Backstory: 2014 saw the launch of one of the most successful vehicles for MS in the form of the Gen 1 Celerio. It was perceived as spacious, good-looking, easy to drive, and fuel-efficient. It was also featured as a subplot in a Bollywood movie, showing how serious MS was about marketing the Celerio as a lovable car. 2014 to 2021 saw many families use the Celerio happily with a small facelift which debuted in 2017.
2021: Now, MS has finally played the card up its sleeve with the latest gen Celerio. The Gen 2 car is now not only smarter looking but also features more technology and safety features. Fuel efficiency has gone up thanks to a smart Start-Stop system. This time around it is designed to appeal to younger people hunting for their first car.
Looks: Smarter, smaller headlamps replace the original massive squarish units along with a new curvy grille. A fantastic detail is the chrome from the headlights flowing into the grille. So good to see mass manufacturers paying attention! The air dam grows larger and now features bolder foglamps adding to the bulk of the Celerio.
Move sideways and things only keep improving. The older double line crease is now replaced with a single bulge in the bottom simplifying things while adding muscle to the side profile. The black stickering over the door frames in the center of both the doors also works very well to cut the color overload. The deletion of the pull-out door handles spoils the overall package but is not a deal-breaker. Alloys grow a size larger to 15” and fill up the tire wells far better than before.
Come rear and you shall not be disappointed! The new tail lamps flow into the rear windscreen and look fantastic while doing so. The celerio also features twin reflectors embedded in its bumper adding a few interesting cuts.
Interior: Gone is the older drab grey interior and incomes, the new fluidic layout. The SmartPlay screen is the center of attention and features gorgeous flute-inspired air vents on either side. Maruti has spent a lot of time designing the interior to feel and look upmarket with its bold lines. The AMT shifter is quite an interesting one and will be a talking point. Quality levels ideally should have improved but we will leave that for when we get our hands on one.
Features: It is 2021 so expect all the basics like the smart play studio system, dual airbags, ABS, Android Auto & Apple CarPlay, power-folding mirrors, and a rear defogger to be available. However the 2021 Celerio features an idle StartStop system, Keyless Entry Go, SeatBelt reminders for driver and co. No integration of DRLs is visible as of now and will most likely not be a part of the package.
Drivetrains: With 2021 comes technology in the engine bay as well. The Celerio will feature Maruti’s latest K10C Petrol engine, a 1.0 3cyl unit. This motor will feature DualJet technology and an idle StartStop system making the Celerio one of the most efficient petrol cars on sale. Maruti currently claims between 24.97 and 26 kmpl for the Celerio, depending on your spec.
The K10C will be mated to a 5-speed manual and a 5 speed AMT available from the VXI upwards. The new motor produces 1hp and 1nm less than the outgoing model with figures standing at 67hp and 89Nm.
Color me crazy: The celerio will be available in six different paint options. White, Glistening Grey, Caffeine Brown, Fire Red, Speedy Blue, and Silver will be on offer.
Rivals: The celerio will be eating into its twin, the WagonR’s share of the market. It will also rival the Hyundai Santro, Datsun Redi-Go, and Renault Kwid.
Pricing: The Celerio starts from 4.99L for the LXi Manual and goes up to 6.49L for the ZXi AMT making it pricier than the WagonR.
Written by Aakash Kalro
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