Maruti Suzuki is readying its first hybrid vehicle for launch, i.e. the Ciaz SHVS and will be discontinuing its regular diesel variants to make way for the hybrid variants.

Maruti Ciaz SHVS Hybrid
The Ciaz SHVS comes with an electric motor and battery with the same diesel engine

Maruti Suzuki will be launching the Ciaz SHVS in India this month and it has come to light that the regular versions of the Ciaz diesel will be completely discontinued to make way for the Ciaz SHVS. While there has been no official announcement regarding this, dealers in Delhi are offering discounts up to the tune of Rs. 40,000/- on the diesel variants of the C-Segment sedan. Maruti wants to finish off the unsold stock of the diesel variants before the new model is launched.

The Maruti Ciaz SHVS is the first hybrid car from the company’s stable and it comes with a hybrid system with an electric motor and a battery. The hybrid model comes with the same 1.3-litre Multijet diesel engine that is sourced from Fiat. The sedan already has an ARAI-claimed fuel efficiency of 26.2 km/l and the hybrid variants will enable it to deliver even better mileage figures. Apart from this, the Ciaz SHVS also gets brake recuperation system and a start-stop function. The vehicle also gets minor cosmetic tweaks that will be carried forward to the petrol variants too.

The Maruti Ciaz SHVS will be the first hybrid car in its segment and will also be the most fuel-efficient. Dealers have started accepting bookings for the new model but they are not disclosing any details about the vehicle or its complete pricing. Bookings are being accepted for Rs. 11,000/- and reports suggest that the vehicle will be pricier by Rs. 75,000/- to Rs. 1.20 lakhs depending on the variant. It is unclear whether Maruti will continue selling the Ciaz from its regular dealerships or will the newer model be sold through NEXA. We think it is a good move to discontinue the older diesel variants since so many trims of the same vehicle would just confuse the buyer.

2015 Maruti Ciaz Road Test
The current diesel variants are being offered with a discount of Rs. 40,000/-

Spy Picture Source – CarSizzler.com