Maruti Suzuki India Ltd has launched the BS6-compliant version of the Celerio hatch at a starting price of Rs 4.41 lakh (ex-showroom), which goes up to Rs 5.67 lakh (ex-showroom) for the top-end auto trim. Maruti Suzuki is the leading manufacturer to launch BS6-compliant cars in the country, ahead of the April 1 deadline.
The updated Celerio continues to be powered with a 998 cc three-cylinder naturally aspirated K10B petrol motor, which puts out 68 hp of maximum power at 6,000 rpm, and 90 Nm peak torque at 3,500 rpm. The transmission options include a 5-speed manual, along with an automatic gearbox.
Apart from the powertrain, the Celerio remains unchanged in terms of design and equipment. The hatch was updated in 2019 to comply with the new safety norms, which means that it comes with ABS with EBD, a high-speed alert system, rear parking sensors as standard.
In terms of sales, Maruti Suzuki managed to sell 70,930 units of the Celerio hatch in all of 2019, which was over 30,000 units less than the Japanese carmaker sold in the previous year i.e. 1,00,957 units. This resulted in a YoY decline in sales by 30% for the car.
The current-gen Celerio has been on sale in the country since 2014, and only received a mid-life refresh in 2017. Given the rising competition in the market, Maruti Suzuki is also working on bringing a new-gen model for the Celerio. The car has been codenamed YNC, and likely to be launched in the second half of this year.
It is also expected that the 2020 Celerio might also be offered with Maruti’s 1.2-litre K12B petrol engine, which powers the Wagon R, Swift, Baleno and Ignis. Upon launch, the hatch will continue to compete against the likes of Hyundai Santro, Tata Tiago and the Renault Kwid.
Maruti Suzuki has already upgraded the Alto, Wagon R, Swift, Dzire, Baleno, Ertiga, and now the Celerio, to comply with the stringent BS6 emission norms. On the other hand, the S-Presso and the XL6 were launched last year with BS6-compliant motors since day one.