Maruti Celerio diesel long term review, fourth report

The best part about the driving dynamics is the car’s ride. Some stretches on NH4 have diversions, owing to ongoing construction, and the road surface is in very poor shape in places. The monsoons compound this, making some stretches look like a war zone. But the Celerio took it all in its stride. The supple ride gobbled up broken surfaces with aplomb. Bigger potholes and speed bumps did crash through to the cabin, though.

In terms of comfort, the seats are well cushioned and while they don’t exactly cosset you in luxury, even after driving for six hours at a stretch, my back was in fine nick. And steering adjustability ensured my arms weren’t too strained either.

Practicality-wise, there are plenty of spaces to store knick-knacks in the cabin. Although we only had a couple of soft bags, which easily fitted into the 235-litre boot, all the small things one takes along or accumulates on a long drive were tucked into the many cubbyholes: coffee cups went into the cupholders up front, while the magazines (Autocar India, naturally) my co-passenger brought along were stowed away in the door pockets.

As Goa loomed on the horizon, I checked the fuel gauge and was amazed to find it still had three bars on it. The range showed more than 120km while the distance to our destination was less than half of that. We’d actually managed to make the entire way on less than one tank of fuel! As we cruised into rain-soaked Goa, I knew that bringing the Celerio along had been a great decision. Next time, I may just take it along for a cross-country road trip.