[RoadGlide]

Hello everyone to a review of a boring car. Yes, I call my car boring. But more on that later.

Now, I do not have the talent to christen my car with any sort of name so I will call it the Ciaz only throughout this review. It has been quite a topsy turvy journey to finally end up with this car that I have parked in my garage. But at the end of the day, my family and I are quite satisfied with this purchase and look forward to putting many joyous kilometers into this.

And by the way, it was the first time my family was convinced for a pre-owned car. Prior to this, all our cars were brand new, so this led to some interesting experiences as well, so please bear with me on this.

Just a brief summary of the positives and negatives of the car:

Positives:

- Interior cabin space.
- Ride quality
- Decently loaded (Apple Carplay/Android Auto, Auto AC, Cruise control, Auto Headlights, Keyless entry and go, etc)
- Value for Money (even when new)
- Wide spread availability of service network
- Good looks (subjective)

Negatives:

- Lack of power when accelerating hard.
- No manual mode on the gearbox
- Body roll when pushed hard
- Some interior plastics do not feel premium
- Engine very loud at mid to higher revvs. (Not Pleasant)
- Laggy HU at times. Not acceptable.

This review would be divided into a few parts:
• Introduction
• How to NOT buy a used car?
• Why not New?
• If used, then which one?
• Welcome home to the Ciaz!
• Living with the Ciaz

[RoadGlide]

Introduction:

Let’s go back in time to 2014. We were living abroad and had moved back to India. And we needed a 7-seater car on an urgent basis, but without breaking our bank. We had tried seeing some used examples of Innova’s and XUV500s back then. But somewhere, we all had a fear of buying something used as that is unknown territory for us. Then out of the blue, a friend suggested we to check the Ertiga out. And thus, my family went to the nearest Maruti Suzuki Arena (back then they were not called Arena) showroom and checked out the Ertiga. The final factor that sealed the deal was that the car was bang in our budget. We picked up a granite grey Maruti Suzuki Ertiga ZDi for 9.2 lacs on road, which seems like a good bargain, considering the current prices of new cars.





We used the car in every possible way. It was used for my dad’s office runs. It was used to haul our business load in the middle and third row. It carried our whole family for several road trips. It even served as an ambulance for me when I got into a motorcycle crash (Remember this incident for a further reference!) I used it for many dates as well. Okay, sorry for the unnecessary information. But in short, you get the point. It was a fantastic all-rounder that did everything we asked it to. And yet, it never failed to give below 15 kmpl in city driving. And we got 18-19 kmpl almost every time on the highways, of which this car spent a lot of time on it.









In August 2018, when I completed my studies and I got a job, the Ertiga was my default hand-me-down. I put it to some good use on my daily commute of roughly 100 kms to and fro, and through some really good, and some really bad stretches of Delhi and Noida. And that’s where I realized how Ertiga was incredibly efficient and cheap to run. And by then, the car had almost 125,000 kms on the odo. Since it became my personal car, I had to spruce it up. I got a Quantum UK remap on it for the more oomph. And to complement the slight bump in power, got grippier Continental MC5 tires with a wider profile (195/60/R15). The lights on the stock setup were quite insufficient for my needs, so I upgraded it with Morimoto FXR 3.0 projectors with Morimoto HIDs, courtesy BHPian Ashir. While at it, I also got the audio upgraded. Out went the stock speakers and in went Rockford Fosgate Prime series components in the front and Rockford Fosgate coaxials in the back. All these changes were done over time so that my daily drive would improve gradually over time.




But at the end of the 5th year (2019), the car had over 150,000 kms. And as I mentioned above, I had gotten into a motorcycle crash (a pretty bad one!). I had a metal plate installed into my left knee. And with dad was also approaching the psychological age barrier of 60, both of us struggled to drive a manual on a daily basis, thanks in no small part to the infamous traffic of NCR. Being the young at heart and soul in the family, it was no surprise that it was me who had to be behind the wheel most of the time. My dad avoided driving as much as possible, so that he did not have to live up with a manual, and needless to say, I was voted to be the designated driver even when everyone was sober, when it was time to hit the road.



We have a TATA Tiago XZA (AMT) as well in our garage that my sister uses, and by default, everyone else in the family opted to drive that, for they did not have to fiddle with a clutch. And before you start thinking, well, I still had to drive the Ertiga. With all this build-up, it was evident that an AT was the need of the hours. And with a heavy heart, we had to convince ourselves, that our trusty Ertiga had to go.



The Ertiga’s shoes were big to fill, and that’s when we started to think, what would we get next?

[RoadGlide]

How to NOT buy a used car?

With COVID and everything, this project was pushed by a few months.

Fast Forward: August 2020

Now, my family and I were complete newbies when it came to used cars. By then, I kept telling dad about some great deals, that came and went, but he never even bothered. However, he was all ears now, for any deals that came our/my way. But we did not. I was desperate to change the Ertiga quickly. But I learned the hard way that good does not come quick. I kept scouring online ads on OLX, CarTrade, Facebook Marketplace for anything. We did not even know what kind of budget we should set for a used car. That is how much clueless we were.

After searching some cars, we realised that we needed a car that would have a decent life on its RC (just NCR problems), under 50,000 kilometers, the top variant of any car (not necessarily, subject to change, provided the car is very clean), and an automatic transmission. All this under 8 lac rupees.

A friend pinged me about his Jetta TDI DSG that he wanted to sell. It was a super clean car but delay from my side to get back to my friend, and the car was sold. To date, I regret not reverting back on time, as I literally missed the deal by a day or two. In fact, BHPian Viraat13 helped me get the service records also and it was all perfect. I believe it was just not meant to be ours.

Later that month, I came across a lead for used embassy cars on Facebook. A friend verified that they know that lead and that he is trustworthy. He had some cars that were cheaper than the market price. And they seemed very clean, in the pictures at least. I instantly called him up. The car was a 2015 Toyota Corolla Altis G CVT (Yes, we let go of the top variant clause). We went and saw the car. And we dropped a deposit on the car. BIG mistake, as that was when the ordeal started. The embassy agent, who was actually a broker, that showed us the car started ghosting us. He stopped picking up calls or responding to messages. Once in a blue moon, he would respond saying he is trying to get the car for us. After waiting a few weeks, we told him to return us our deposit and that we are not anymore interested in the car. After much to and fro, we finally got the refund but that left a very sour experience with regards to used cars in my family's minds.

And then we hit a roadblock, again!

[RoadGlide]

Uncertainty over used. Why not new?

Now my dad suggested an idea. This same idea he proposed when we were getting a car in 2014. He asked a question, “We have burnt hands with an experience with used. Is it worth it? I do not think so. Why not new?” Since we had also sold off the Ertiga with over 1,70,000 kms on 26th January 2021, we were now without a car and needed one urgently.

And thus began the most confused search for a new car:

A quick online search showed that not many cars fit the bill. This was disappointing and made us realize that inflation had hit a new high. Somewhere in the middle, we lost the hope as well. Still, we made a trip down to many car showrooms, in the hope that some dealership could be having an older stock car in their inventory. This was in January 2021 so we definitely thought that we could hit luck and manage discounts on any car that would help fit our budget. Another point that I forgot to add earlier, was that type of fuel was NOT a concern for us. Being in Delhi-NCR, everybody on the forum is aware of the NGT’s (in)famous ruling. Due to the pandemic, the running had anyways dropped, so, a switchover to Petrol was kept in mind.

Here is the list of cars that we saw (and a big thanks to BHPian Utsav3010 for patiently joining us for all the visits to the different showrooms):

• TATA Tigor/Tiago: The Tiago and the Tigor were the only cars that fit our budget and had an automatic (AMT), and in its top variant. Dad found the Tigor particularly small after the Ertiga, took a TD of it and he was not sold. We did not TD the Tiago because we already have one at home and Dad was not fond of having 2 of the same cars in the family. Out.

• Renault Triber: Now this was a little tricky. It was compact and it had the versatility of the 7-seater (although the 3rd row was pretty useless and we did not really need the 3 rows anymore), or basically a 5 seater with a big boot. But the car was very well packaged, and you had a lot of space inside till the middle row. Interior plastics were decent, to say the least, and everything worked well until my dad drove the Triber. The 1.0 with the AMT is not the sprightliest of cars around. I could only imagine how much the car would struggle, on an incline, with a full load. The AMT, although smooth, was a little too slow to shift and the engine was not the best sounding motors around. That was the deal-breaker. Out.

• Nissan Magnite: We saw the base turbo CVT variant was out of budget but since it was the latest car around, dad thought that the stretch would be worth it. The car was impressive and even the base variant for the turbo CVT was not exactly barebones. Livable. But there was another downside, two dealers told us that the waiting period was well over 6 months. We could not wait that long, since we literally had no car at home. Out.

• Maruti Swift/Dzire: After 7 years, we entered a Maruti Suzuki showroom for a car, and well, no deja vu this time! The only cars that were in our budget were the Dzire/Swift VXI AMT. Luckily, they had display cars as well. Dad had a good look at the cars and liked the Dzire VXI AMT. But deep down, he was not impressed fully with the build of the Dzire, and the fact that even after spending so much, the car did not have alloys or climate control. Heck, the VXI AMT did not even have fog lights! Even though the variant we saw for the Magnite did not have it too but it had the latest launch thing going for it. Hence, the Dzire was also……, well, you guessed it, Out.

Dad realized that with our tight budget, a new car that was actually Dzirable (pun intended) was not happening. And with a heavy heart, he told me to go ahead and search for some used cars again. This is going to be fun, I told myself (yes, I do like talking to myself sometimes ).

[RoadGlide]

If Used, Then Which One?

Now that we had decided that it was going to be used. The playing field suddenly became huge. There were a huge variety of cars. And we had already established some ground rules on what the car should fulfil. Oh, and yes, having burnt our hands, we also decided to not hand over the money to anybody, before seeing the car in person.

“We realized that we needed a car that would have a decent life on its RC (just NCR problems), under 50,000 kilometers, the top variant of any car (but this could subject to change provided the car is very clean), and an automatic transmission. All this under 8 lac rupees.”, yeah, we are back to where we started.

Since we knew not everybody is lucky second time around, we decided to sit down and mark some important points. We wanted a fuss-free maintenance car, as I had just got admission for my master’s abroad, so my dad would be looking after the car and the last thing I would want is to get him an elephant of a car that he would curse me about.

Hence, with a heavy heart, here are some of the cars that were rejected unanimously:

• Cruze LTZ AT: This is truly a dream car for us. My dad and I absolutely love this car but with no official presence of Chevy in India, and skyrocketing prices of spares, we had to drop it with a very heavy heart.
• Octavia TSI/TDI: Another car that is very close to my heart. But the TSI has the damned DQ200 gearbox, and I have read too many horror stories for it. I just could not let my parents live with that ticking time bomb. The TDI steps in and solves that issue but the problem was for my budget, the cars were too old. 2014 types and that meant that we had only 3 years or so with the car. That was too less, hence dropped.
• Vento/Rapid TDI: Again, a very competent car but the ill-fated DQ200 meant that this was dropped without much thinking.
• Nexon AMT: Well, we were very close to finalizing one (belonged to a BHPian itself, so it was assured that it was a very clean example). But dad was not sure about the space of the Nexon. My grandfather is 6’2 and he banged his head on the A-pillar while entering and exiting the car (my uncle has a Nexon Diesel MT). So, that was a factor plus AMT meant that it would be jerky, and we already have one TATA AMT in the family. So, with a heavy heart, this was rejected too.

Now some of the finalists:

• Honda City VX/ZX CVT: I was keen on a post-2017 facelift model. I particularly like the way the car looks post the facelift and with VX, I was getting a sunroof and leather seats. V CVT did not have these. ZX had the bonus of 6 airbags and the LED tail lights. I wanted a ZX but realistically, I knew that it was wishful thinking. So the goal was set on VX. But my oh my, the resale value of City is insane. No owner wanted to sell it under 10 lacs, and the one ZX I saw under 10 was rather quite an abused example, as and it was a TD car for a showroom in Noida. Big thanks to BHPian dhruvritzed for taking time out to come and see that abused car with me. Still, I kept trying my luck searching for an example.

• Honda BR-V CVT: I was not contemplating this car until I came across a very clean car listed at a dealer. Later on, we came to know that it was owned by ex-cricketer Atul Wassan. It was a BR-V CVT. This time too, BHPian Utsav3010, another friend, and me went to check out the car. It was a supremely clean car, almost like the perfect used car, but there had to be a fly in the ointment, ain’t it? The dealer did not budge a bit on the price. And interior did not have many creature comforts. No AA/CP, or cruise control, and an HU that screamed DATED. But hey, it was a nice car. Finally, there was a finalist. Shortlisted.

• Maruti Suzuki Ciaz AT: My only criteria for the Ciaz was that it HAD to be the facelift version. Pre-facelift iteration did not get cruise control, nor the beautiful instrument cluster. I came across many used Ciaz’s but were all pre-facelift ones. I found one facelifted car. It seemed like a clean car. Shortlisted.

I tried to get the dealer to budge on the price of the BR-V. It was a 2017 car, Grey color, V CVT, with 23,000 kms on the odometer. All service records from Honda proved that it was a well-maintained example and was always serviced on time. The test drive was also nice. No odd noises coming from anywhere. But as much as I tried, the dealer did not budge on the price to our liking. And hence, the car was rejected. Pretty sure you are tired of this word by now!












Now, it was time to go and check the Ciaz out. It was standing at the dealer, all shiny. In fact, too shiny. The dealer had applied polish almost everywhere. Even on the dashboard. Typical dealer work, but anyhow, we checked the car out. I was on a video call with BHPian Utsav3010, as he is a Ciaz owner himself, and could help me out in spotting the minor issues if any. He asked to check a few things like the plastic under the handbrake, which if scratched, means that it has not been a garage queen and there were a scratch or two. Not a deal-breaker. The front cup holder cover worked very smoothly. And everything was maintained really well. The seats were clean and showed no signs of wear. All looking good, we took a TD. Now, to be honest, I had never driven the 4-speed AT from Maruti with this engine, so I was completely clueless about how it would turn out to be. I mean on paper, this car had much lower power than the City and the BR-V I had earlier tested. But the TD was a nice experience. Gearbox worked so well and showed eagerness. So much so, that it dropped a gear at the slightest of pish to the A-pedal, so one really never feels the lack of power. I was convinced. We also took the car to the nearest Maruti service center. They checked it on a lift and shared the service records. All seemed good and matched the odometer, which was at 31,000 odd kilometers.

This is how the car was when we went to see it for the first time:







If you guys are wondering whether I rejected this one as well, NO! Finally, we found THE car.

With all looking good, we paid the deposit to book the car. The next day, we got the rest of the funds transferred and we went to take delivery of the car. Post-delivery, we took it for the mandatory car pooja at a temple. And the feeling was still kicking in that we now have a sedan again after 15 years. We had a Civic when we were abroad.

Mandatory Delivery Pic with the Car!



Car Pooja Pics!




And it was time to start a new fairytale.

[RoadGlide]

Welcome home to the Ciaz!

Now that the car is home and after spending close to 3,000 kms (many short drives and 2 long drives), I feel I am now capable of writing this review. I have driven this car in all kinds of ways and in a variety of roads.



Let’s get the facts and figures out of the way first:

• Engine: 1.5 K15 Four-Cylinder Petrol motor with SHVS, churning out 105 BHP and 138 Nm of torque.
• Gearbox: The engine is mated to a 4-speed Torque Converter gearbox.
• Dimension: Length: 4490 mm; Width: 1730 mm; Height: 1485 mm; Wheelbase: 2650 mm.
• Ground Clearance: 170 mm. Not too much, but enough to clear the average city bumps
• Rims and Tires: 195/55/R16 tires on 4 alloys. Spare is a 185/60/R15 tire mounted on a steel rim.
• Kerb Weight: 1095 kgs
• Boot Space: 510 liters. It's best in class now, since the 5th gen City’s boot capacity has reduced to 506 liters, from 510 of 4th gen’s.
• Fuel Tank Size: 43 liters





That is all the necessary information you need now. Let’s focus on the car now.

After driving a 7-year-old diesel car, you get used to vibrations and the typical diesel clatter. Every time I started my old car, my whole society would know that I am leaving. Now, with a petrol car, the refinement is next level. I am actually not used to this refinement because even though the Tiago we have is a petrol, it is a 3 pot motor, and isn’t the most refined engine in the market. At idle, the Ciaz is smooth, and while driving at low RPMs, it is eerily silent and smooth.





Slot the car in D and the car eases off the line quite easily and smoothly. City driving is a breeze. The seats are extremely comfy, and the ride is soft. Any pothole and you will not get jolted around. Honestly, this is a great car to drive around in city limits, because anyways, there are so many speed cams in Delhi NCR now that you can’t go above 70 or 80 due to the speed limits, be it 200 BHP, 300 BHP, or a modest 105 BHP. We will all be at the same speed. Set the cruise control at the desired speed limit and just enjoy the hassle-free driving experience. That is all this car is about. Yes, it is boring, but it is an extremely comfortable city car.

Out on the highway, at speeds of 100 and above, the car is stable up to 150 kph and things start to get floaty after that. But at 90 and 100, which is the usual speed limit at most highways and expressways, the car is extremely capable and can cruise all day perfectly. The RPM in top gear (4th in this case) is at 2,300 or so at 100. This helps the car get immense fuel economy, especially for a petrol. I got 684 kilometers in a tank on the highway trip. This trip included about 70 kilometers of city driving as well. The fuel light comes on at the 37-liter mark. So, 684 / 37 means roughly 18.48 kmpl. I will more than gladly take that.




Where this car shows some chink in its armor is when you try to do any sort of enthusiastic driving. This car does not like to be hustled. Fact. The lack of power is very much evident and a City iVTEC or a Hyundai Verna or a Skoda Rapid TSI would probably run rings around the Ciaz. The difference in power between these cars is very much noticeable. After you notice the lack of power when you gun it, you will instantly notice the chassis is not meant for enthusiastic driving. Although the steering feedback is pretty nice and the front-end points where you want to on a set of twisties, the car has a lot of body roll and the softly sprung setup clearly shows. This car is clearly not meant for someone who is a corner craver all the time. Look elsewhere. Yes, this car is boring indeed. But as I said earlier, for relaxed driving in the city, this is one competent package.

The interior space and comfort are where this car is head and shoulders above, say something, like a Rapid or a Verna. The City probably comes close, but I personally feel (and this is really just my opinion) that the Ciaz is the one to beat when it comes to interior space. The front seats are nice and have good support. The driving position is really nice and spot on and everything is within your reach. The visibility from the driver’s seat is also really nice.





The real fun is in the back though. I mean, it is almost lounge-like space in the back. If the front seats are adjusted to my driving position, a 6’2 person can easily sit behind, with ample legroom to spare. He will also have a lot of headroom. I was blown away by the amount of space in the back, and one ought to complement Maruti Suzuki for the interior packaging of the car.

Some plastics on the dash, however, don’t feel the most premium. I can cite the example of the indicator and the wiper stalk. They feel particularly flimsy. The AC vents don’t feel the strongest. And the steering wheel design does remind me of the Ertiga at times. It is mostly similar in design, but it is black this time and houses more functions. The SmartPlay head unit is not the most fluidic ones around, and that does annoy me sometimes, but I don’t need to go fiddling around with the HU much as I just connect my phone through Android Auto and leave it at that for most of the time.



Overall, the Ciaz has its ups and downs. But the ups win it for me and my family all the time.

(BHPian Utsav3010 helped clean up the car and detailed it for these pics! )

[RoadGlide]

Living with the Ciaz:



Firstly, I have to mention how easy it was to transition from a diesel 7-seater MPV to a petrol sedan. We realized we did not need the 7 seats anymore and that is why we could easily adopt to the sedan life. The refinement and the comfort of the Ciaz is several notches above the Ertiga, and that is evident every time I drive it with my family. Now, I know that it is not the most enthusiastic car around and an enthusiast would have probably chosen something like a Rapid, or a City.





However, as I mentioned earlier, I am soon hoping to travel abroad for my higher studies (Delayed due to COVID). This car is meant for my 60+ years old man and his family. My father absolutely loves the comfort the Ciaz offers and he totally loves the convenience of an automatic. And I think it suits his requirements to the T. We needed a fuss-free car to replace the Ertiga, which in 6 and half years and 170,000 kms, was pretty fuss-free to own and run. The Ciaz had big shoes to fill, and if I have to be brutally honest, I have no worries doubts that the Ciaz will pick up the mantle and carry forward our journeys, hassle-free. It is supremely comfortable. And the laid-back attitude of the whole car works so well here. It is like a perfect fitting piece in the puzzle. And with the additional bells and whistles over the Ertiga, it feels like a proper upgrade, in terms of the feel-good factor. Also, it being a Maruti Suzuki, it would be on the easier side to maintain, and upkeep costs should also be reasonable for my dad, once I leave.






Will I miss the Ertiga? You bet. The practicality and versatility were unmatched. I actually feel the Ertiga is one of the underrated cars in the Indian market. But it was a phase of life, and with everything in life, nothing is permanent. As they say, “change is the only constant”. And now it is the time for the Ciaz. It is not as efficient as the Ertiga in City. Plus, the additional fuel cost of petrol over diesel is also against it. But COVID has changed the world around. And I no longer have a 100 kms commute anymore. In the 4 months of ownership, it has done 3,400 kilometers. That is how much running has dropped. This kind of running only warrants a petrol. And that is what convinced us to consider a petrol car as an option.





Yes, it is not the most enthusiastic. Yes, it is not the best built. Yes, it is slow. Yes, it might not be the safest around. Yes, it is better to be chauffeured around in this. But all these do not matter. We set out to buy a new car. We faced lots of ups and downs and it sure took a lot of time to finally get to a car. But I am certain that all of that was worth it.



Yes, my car is boring. But it is just the way I would have it. And nothing else matters.

Big thanks to BHPians Utsav3010, dhruvritzed, Viraat13 for tolerating all my questions and queries for what car I should buy.

[RoadGlide]

Some pictures:





After recent rains and storms (+I had changed my place of stay for about a month), the car was absolutely filthy. As you can see below :





I found a random carwash that was open even during lockdown, and I could not resist giving the car a wash:





And the car was finally presentable again!







And a final picture as a tribute to the Ertiga as well:




Thank you everyone for reading through this review!

[Aditya]

Thread moved out from the Assembly Line. Thanks for sharing!

[vigsom]

Congratulations, @RoadGlide, on what I believe is the first used Ciaz AT to be featured on the forum.

Originally Posted by RoadGlide

[But I learned the hard way that good does not come quick. I kept scouring online ads. we needed a car that would have

- a decent life on its RC (just NCR problems),
- under 50,000 kilometers, and an
- automatic transmission.
- all this under 8 lac rupees.

Good that you defined your requirements clearly. If I were you, I'd have gone a step further and defined the target car too, and not looked at any other option.

A friend pinged me about his Jetta TDI DSG that he wanted to sell.

Later that month, I came across a lead for used embassy cars on Facebook. The car was a 2015 Toyota Corolla Altis G CVT. And we dropped a deposit on the car. BIG mistake, as that was when the ordeal started. The embassy agent, who was actually a broker, started ghosting us. After much to and fro, we finally got the refund

Good that you let go of both these cars. The DSG might have become a nightmare later. The 2015 Altis CVT is no match for the older super robust Altis 4 speed AT; and I'm surprised how you got your advance back.

Originally Posted by RoadGlide

Dad realized that with our tight budget was not happening

That's the sad truth - that you don't get your money's worth anymore with new cars. Other than cases where one is able to avail tax benefits y-o-y, I think 3-4 year old used cars with less than 30k on the odo makes better sense. All that one should budget is a new battery and a new set of tyres as immediate expenses and all would be fine.

Originally Posted by RoadGlide

Honda BR-V CVT: The dealer did not budge a bit on the price.

The BR-V would have been a perfect replacement for the Ertiga. What was the dealer's go-no go price that he was so stubborn about?

I've driven a 2017 CVT in Chennai, and have ridden in this car from Chennai to Trichy in November last year. To put it in Gujarati, it is a ramakda (toy to drive). My only grouse was that the under thigh support in the front wasn't satisfactory during long distance travel. She would need a CVT fluid replacement at 40k kms, but other than that I love the car. (This car was chosen after evaluating Hexa XMA, Ciaz 1.4 ZXi+ AT, Crysta 2.8 G AT)

Overall, I'd still have loved you getting the BR-V simply for the convenience that the car offers. The Ciaz is the best deal that you could have got meeting those conditions. And the 1.5 engine is the icing on the cake. The 4 speed AT is a robust maintenance free unit and I think needs an AT oil change only at 11 years or 1,65,000km.

[boniver]

Glad you finally found the perfect car for you and your dad. The Ciaz seems to fit your requirements to the T!

Originally Posted by RoadGlide

But it is just the way I would have it. And nothing else matters.

That is how it should have been, right from the start

[RoadGlide]

Originally Posted by vigsom

Congratulations, @RoadGlide, on what I believe is the first used Ciaz AT to be featured on the forum.

Thank you vigsom. I, too, think this is the first used Ciaz AT and generally a first review of the Ciaz AT (facelift) in general (aside from the Official Review)!

Originally Posted by vigsom

Good that you defined your requirements clearly. If I were you, I'd have gone a step further and defined the target car too, and not looked at any other option.

Well, the Ciaz was never in contention because of the usual gripes - 4 speed AT. And the fact that we already had a Maruti currently. But well, I was in for a massive surprise when I drove it.

Originally Posted by vigsom

Good that you let go of both these cars. The DSG might have become a nightmare later. The 2015 Altis CVT is no match for the older super robust Altis 4 speed AT; and I'm surprised how you got your advance back.

I can't tell you enough how surprised even I was to get the advance back. It required a lot of follow up and persistence.

Originally Posted by vigsom

That's the sad truth - that you don't get your money's worth anymore with new cars. Other than cases where one is able to avail tax benefits y-o-y, I think 3-4 year old used cars with less than 30k on the odo makes better sense. All that one should budget is a new battery and a new set of tyres as immediate expenses and all would be fine.

Honestly, this was the most heart breaking experience while buying a car. We went with hope that we might actually end up finding a new car but it was not to be.

Originally Posted by vigsom

The BR-V would have been a perfect replacement for the Ertiga. What was the dealer's go-no go price that he was so stubborn about?

I've driven a 2017 CVT in Chennai, and have ridden in this car from Chennai to Trichy in November last year. To put it in Gujarati, it is a ramakda (toy to drive). My only grouse was that the under thigh support in the front wasn't satisfactory during long distance travel. She would need a CVT fluid replacement at 40k kms, but other than that I love the car. (This car was chosen after evaluating Hexa XMA, Ciaz 1.4 ZXi+ AT, Crysta 2.8 G AT)

Overall, I'd still have loved you getting the BR-V simply for the convenience that the car offers. The Ciaz is the best deal that you could have got meeting those conditions. And the 1.5 engine is the icing on the cake. The 4 speed AT is a robust maintenance free unit and I think needs an AT oil change only at 11 years or 1,65,000km.

I totally agree you. The BRV would have been the APT replacement for the Ertiga, without losing even 1% of the versatility or practicality. But since the car was owned by an ex cricketer, the dealer was pushing on that factor and not budging on price. The car was listed at 9 lacs and he did not budge below 8.25. And it was older than the Ciaz as well.

Originally Posted by boniver

Glad you finally found the perfect car for you and your dad. The Ciaz seems to fit your requirements to the T!


That is how it should have been, right from the start

Thank you Boniver for the kind words. Yes, I do feel that for my dad, it is a good option. Hope the ownership experience stays like this!

[Utsav3010]

Congratulations for the Ciaz, Archit. Having known you for a long time, a car was due since long and am so glad you finally found THE perfect car for your parents.

Ciaz hits a very sweet spot in its segment, it offers great practicality, looks good (still), has the backing of great after-sales support and while the engine may not offer mind-numbing performance, it gets the job done, and is very efficient. No wonder it still sells! And the car looks stunning in this Dignity Brown shade, I wish we too had gotten the Ciaz in this very shade, instead of the plain-jane Silver.

Wishing you tons of happy kms on this one

[locusjag]

Congrats on your used acquisition. This is something that's on my wishlist as well - it's either this, or a used Jazz CVT for me, a few years down the line...

Our fellow members are probably going to consider me a broken record for saying this yet again - but then again, there are other broken records that state the opposite of what I'm about to say.

Myth - The 4 speed gearbox makes for a slow expressway performance.

Reality - The 4th cog in this Jattco 405e Torque Converter gearbox is a tall one; its 4th gear's ratio is taller than the Manual Transmission equivalent's 5th gear's ratio!

Highway cruising is achieved at very low RPMs. Of course, the absence of intermittent gears means the gearbox hunts for gears at power speeds and aggressive overtaking by revving her up isn't easy. But sheer cruisability on the highway is superb.

What gets my goat is the tendency of even supposed auto "experts" from auto magazines and video channels who keep calling the 4 speed AT Brezza, S-Cross, XL6, Ertiga and Ciaz as city cars; whereas this gearbox is confused at city speeds and excels in its relaxed nature on 4+ lane highways.

[keroo1099]

Nice thoughtful review Archit. When my school buddy in Bombay was looking at a no nonsense car I told him to go take a look at the Ciaz AT and compare it to the Honda City which was his first choice. Since he isn't a enthusiast he saw the value that the Ciaz gave him over the Honda, picked it up and lived happily ever after.

I did a trip with him in the Ciaz to Baroda and back and was pleasantly surprised at how competent it was on the highway. It's not a car that likes being pushed, but is great as a relaxed cruiser except for the steering that needs constant correction.

Wishing you many trouble free miles with the Ciaz.