Maruti Suzuki aims to reclaim number 1 spot with new Ciaz

BENGALURU: Maruti Suzuki on Monday launched the new Ciaz with an aim to wrest back the No.1 spot in the country’s mid-size sedan segment.

Taking the price-value equation to the next level, the company priced the new car aggressively at Rs 8.19-10.97 lakh exshowroom pan-India. The new Ciaz is cheaper by Rs 50,000-2.5 lakh to the Honda City and Rs 1-2 lakh to the Hyundai Verna.

The company has also retained its USP of delivering the most fuel-efficient car in the segment: it claims the fuel efficiency of the new 1.5-litre petrol hybrid with a lithium-ion battery at 21.5 kilometres to a litre and the diesel variant at 28 kms. The car offers modern features like rear parking sensors, cruise control and auto headlamps.

The price-value equation has always helped Ciaz stay ahead of others, RS Kalsi, senior executive director for sales and marketing, told ET. "The mid-size sedan segment has been growing at a CAGR of 5% over the last five years. While the segment has seen competition from the SUV, the absolute numbers are critical for Maruti to participate in and many of the existing company buyers see it as an upgrade alternative," added Kalsi.

The mid-size sedan market has remained at 1.5-1.75 lakh units a year. The addition of new-generation models or facelifts by vehicle makers have created excitement in the space with neck-to-neck competition among the Maruti Suzuki Ciaz, Honda City and Hyundai Verna.

At its peak, Ciaz enjoyed a market share of 40%, which came down to 20% this year with old model being phased out. It lost the leadership to the Honda City in 2017. The Hyundai Verna took the top position this year, with its latest version launched in 2017.

Maruti Suzuki India Limited