1. Interior
When the Celerio was updated in June 2018, Suzuki retained the Celerio's focus on practicality and space. The general layout of the front console and central instrument cluster has also been retained in an effort to contain costs, but the dash now features a two-tone design with a lighter coloured bottom section.
The two-tone theme is mirrored in the new cloth upholstery, which has a lighter patterned section in the seat-inlays. This cloth was selected for its durability and ease of cleaning.
The design update serves to create an even more spacious feel to the cabin, which remains the largest in the A-segment.
2. Award-winning engine
The Celerio is powered by Suzuki’s K10B 1.0-litre, three-cylinder engine, which offers 55 kW at 6 000 rpm and 90 Nm of torque at a peak of 3 500 rpm.
The engine has won Suzuki gold and silver awards in the British Green Apple Environmental Awards for its frugal nature, which is partly thanks to the multipoint fuel injection system as well as the Celerio’s low kerb weight of only 835 kg. The Celerio has a CO2-rating of 110 g/km for manual models and 108 g/km for the automated manual transmission model, which is well below the South African 120 g/km emission tax bracket.
In light of transmission, buyers also have the option to choose between the five-speed manual or the five-speed automated manual transmission (AMT). The latter offers the self-shifting comfort of an automatic gearbox, with the frugal nature of a manual gearbox thanks to the fitment of the self-actuating clutch.
The Celerio offers a combined-cycle consumption figure of 4.6 litres/100 km on the AMT-model and 4.7 litres on the manual version. This means that the Celerio has a real-world driving range of 750 km on its fuel tank of 35 litres.
Related: Hyundai Grand i10 vs KIA Picanto vs Suzuki Celerio: which one has the lowest running costs?
3. Value for money
The one thing that Suzuki South Africa has left untouched, is the Celerio’s unmatched value-for-money offering.
The Celerio offers a good balance of space, specification and price that has made the city car the top award-winning budget vehicle in its category. Since its introduction in 2015, the Celerio has recorded several local wins in industry-awards as well as similar awards in India, the United Kingdom and elsewhere.
Current pricing:
Celerio 1.0I GA MT R141 400
Celerio 1.0I GL MT R158 400
Celerio 1.0I GL AMT R172 400
Suzuki has also retained the standard 2-year/60 000 km service plan on Celerio GL models.
Related: 2018 Suzuki Celerio Test Review
