Maruti Suzuki Ciaz Long Term Report: April 2019

Another year, another annual vacation for me, as I head to the hills with the Ciaz. After picking it from Delhi, I drove towards Narkanda and had plans to head to Manali. Unfortunately, due to snowfall blocking Jalori Pass

The 1,500 kilometres journey had a mix of winding roads, hill climbs and roads that would make the moon’s surface feel smoother. One of my biggest concerns while tackling bad roads was the Ciaz’s 170mm ground clearance. Thankfully, though, the car’s underbelly didn’t scrape even once. The handling of the Ciaz was a bit of a downer though. Around fast but uneven corners, the Ciaz’s rear would skip and jump, leaving it a bit unsettled. Even on wet surfaces, the tyres didn’t feel as grippy as I would’ve liked. The Ciaz, however, did well in the comfort and efficiency departments. The seats are amply comfortable and have the right firmness for long drives. Even at the end of 10 hour driving days, I wasn’t feeling fatigued. A good 70 per cent of our drive was in the hills. Even with its 103bhp motor, the car returned an efficiency of 14 kilometres/l.

Having spent two weeks with the Ciaz, a few negatives surely stick out but the positives like space, comfort and efficiency far outweigh the cons.