Maruti Suzuki Ciaz Launch in India - Live Coverage

12:38 IST: Variant-wise prices (ex-showroom, Delhi)

Petrol variants

VXi - Rs 6.99 lakh
VXi+ - Rs 7.55 lakh
ZXi - Rs 8.24 lakh
ZXi (O) - Rs 8.59 lakh
VXi AT - Rs 8.65 lakh
ZXi AT - Rs 9.34 lakh

Diesel variants

VDi - Rs 8.04 lakh
VDi+ - Rs 8.63 lakh
ZDi - Rs 9.45 lakh
ZDi (O) - Rs 9.80 lakh

Note: The prices mentioned above are introductory.

12:35 IST: And here comes the pricing, the Ciaz comes in the price bracket of Rs 6.99 - Rs 9.80 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi).

12:28 IST: Several refinements in powertrain, suspension and adequate use of noise dampeners at appropriate places have resulted in a quiter cabin, says MSI.

12:25 IST: The Ciaz is expected to come on stage followed by a magnificent musical performance.

12:23 IST: While the diesel engined model comes mated to a five-speed manual transmission, the petrol can be bought either with a five-speed manaul gearbox or a four-speed automatic transmission.

12:21 IST: The Ciaz comes in 4 petrol (VXi, VXi+, ZXi and ZXi Optional) and 4 diesel (VDi, VDi+, ZDi and ZDi optional) variants.

12:20 IST: The Ciaz comes with 1.4-litre K-Series Petrol and 1.3-litre multijet diesel mills.

12:19 IST: The Ciaz petrol too has been claimed to deliver the best-in-class fuel efficiency of 20.73Km/l.

12:18 IST: Just so you know, the CIAZ stands for Comfort-Intelligence-Attitude-Zeal.

12:17 IST: The company along with its vendors invested Rs. 620 crore towards development off this model.

12:15 IST: Three factors that the company targeted while developing the car - Spaciousness, Mileage and Design.

12:13 IST: "The Maruti Suzuki Ciaz is the car for customers who are looking to upgrade to a premium mid-sized sedan", says Mr. Ayukama.

12:12 IST:  The Ciaz with 26.21Km/l is the most fuel-efficient car in India. Earlier, it was Honda City with 25.8Km/l.

12:10 IST: Kenichi Ayukawa, MD & CEO, Maruti Suzuki India is on stage to address the media.

First unveiled as a pre-production concept at the 2014 Delhi Auto Expo, the Ciaz is Maruti Suzuki's answer to the hugely popular mid-sized sedans like Honda City and Hyundai Verna. Known for its small cars in India, Maruti could never make an impact in the luxury or premium car segment. All of its cars including Baleno, SX4, Vitara and Kizashi, despite being really capable products, could not lure buyers in India. So, the biggest challenge for MSI will be breaking its image of being the 'king of small cars'; and if that happens, we are sure there is no looking back for Indo-Japanese carmaker.

Also Read: Maruti Suzuki Ciaz Review

The big day has finally arrived when Maruti is all set to launch the Ciaz, which will replace the not-so-successful SX4 in India. If compared with its closest rivals, the Ciaz is the least powerful car; however, there is lot more going in its favour. The Ciaz is claimed to be the most feature-rich car in its league and its diesel model with an ARAI certified mileage of 26.21Km/l, is country's most fuel-efficient car. Earlier, the Honda City was on top with 25.8Km/l. What also goes in its favour is the cabin space, the Ciaz is one of the longest cars in its segment. Fiat Linea with its 4560mm length, is the longest sedan in the mid-sized segment, while the Ciaz is the second longest car with an overall length of 4490mm - thanks to the segment-leading wheelbase of 2650mm.

Powering the petrol model of the car is a 1.4-litre K-Series engine that also powers the Ertiga. This engine produces 94bhp and 130Nm of torque. The diesel model, on the other hand, gets a 1.3-litre multijet unit that is good for 89bhp and 200Nm. Transmitting power to the front wheels of both petrol and diesel models is a five-speed manual gearbox, however, the petrol model can also be bought with a 4-speed automatic transmission.