Maruti Ciaz long term review, second report

The other area Maruti engineers have done a good job is with the bottom-end responses of the K14 engine. The engine is tractable and vibration-free, and pulls cleanly from as low as 800rpm. Throttle responses are crisp — there’s no hesitation if you tap the throttle here. Short shift up early into third, and it doesn’t complain either. So at times, I find I can get by using only 800rpm to 1,500rpm in traffic, without feeling a lack of power. And this is also helped by the short gearing.
What also helps is the fact that the gearbox throw is quite short and switch-like. You need a bit of a firm shove at times, but otherwise, first to second and second to third are just a quick pull and push away. So the petrol Ciaz, as a result, feels right at home in the city and, importantly, is easy to drive in an efficient manner.

What I’ve also discovered, quite by chance, is that the Bluetooth pairs with your phone quickly only when you start up. Miss that window, however, and it’s difficult to do it via the cryptic menu. The best way to do it then is to switch the car off, start up the Bluetooth on your phone and then restart the car — a bit long-winded, but at least it works. Call quality, however, is very clear and the system is quite quick and responsive.

So, while our Ciaz feels a bit nervous and out of its depth at highway speeds above 120, it clearly is well-suited to the city.