Maruti Suzuki introduced the 2018 Ciaz on August 20. The refreshed C-segment sedan gets a lot more features than before and seems to be in a better position to take on its rivals. So, let’s compare the 2018 Ciaz with the popular Honda City and find out which of these two sedans you should go for.
But before diving into the variants, let's take a look at how these sedans fare against each other in terms of dimensions and powertrain.
Dimensions
- Whether it is length, width, height or the wheelbase, the Ciaz facelift is larger than the City in every way possible
- However, when it comes luggage carrying capacity, both the sedans offer 510 litres of it, which is the highest in the segment
Engine and Specifications
- The 2018 Ciaz facelift is powered by a new, more powerful 1.5-litre petrol engine that makes 105PS/138Nm. However, the sedan continues to be among the least powered cars in the segment
- The City, with an output of 119PS and 145Nm, is among the most powerful mid-size sedans in the country
- While both the cars employ a 5-speed MT to send power to the front wheels, it is the City which packs a better automatic gearbox. It is equipped with a 7-step CVT (continuously variable transmission) against the Ciaz’s ageing 4-speed torque converter unit
- The City’s CVT offers manual mode through a 7-step paddle shift operation. The Ciaz, on the other hand, doesn’t come with paddle shifters but does have the option to manually override gear ratios
- Although the Ciaz is not as powerful as the City, it is certainly the more frugal car here. This is thanks to Suzuki’s mild-hybrid tech called SHVS (Smart Hybrid Vehicle By Suzuki)
- While the 2018 Ciaz packs a new petrol engine, the diesel engine remains the same as before. That means the Ciaz continues to be the least powerful car in its segment
- When it comes to torque, both the sedans produce an identical 200Nm
- As far as transmission is concerned, both diesel sedans are offered with a manual transmission. Where the Ciaz is equipped with a 5-speed gearbox, the City comes with a 6-speed unit
- Thanks to SHVS, the Ciaz continues to be the more frugal one here. It can return up to 28.09km to the litre
Prices (ex-showroom Delhi)
Petrol
Diesel
Variants and Features
Petrol: Considering the price difference, only three variants of the sedans are comparable.
Common Features: Dual front airbags, ABS with EBD, Isofix child seat anchors, driver seatbelt reminder, electrically adjustable ORVMs (outside rearview mirrors), audio music system with Bluetooth, all four power windows, day/night IRVM (inside rearview mirror) and tilt-adjustable steering.
What does the Ciaz Delta get over the City S: Reverse parking sensors, speed alert system, seatbelt reminder for co-passenger, alloy wheels, front fog lamps, turn indicators on ORVMs, cruise control, auto climate control with rear AC vents, cruise control, height-adjustable driver’s seat, front and rear centre armrest, colour driver info display and steering-mounted audio and telephony controls.
What does the City S get over the Ciaz Delta: LED DRLs.
Verdict: The Ciaz would be our pick here. For a small premium of Rs 3,000, the Ciaz is way more equipped than the City, both in terms of safety as well as comfort and convenience features.
Common Features (over the previous variants): Turn indicators on ORVMs, steering-mounted audio controls, height-adjustable driver’s seat, automatic climate control with rear AC vents, cruise control and front and rear centre armrest
What does the Ciaz Zeta get over the City SV : Reverse parking sensors, speed alert system, seatbelt reminder for co-passenger, alloy wheels, LED projector headlamps, LED fog lamps, electrically foldable ORVMs, rear seat adjustable headrest, push-button start-stop, colour driver info display and an auto dimming IRVM with reverse camera display.
What does the City SV get over the Ciaz Zeta: None
Verdict: The Ciaz continues to be our pick here as well. Despite being the more affordable of the two, the Ciaz is way more equipped than the City, thus offering great value for your buck. The Maruti sedan also gets adjustable rear headrests, which is very useful if you are going to spend a lot of time in the back seat of the sedan.
Common Features (over the previous variants): Alloy wheels, front fog lamps, electrically foldable ORVMs, a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system, reverse parking camera and push-button start-stop.
What does the Ciaz Alpha get over the City V: Reverse parking sensors, speed alert system, seatbelt reminder for co-passenger, LED projector headlamps, LED fog lamps, leather upholstery, auto-dimming IRVM, rear seat adjustable headrests, colour driver info display and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto support for the infotainment system.
What does the City V get over the Ciaz Alpha: None
Verdict: Like the previous two variants, the Ciaz remains our pick here as well. It further scores points on its value-for-money quotient as it offers a lot of new features despite being more affordable than the City.
Diesel: Based on their price tags, only one variant of both the sedans are comparable.
Common Features: Dual front airbags, ABS with EBD, Isofix child seat anchors, driver seatbelt reminder, electrically adjustable ORVMs with turn indicators, music system with Bluetooth, all four power windows, day/night IRVM, tilt-adjustable steering, steering-mounted audio controls, height adjustable driver seat, automatic climate control with rear AC vents, cruise control and front and rear centre armrest.
What does the Ciaz Alpha gets over the City SV: Reverse parking sensors, speed alert system, seatbelt reminder for front co-passenger, alloy wheels, LED projector headlamps, LED fog lamps, electrically foldable ORVMs, leather upholstery, rear seat adjustable headrest, 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, reverse parking camera and push-button start-stop.
What does the City SV get over the Ciaz Alpha: None
Verdict: It goes without saying that the Ciaz remains our pick here as well. Since the Alpha is the top-spec variant of the Ciaz, it is packed to the gills in terms of features. The City SV, on the other hand, is the base-spec variant of the diesel-powered Honda sedan. It misses out on a lot of features that the Ciaz offers. The icing on the cake, however, is the pricing of the Ciaz. Despite being better equipped, it is still more affordable than the City.
Reader’s Note:
Automatic Variants: Although not considered in the comparison due to the high price difference, both the sedans are available in petrol automatic variants. Technologically, the City takes the lead here as it gets a 7-step CVT against the Ciaz’s ageing 4-speed torque converter. However, if we look at both sedans based on their price points, the Ciaz AT leaps ahead as it costs considerably less than the City AT. The City CVT is priced from Rs 11.78 lakh to Rs 13.75 lakh. The Ciaz AT, on the other hand, ranges from Rs 9.8 lakh to Rs 10.97 lakh (all prices, ex-showroom Delhi).
Telematics Solutions: Both Honda and Maruti offer telematic solutions with their sedans. Called the Honda Connect and Suzuki Connect, respectively, both of these applications are available on a subscription basis and offer features such as live location tracking, vehicle health status, service reminder and driving behaviour analysis.
Honda City Edge Edition: To mark the beginning of the festive season, Honda recently launched the City Edge edition. It is available with both petrol and diesel engine options and is priced at Rs 9.75 lakh and Rs 11.10 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi), respectively. The Edge edition is based on the SV variant of the City and gets additional features such as 15-inch alloys, reverse parking camera with display on the IRVM and reverse parking sensors (offered for the first time in the City).
Honda City 20th Anniversary Edition: Honda launched an anniversary edition of the City in January this year to mark 20 years of the sedan in India. It is based on the top-spec ZX variant and is priced at Rs 13.80 lakh and 13.92 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi) for the petrol and diesel versions, respectively.
Source: cardekho.com
