Maruti Celerio X: will it compete against Hyundai Grand i10 |
Posted: December 14, 2017 |
The Maruti Suzuki Celerio X is the latest hatchback crossover from the Indo-Japanese automaker and underpins the same designing and feature elements from the standard Celerio, though we find minor changes here and there. The launch of this rugged version has brought it to compete with some other hatchbacks in the segment which were considered to be superior to the standard Celerio hatch. The Hyundai Grand i10 is one such car which faces direct competition with the Maruti crossover, at least in the price battle. At Rs. 4.63 lakhs, the Maruti Celerio X price in India makes it the perfect match against Tata Bolt and the Hyundai. This may be slightly peculiar as the top end trim of the Grand i10 goes well above the small hatchback range. It becomes very important to see whether small hatch crossover is good enough to be thrown against the higher Hyundai Grand i10. Let’s find it out ourselves. The designingThe Maruti Suzuki Celerio X appears to be a crossover variant of the standard car with just some black treatment all over. This adds the much-needed spice to the hatchback and could do a world of good to the future of this ‘Celerio’ moniker. The sportiness comes from the blacked out alloy wheels, thin cladding strips on the wheel arches, black ORVMs and the roof rails. Even the front portion gets the black bits on the grille, fog lamp surrounds the portion just above the lip spoiler. The Hyundai Grand i10 looks way more sober and compact. The front portion is flanked by a big hexagonal grille with mesh design. There isn’t much of cladding and roughness in the otherwise smooth body barring the tiny cladding strips on the two sides and the black thin roof rails. The DRLs are installed on the fog lamps section, which adds a fine touch to the car. And despite having similar dimensions, it has slightly bigger boot space and a larger fuel tank. So in terms of the designing, the Hyundai Grand i10 is slotted above the Celerio X. The engine and displacementThe Maruti Suzuki Celerio X is an extension of the small hatchback portfolio of the company, just like the Renault Kwid or the Alto 800. Hence, it is offered in a petrol engine variant only. The 998cc three-cylinder engine can produce a maximum power of 67 bhp along with a peak torque of 90 Nm. As for the transmission, there is a 5-speed manual unit as standard along with a 5-speed automatic, which is offered in all the trims. The Hyundai Grand i10 has the upper hand and is offered in both the fuel trims. The 1.2-litre petrol motor produces a good power of 81 bhp and a highest torque of 114 Nm. On the other hand, the 1.2-litre CRDi diesel makes 74 bhp power and 190 Nm torque. The transmission is handled by a 5-speed manual as a standard fitment. However, the top-end petrol variants get the optional 4-speed automatic unit. What do we think?The Maruti Suzuki Celerio X is a very good attempt from the company to make its presence felt in the hatchback crossover segment. However, despite being at the same price range, the Maruti crossover is not as good as the Hyundai Grand i10 in terms of the mechanics. You will feel the lack of power, big time. Moreover, even in terms of the styling, it's just the exterior black cladding that could make the Celerio X look good. When everything else is concerned, including the built quality, the Grand i10 appears to be the better option. The Indo-Japanese car maker seems to have missed the basics despite getting the price in the higher range. You can read all the reviews and specification of both the cars at Autoportal.com.
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