MARUTI SUZUKI CIAZ HYBRID

Maruti Suzuki Ciaz Hybrid: Preview

Expected Launch: September, 2015

Maruti Suzuki Ciaz hybrid will be launched in India soon. The C-segment sedan will get a mild hybrid system called the SHVS (Smart Hybrid Vehicle by Suzuki) which will further improve the efficiency of the diesel engine.

The sedan will use the same 1.3-litre multijet diesel engine from the current car, but now coupled with an extra lithium-ion battery and larger alternator which can take the load off the engine. This will be one of the first applications of the SHVS technology, which was unveiled at the 2015 Geneva Motor Show.

The extra battery uses regenerative braking to recharge and provides power for the idle start-stop. The system also reduces the load on the crank by providing a helping hand in developing torque. While this is the exact system that we expect to see in India, there are also speculations that the Ciaz will use a single larger lead-acid battery to run everything. The Ciaz, on paper, is the most efficient car in the segment with an ARAI efficiency of 26.21kmpl. The new hybrid should improve the efficiency by 10 to 15 per cent, taking it close to 30kmpl.

There won’t be any cosmetic changes to the Ciaz, only the diesel nomenclature might highlight hybrid through badging. The features list is also expected to be the same and the difference in pricing will be to accommodate the new system.

The Ciaz hybrid will cost Rs 80,000 to Rs 1.2 lakh more than the current car. With the revised pricing, it will be positioned on par with the Honda City and Hyundai Verna. The new car should be on sale by the end of August or in the first week of September.