for major parts to make the body light and outstanding crashworthy. The less weight not only helps the car go faster but also stop quickly as well.

Other safety features that you’d get in the Ciaz include dual front airbags (driver and passenger side), seat belts with pre-tensioners, side impact beams, immobilizer, etc.

Verdict

Like we mentioned earlier, Suzuki found just the right ingredients to make a great recipe. The Ciaz is a family sedan that offers good looks, decent interior, and great space with good ride quality. On top of that, you’ve got the large Suzuki network and aftersales support which makes things turn in Suzuki’ favor. Available in three variants, the price range of the Ciaz starts at Php 795,000 and goes till Php 963,000.