Maruti Suzuki Ciaz vs Honda City vs Hyundai Verna vs Volkswagen Vento vs Skoda Rapid: Spec Comparison

The Maruti Suzuki Ciaz has been a much-awaited car for the Indian car buying audiences. The replacement for the aging SX4, the Ciaz promises to deliver much more at par with what is expected from a car of its segment. The aspirational C segment though also has competitors like the Honda City and the Hyundai Verna, both of which dominate the segment with unparallel ferocity. With its good looks, bulletproof engines and a well designed and spacious interior, could the Ciaz dominate in a segment that Maruti Suzuki have never really excelled in?

Engines:

A 1.4-litre petrol engine that makes 92.5PS of peak power and 130Nm of peak torque powers the Maruti Suzuki Ciaz. The Honda City gets a more powerful 1.5-litre petrol engine with 118PS of peak power and 145Nm of peak torque. The Hyundai Verna gets a choice of two petrol powerplants, a 1.4-litre with 106PS and 138Nm and a top-of-the-line 1.6-litre with 122PS of power and 158Nm of peak torque. The Volkswagen Vento and the Skoda Rapid both share a 1.6-litre naturally aspirated petrol engine with 104PS and 153Nm while the Vento also has the option of a turbocharged 1.2-litre TSI engine with 104PS and 175Nm of peak torque.

On the diesel front, the Maruti Suzuki Ciaz gets the tried and tested 1.3-litre Multijet engine with 90PS of peak power and 200Nm of peak torque making it one of the least powerful cars in its segment. The Honda City, with a 1.5-litre i-Dtec engine makes 100PS of peak power and the same 200Nm of torque that the Ciaz puts out. The Hyundai Verna is the most powerful car in the segment with a staggering 128PS of peak power and 260Nm of peak torque. As with the petrol engines, the Volkswagen Vento and the Skoda Rapid share a 1.5-litre engine with 104PS of peak power and 250Nm of peak torque.

On paper, the Ciaz is the most underpowered car of the lot with rivals like the Honda city and the Hyundai Verna far ahead both in terms of torque and power figures. That said, it is by far the lightest car of the lot at just 1010kg for the petrol and 1105kg for the diesel. By comparison, the heaviest petrol car in the midst is the Rapid at 1145kg and while the Vento is the heaviest diesel at 1220kg.

Also Read: 2014 Maruti Suzuki Ciaz Diesel Review 

Also Read: Maruti Suzuki Ciaz Special Coverage 

Size and Space:

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Sheer dimension is where the Ciaz really excels. The Ciaz is the longest car here at 4490mm and also the widest of the lot at 1730mm. The only dimensional aspect that the Ciaz gets trumped on is height where the Honda City edges upward at 1495mm compared to the Ciaz’s 1485mm. The Ciaz also has the longest wheelbase at 2650mm, which is higher than City which is pegged at 2600mm and considerably higher than the Verna(2570mm), Vento(2552mm) and the Rapid(2552mm).

The Maruti Suzuki Ciaz is also the widest car in its class at 1730mm with the Verna coming in second at 1700mm. The City(1695mm), Vento(1699mm) and Rapid (1699mm) are only fractionally narrower. This means that the Ciaz offers more space on the inside for passengers as compared to its biggest rivals. The Ciaz and the Honda City also have the largest boot with a 510-litre capacity. Although only slightly, the Ciaz is also on the forefront when it comes to ground clearance with 170mm on offer.

Also Read: 2014 Maruti Suzuki Ciaz Diesel Review 

Also Read: Maruti Suzuki Ciaz Special Coverage 

Features:

The Maruti Ciaz address the lack of features that plagued the SX4 in spades. It has nearly every feature in the book pertaining to this class of cars. From a set of really good looking 16-inch alloy wheels, steering mounted audio and telephone controls, climate control system and ABS and front two airbags to a high-end touchscreen audio system, navigation, electric ORVMs with auto fold, reversing camera and a retractable blind for the rear windscreen, the Maruti Ciaz in this Z+ trim has it all. It also gets rear AC vents, keyless entry and start, central rear armrest with cup holders.

That said, it does not get a sunroof or cruise control even on its most expensive version, something that the Honda City does get. The Ciaz also does not get adjustable rear headrests or a reach adjustment for the steering wheel. That said, the dashboard does look very well designed with dark wood inserts and high quality plastics that go well with the light beige leather interior.

Price:

Although Maruti have not released the prices for the Ciaz yet, we expect them to be abut Rs 50-60 thousand lower than its biggest competitor, the Honda City which is priced between Rs 7.20-11.06 lakh. The Verna on the other hand starts at Rs 7.39 lakh for the base petrol variant and costs Rs 11.73 lakh for the top-of-the-line diesel. The Volkswagen Vento is priced at Rs 7.41-10.02 lakh while the Skoda Rapid is the cheapest of the lot prices at Rs 7.10-9.61 lakh. All prices ex-showroom Delhi. While Maruti Suzuki has done well with the Ciaz as a package, the pricing is going to play a crucial role in how it performs in the segment.