Maruti Suzuki Ciaz outsells Honda City in October

Maruti seems to have struck the chords right in the sedan segment with its recently launched Maruti Ciaz. Launched in October, the Ciaz has received a warm response in the Indian market with the company claiming to have sold 6,345 units of this sedan in its launch month itself. This sales figure shows that Maruti Ciaz has clocked more sales than its rival sedan - the Honda City which has managed to sell only 5,120 units last month.

The new Maruti Ciaz is seen as the key to change the company’s fortunes in the bigger car segment where Maruti was struggling to make its presence being felt. But, it is too early to state if the Ciaz is a clear winner as new cars clock in good sales in the initial days of its launch. To make this car a success Maruti will have to sustain this sales momentum.

The Indian auto major holds a strong foot-hold in the entry-level small car segment. But, back in 2007, the company eyed the mid-sedan market with the launch of its sedan, the Maruti SX4. The car did enjoy a fair share of success in the initial years of its launch, but soon lost its charm in the eyes of the Indian car buyers who opted for cars such as the Honda City and Hyundai Verna, which wooed them with its up market exterior styling, power and features when compared with the Maruti Suzuki SX4.

The new Maruti Ciaz comes with a choice of petrol and diesel engines. The petrol engine develops 92PS of power and 130Nm of torque from the 1.4-litre K-series engine, while a 1.3-litre Fiat sourced Multijet diesel engine churns out 90PS of power and 200Nm of torque. Both the engines come mated to 5-speed manual gearboxes. The petrol also gets an automatic gearbox.

The Ciaz is priced between Rs. 6.99 – Rs. 9.8 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi), and has already received over 17,000 bookings so far.