The second-generation Maruti Suzuki Celerio will likely launch around the festive season; could be powered by 1.0-litre petrol and 1.2-litre petrol engines
Maruti Suzuki India Limited (MSIL) introduced the Celerio back in 2014 and it can be credited with bringing the AMT to the masses. The hatchback did enjoy good success over the years but in response to the increasing competition, the largest carmaker in the country will launch a brand new generation later this year and it has already been spotted testing a number of times.
The second-generation Maruti Suzuki Celerio will be a radical overhaul compared to the original model, which has now been discontinued. It was expected to go on sale a few months ago but the difficult market scenario exacerbated by the second wave of the health crisis appeared to have postponed the launch plans.
The upcoming Celerio will more likely be introduced around the festive season, taking advantage of the positive buying sentiments that generally exist amongst customers. The hatch will be underpinned by the lightweight Heartect platform that can also be found in the Wagon R, Ignis, Swift, S-Presso, Baleno and others.
We do suspect the Celerio to have bigger proportions than its predecessor due to the presence of the new architecture and consequently, the interior space could grow as well. On the outside, the Celerio will have a redesigned front fascia with bulbous headlamps, a new grille section and a revised front bumper with a wider central air intake.
Elsewhere, you could find revised tail lamps, a new set of wheels and restyled rear bumper with tweaks to the tailgate structure. On the inside, the second-gen Celerio will offer a SmartPlay touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, a steering wheel with mounted controls, an updated centre console and dashboard, and so on.
It could be sold in new colour schemes and accessory options could be provided. As for the performance, the existing 1.0-litre three-cylinder petrol engine will be carried over while a 1.2-litre K-series petrol could help in further expanding the range and address a wider set of buyers. A five-speed manual transmission will be standard and an AMT could also be in the offing.