MUMBAI: Maruti Suzuki, the country’s largest car maker, has launched the Ciaz hybrid at a starting price of Rs 8.23 lakh (Ex-showroom Delhi). Maruti claims that the hybrid Ciaz is the most fuel-efficient car in the country at 28 km/litre, thus raising the bar for fuel efficient cars in India.
The new vehicle, which will replace the existing Ciaz diesel, and challenge segment leader Honda City, will also put the spotlight on diesel cars, which were losing the edge to petrol variants.
Ciaz, which will come with a Suzuki Hybrid Vehicle System (SHVS), has a mild hybrid system mated with a 1.3 litre diesel engine. While the technology will be imported, the high import cost will be offset by the incentives given by the government through lower excise duty of 12.5 per cent and subsidy extension of Rs 12,000- Rs 13,000 under electric and hybrid vehicle policy of FAME, which will help the company save over Rs 1 lakh on the ticket price.
VDi: 8.23 lakh
VDi (O): 8.37 lakh
VDi+: 8.81 lakh
ZDi: 9.52 lakh
ZDi+: 10.17 lakh
The company plans to cross the 30km per litre barrier with the new Swift and Dzire. The same technology will make its way in Ertiga hybrid in October and it may be fitted in all 1.3 litre diesel engine cars of Maruti Suzuki in the future. The company has also worked on 1.2 litre petrol hybrid, which will be available with the upcoming Suzuki Baleno, but only in overseas market.
The company expects almost half the new Ciaz and Ertiga sales to come from diesel hybrid version.
