Maruti Suzuki Ciaz Facelift Spied Undisguised

The mid-cycle facelift of the Suzuki Alivio, which is the China-spec Maruti Suzuki Ciaz, has been spied undisguised recently. The aesthetic changes to the Alivio hint towards updated styling that the Maruti Ciaz facelift might get. Currently, both the Alivio and the Ciaz have similar styling with subtle differences. 

Launched in 2014, the same year as the Honda City, the Ciaz is due for an update. It was earlier expected this year, but Maruti only shifted the Ciaz to its Nexa dealerships a few months ago. Expect the updated sedan to be launched early next year and to probably debut at the 2018 Indian Auto Expo.

At the front, the Alivio gets a large grille as there's no two-part grille like the outgoing model. The new grille design looks like a carbon copy of the past generations of Audi (check out the image below). 

The fog lamp housing gets a glossy black insert, which also runs across the width of the vehicle making it look wider. The headlamps remain the same, but we can expect Suzuki to put Bi-Xenon or LED units replacing the current halogen setup. 

Changes at the rear are very limited compared to its front profile. It gets a redesigned dual-tone bumper, which makes it look less rear heavy. The all-new Hyundai Verna and the Honda City facelift have also got dual-tone rear bumpers. The tail lamp design for the Chinese version remains identical, but the India-spec sedan could get a different internal detailing (expect LED lighting). 

In Picture: Pre-facelift Maruti Suzuki Ciaz

In terms of features, expect the 2018 Ciaz to get additional goodies as both of its arch rivals, the Verna and the City, have upped their game (especially the former). The updated Ciaz is expected to feature a sunroof among others. Mechanically, it is likely to remain unchanged, however, it might get the 1.6-litre diesel from the Maruti S-Cross. Its 4-speed automatic could also get replaced by a relatively newer transmission (CVT or 6-speed AT).

Source: cardekho.com