[Visaster]

Took a test drive again while I wait Maruti to dispatch a ZDi to Chennai and when my money is parked at the dealers for no good reason or priority promise.

Second impression:
The car looks nice and big
The engine is such a big disappointment, I have no words to put it. In traffic it drives only in first gear. It start to kick back and turn off even in 2nd gear at slow speeds. There is hardly any acceleration on the car, no scope of sudden overtaking or picking up speed to cover a vacant stretch.
The car has its own mind and takes its own sweet time to do anything.
If you try to accelerate, quickest thing which happens in the car is the sudden increase in engine noise as much as a jet engine, but no actual displacement.
Its got no torque at low RPM, its like driving a old gen 800 fully loaded.

The good thing is the clutch is amazingly soft, but its bound to get harder very soon. Needs too many gear change if you are not comfortable lazing on the road. In traffic condition you wont go past 1st gear.
Rear seat has enough and more leg room but they killed the comfort with a bench with limited thigh support. What will they lose with a little bigger seat?
The dash board is nice and well lit, sadly its yellow/orange and the odo is plain white. The fit, placement of buttons and finish looks nice. Steering feels good and maneuverability is nice. Finding a comfortable seating position is a little difficult, its more like on a tallboy car. Shock absorbers are a little stiff.
The bluetooth pairing is difficult or close to impossible to make. Speaker quality is poor. AC is nice and airy, cools the cabin very fast.
Its surely not a car for everyone. I really had to the engine to get some action.

The car sure will find takers with money wise, fuel economy craving, slow sedate driving, big car needing person.

Yet to find how it performs on the highway.

[bhaskaracs]

Finally, I actually saw the ZXI Auto transmission in action and TD it. Yes, I did it today. This Silver Ciaz ZXi AT per se is allocated to me. I can get pictures when I visit the dealership again tomorrow.

I found the engine smooth and the gear shifts are pretty reasonable if not overtly slick. It is a four speed gear box with the standard PRND2L configuration. When you start the vehicle in D mode it creeps at 5kpmh speed. There is a bit of lag at the low end of the rpm range. You dont feel the vehicle actually picking up any pace until the needle crosses about 1200rpm. Further, there is a sudden momentum loss i experienced twice when the rpm went under 1000 - this could happen when you are bending over a corner at speeds < 20kmph with your foot off the pedal. Other than that I felt the D mode was adequate for daily commute.

The 2 mode - i found it sporty enough for daily office commutes and highway family outings. While it is not in the league of Vento TSI, it gives you a good operable rpm range and a mild surge is felt instantly. When you switch to 2 from D after 50kmph, the sound of the engine is sweet - for a moment i thought I was seated inside a Vento TSI (felt like hearing it again).

I could not drive it over 80kpmh on the velachery road in Chennai, so could not check the intrusive engine sounds at high speeds highlighted by other reviewers (they TD manual pertrol variants). But I did not find the noise to be too instrusive at 80.

NVH levels are well controlled. Engine refinement could have been better - but who cares, I drive a Santro right now . Not an apt comparison by any stretch of imagination - but the NVH insulation is exceptional compared to Santro.

I personally feel Maruti has a winner on its hands.

[malq]

Got my complete 21k back from the dealer. As far as buying a new car is concerned, will hold off all buying decisions till mid-January 2015 now, when the discounts for left-over unsold stock from 2014 should start hitting the roof. Ground level feedback has been that sales of almost all vehicles have not been as good as expected, festival season notwithstanding, and that there will be huge 2014 stocks left over.

[Visaster]

With the slow paced delivery, If they actually had 6000 cars in stock at pre-launch, I bet they will be left with quiet a few in the stock yard after yr end.
I doubt waiting till Jan will make any change. If you wait till mid 2015 then may be some discounts will start falling in place. With the failure of the (0) model, I doubt the plus model's launch next year is going to do any improvement in the sales figure.
Vxi/Zxi will be the best buy of the lot.
Maruti missed a great opportunity to sell the top end by not launching at the same time. It is missing higher sales by pathetic delivery system and absolutely poor customer relation for a car in +10lakh category.
Pleased that they are not torturous like the Skoda to push sales by making thousands calls.
They could have had quicker delivery and ate into Hondas loss by delay in delivery.
Anyways Maruti will be maruti, they know their customers come to them for a reason and they are happy with just those folks.

Low cost, decent mileage, supposedly easy maintenance, good service network, India friendly.

[Carophilic]

Just had an informal chat with a supplier supplying to Maruti. They say Initial 2000 odd vehicles are all demo cars. Rest, Ciaz inventory is low at Factory as per him. And apparently material logistics people are pushing like hell to increase material supply volumes so that they can ramp up volumes further.

[Sebring]

There was a Ciaz displayed at Pratham, Queens Road. Car doesn't feel as plush as the 'City'. The plastics and the rubber, the mats, switches, just doesn't feel well put together. I don't think it would sway the 'City' customer.

[vjjustin]

I had booked CIAZ on first day the booking started. I was thinking about zxi+ or zdi+. I am another one of those poor souls who decided to cancel my booking.
Unlike others, I really like the car and consider it to be a steal at that price point. I am okay with the exterior, loved the interior/console, again okay with the engine, loved the firm seats as that means more support and less tiredness on long distance travels, loved the awesome space/legroom, quality is very good, loved the touchscreen/GPS, and the features get full marks.
So why am I cancelling? The top end models were not available, even the zx(o)/zd(o) were not available, delivery date was keep on changing, since I already booked the response from the sales team was not to my satisfaction (no calls, no response). But I still waited patiently, finally the TD car came and I went to the showroom, but they wouldn’t give me the car for test drive as registration was not done!!!
After two weeks, last weekend, again called the SA, and asked to bring them to test drive to my home and to show my parents. He is telling the registration is not yet done!!!! What I am guessing is either they haven’t started giving test drives in homes or are very busy with the showroom response and want to have it ready for them.
But anyways, if this is their attitude now, then I don’t think it will improve after my purchase. Also enquired another showroom, even they said three month waiting list. So, dropped the plan and took clue from another guy who booked XUV, and went for a test drive. Really liked the majestic presence, handled better than my expectation, highway/long distance travel will be great etc. Also got some pretty good discounts, booked it getting delivery next week.

[Kratos453]

Originally Posted by vjjustin

I had booked CIAZ on first day the booking started. ...
So, dropped the plan and took clue from another guy who booked XUV, and went for a test drive. Really liked the majestic presence, handled better than my expectation, highway/long distance travel will be great etc. Also got some pretty good discounts, booked it getting delivery next week.

From Ciaz(C2 segment) to xuv500 (D segment) is an interesting jump that you have taken. And also may I know the reason why you went from sedan to an suv? I am sure you would have checked out honda city or volkswagon vento as well.

Mod Note : Please quote ONLY the relevant bits of a post. Quoting a full, long post inconveniences our mobile readers.

Thanks!

[volkman10]

Bookings for the Ciaz sedan have touched 17,000 , up from 10,000 around the time of its launch in early October. The company has delivered 6000 cars to dealerships so far.
Waiting periods quoted still a minimum of 3 months in Bangalore.

http://www.autocarpro.in/news-nation...000-units-6702

[bhaskaracs]

Originally Posted by vjjustin

But I still waited patiently, finally the TD car came and I went to the showroom, but they wouldn’t give me the car for test drive as registration was not done!!!
After two weeks, last weekend, again called the SA, and asked to bring them to test drive to my home and to show my parents. He is telling the registration is not yet done!!!! What I am guessing is either they haven’t started giving test drives in homes or are very busy with the showroom response and want to have it ready for them.

No i think the problem is not with registration. Like in my case, Maruti hasnt taken approvals from respective RTOs to let these vehicles ply on roads. RTO will approve the petrol, diesel and petrol AT Ciaz separately. Maruti has got approval only for the Diesel version till date (at least in TN - unsure about Kerala).

Approvals for Petrol version in Chennai are awaited. So the vehicles legally speaking cannot ply on roads, while I see dealers TD the petrol version.

[venkyhere]

Originally Posted by bhaskaracs

No i think the problem is not with registration. Like in my case, Maruti hasnt taken approvals from respective RTOs to let these vehicles ply on roads. RTO will approve the petrol, diesel and petrol AT Ciaz separately. Maruti has got approval only for the Diesel version till date (at least in TN - unsure about Kerala).

Approvals for Petrol version in Chennai are awaited. So the vehicles legally speaking cannot ply on roads, while I see dealers TD the petrol version.

A company like maruti suzuki, with all its logistics might and tentacles spread all over india, failing to smoothly handle post-lauch customer demands (after inviting pre-launch bookings, mind you) is due to only one of the 2 things :
- the company was just not ready with a clear production plan and launched it just for the heck of 'diwali craze'
- the company is getting too complacent w.r.t customer relations and is getting into "chalta hai" attitude w.r.t making sure the dealers behave themselves.

[vjjustin]

Originally Posted by Kratos453

From Ciaz(C2 segment) to xuv500 (D segment) is an interesting jump that you have taken. And also may I know the reason why you went from sedan to an suv? I am sure you would have checked out honda city or volkswagon vento as well.

I haven't thought of the segment jump aspect; It is a bit of a stretch. But the price difference isn't that significant. Around 11.75 was quoted for CIAZ zdi in Cochin and I am getting XUV for close to 13 lakhs. Also, as they say, you live only once.

I never seriously considered an SUV/MUV, not even for a moment, unless someone posted that he moved to XUV and cancelled CIAZ booking. I did not have any idea about the pricing at all. I also thought it will be very difficult to drive the SUV/MUVs, but my test drives (around 50 kms in total) showed that XUV is very easy to handle, even through the village/narrow roads near my home. Our current car is a maruti zen.

I considered City/Verna (not vento, looks), choose City and was about buy but had to drop/delay the car purchase plans. Then couple of months later, CIAZ came and choose that one over City since I find CIAZ as a far better package than City.

Originally Posted by bhaskaracs

No i think the problem is not with registration. Like in my case, Maruti hasnt taken approvals from respective RTOs to let these vehicles ply on roads. RTO will approve the petrol, diesel and petrol AT Ciaz separately. Maruti has got approval only for the Diesel version till date (at least in TN - unsure about Kerala).

Approvals for Petrol version in Chennai are awaited. So the vehicles legally speaking cannot ply on roads, while I see dealers TD the petrol version.

That might also be the reason, even I heard something similar from the SA. But they did not even bring the diesel car for TD. MAy be in Kerala, they don't have approvals for both.

[CARDEEP]

I feel with the Ciaz & Swift/ Dzire facelifts, Maruti Suzuki has moved back in the same shell where it was at the time of Santro Xing & Wagon-R period (2003-2006) IMO. I, hereby, understand this won't affect the sales though.

There definitely have good products lined up soon, the YRA, XA-Alpha, SX4-Cross, etc. Hopefully these are able to break the shackles (products getting boring) with these.

[bhaskaracs]

Absolutely. Ciaz has everything a typical upper middle class 30/40ish Indian father of one/two needs inside a compact sedan - more than what an average C1/2 segment sedan might offer. Further, the pricing for most variants is consciously kept under 10 lakhs to soften the tax impact.

The 10-15% who need better driving dynamics and handling can go for VW/Ford.

So it is quite likely sales of Ciaz will hold true for quarters to come.

[Kratos453]

Originally Posted by bhaskaracs

Absolutely. Ciaz has everything a typical upper middle class 30/40ish Indian father of one/two needs inside a compact sedan - more than what an average C1/2 segment sedan might offer. Further, the pricing for most variants is consciously kept under 10 lakhs to soften the tax impact.

The 10-15% who need better driving dynamics and handling can go for VW/Ford.

So it is quite likely sales of Ciaz will hold true for quarters to come.

This is exactly what is in my mind about Ciaz and the Indian car market (C2 segment ).

Maruti is not only targeting the above mentioned category of people but also those who want an upgrade from swift or dzire to an other maruti vehicle in a higher segment. This category or set of people are good enough to bring in decent sales for Ciaz.