Suzuki offers value for money in a tough market

The launch of the new Ciaz sedan sees Suzuki move into the larger sedan segment where it will compete with an excellent range of vehicles. The latter includes, in my mind, the likes of Toyota, Kia and others. How will they fair? Well, I am willing to give much more than just a fair chance. Suzuki does of course offer the Swift Dzire sedan but for many families, this, although offering more space than a hatch, is still a tad impractical.

On the other side of the Ciaz one finds the Kizashi, but for some reason you don’t see many of them around. Quite enjoyed it during my test drive which feels like it was years ago.

Not too much make-up
What I mean by the above, is that the exterior design is conservative, elegant and as Suzuki indicates “authentic”. Some would interpret authentic for boring but that it is certainly not – not completely anyway. On paper she looks a lot larger than she is and she certainly is not small. Legroom in the rear will outshine most others.

The front-end and the side-on views of the Ciaz are the strong elements in terms of design. There is a subtle saloon-car likeness as a result of the roof line design which is accentuated by the shoulder line which runs right from the front-light clusters.
The front end itself is truly a “large car” and the combination of the various elements – light design, grill, bumper and under-bumper air dam, is poetry in motion. I love it!

The rear end does not do it for me – too much Toyota-like – as a matter of speaking. It does not mean that I don’t like Toyota’s though – not at all.

Let’s look at the underwear
The interior reflects Suzuki’s “less is more” philosophy – quality finish and fit, stylish and practical. Not too many silver bits that distract attention. The front seats are comfortable and supportive. The legroom in the rear, I am sure, must be the best in its class – it may even kick the buts of some larger offerings in the market.

The first thing that will probably catch your eye, though, is the wide-opening doors – lekker man, lekker! Dashboard colours are black and dark grey and fortunately the roof lining is light. Were it not for that, the interior would have been sombre to say the least.
The instrument binnacle is directly in front of the driver-focused design and contains things like the rev counter, fuel indicator, speedometer and the rest. The steering is equipped with satellite controls for Bluetooth and the audio system. USB and 12V connecting points are inside the compartment between the front seats under the armrest.

What did bother me a little about the interior though, was the A-pillar design in combination with the position of the rear-view mirror. I often – too often – had to lean forward in my seat to check for oncoming traffic when turning or at stop signs.
Ciaz boasts 495 litres of boot space – that is quite big, but then Suzuki has decided to spoil their customers a little – just a little!

Under the hood
I drove the top-end Ciaz kitted with a 1,4-litre four cylinder linked to a five-speed gearbox and although it delivers 70kW and 130Nm, if one does not use the right foot to get the revs up, most will consider it a little light. But remember, revs up. The Suzuki can handle it and when you do, the Ciaz’s performance will be brisk but certainly not exhilarating. Probably not meant to be either – this is an entry to the family sedan market remember?
The Ciaz road behaviour as in Driving Miss Daisy, family on holiday and so forth, is good, accommodating and really comfortable. This is despite a somewhat, in my opinion,
vague steering.

The Ciaz comes with a host of safety and luxury features depending on the model you buy, but as I have indicated, irrespective of which one you get, will offer value and the support of a stable brand that does not need to prove its commitment to the market
any more.
So, go for it!

Photos: www.motorpress.co.za