The new variant is likely to bring a ray of hope for the sedan that faced a blow from the GST reforms and will potentially encounter another one from the upcoming Hyundai Verna

Maruti Suzuki Ciaz S has been launched at Rs 9.39 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi) in its petrol avatar. Based on the range-topping Alpha trim, the Ciaz S diesel costs Rs 11.55 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi). The automatic Ciaz, though, doesn’t get the S treatment. The S variant adds some sporty decals to the top-spec trim and costs approximately Rs 11,000 over it. Here are the add-ons that you get for this extra price:

- Front and rear bumper extensions

- Side skirts

- Rear boot lid spoiler with integrated stop light

- Black dashboard and interior

- Black leather upholstery

Back when the Ciaz was living with its younger siblings in Maruti Suzuki dealerships, it was available with a limited edition RS variant. This variant served as the top most trim you could buy and featured similar equipment as the Ciaz S. The black interiors gel beautifully with the car's design and look a lot better than the beige alternative. Later, the Ciaz lost the ‘RS’ badge and the beige body colour in favour of a fancier Nexa showroom and the new Nexa blue paint job.

With the rollout of GST, the petrol variants of the Ciaz have become cheaper by Rs 6,500 to Rs 10,000 in Delhi. However, the diesel variants have taken a hit and are now pricier by Rs 1.54 lakh to Rs 1.87 lakh. In the post-GST era, pricing of the Ciaz petrol variants ranges from Rs 7.66 lakh to Rs 10.42 lakh while the diesel range starts at Rs 9.43 lakh and tops out at Rs 11.44 lakh in Delhi.

About the launch of the Ciaz S, RS Kalsi, senior executive director of marketing and sales at Maruti Suzuki, said, “The Ciaz has established itself as one of the most progressive brands of Maruti Suzuki and has sold over 1.70 lakh units cumulative since its launch in October 2014. The introduction of the Ciaz S will further strengthen the position of the Ciaz in the market by catering to the requirements of a younger yet premium customer who believes in the sporty spirit of life.”

The new variant should give the Ciaz some more firepower to go up against the hotly anticipated new Hyundai Verna. With the playing field wide open, it'll be interesting to see who comes out on top in the C-segment sedan space.

Source: ZigWheels.com