For few months now we have been hearing news of Pak Suzuki introducing the new Celerio in Pakistan at the end of this year or the start of 2017 as a replacement for the Suzuki Cultus. Celerio is Suzuki’s 4-door front wheel drive hatchback that was introduced back in 2014. It comes with a K-Series 3-cylinder engine that is also available in Suzuki’s Wagon R in Pakistan. Just like every other automaker, existing or potential new entrant, Suzuki is also waiting for the auto policy to be announced. The launch of new models from existing local carmakers and European carmakers launching their cars in Pakistan all depends on what sort of incentives the government is going to offer to them.
Also Read: Pak Suzuki Will Be Replacing Its Suzuki Cultus With The All New Celerio
As mentioned before, 2016 Auto Expo has been going on in India lately where carmakers from around the world are showcasing their new models. Auto Expo is Asia’s biggest auto show. The latest in the line is Maruti Suzuki Celerio Cross. According to IAB, Maruti Suzuki launched a “kitted up version of the Maruti Celerio” at the expo. The Celerio was launched in India at the 2014 Auto Expo. This updated version of the Celerio is a sportier version of the same car albeit it is powered by the same 1.0-liter engine. As far transmission options are concerned, the car is available with either a CVT or a 5-speed manual.
The Celerio Cross features a matte black grille with black accents all around the car at the bottom. The car has factory fitted body kit as well and comes with 6-spoke alloys. In India, car’s nearest rivals are Toyota Etios Cross and Volkswagen Polo Cross.
The Cross version has been made after the success of Celerio in Indian auto market. And it was most probably an initiative taken by Maruti Suzuki by itself, and had nothing to do with Suzuki Japan. So the debate whether cars like these can be made available in Pakistan has mostly do with Pak Suzuki and their will to take such initiatives.
Courtesy: IAB
It is equipped with an AMT transmission and not CVT, plz correct the article guys!
Cross badge is usually used for AWD version by Suzuki, like SX4 Cross.
About PakSuzuki’s initiatives: In Pakistan also, Suzuki takes its own initiative to introduce new things. Unfortunately those “new” things are limited to new A/C knobs and grille, while if a change is big enough (“big” means something like a change in shape of headlight), it has to come from Japan.
CNG kit installation was an alteration without input from Japan. Though with approval from Japan, but technical help was not provided by Japan. Also, the EFi system for F8B was developed locally (“EURO-II”isation of Mehran, Bolan and Ravi).
However, in Pakistan, most of these initiatives has been functional/technical.
Also, Margalla, Cultus and other cars have been sold with wider tyres in the world, yet PakSuzuki puts microscopic engines in them, therefore narrow tyres need to be used. This also decreases the manufacturing cost and initial sale price of the car. This is a local alteration.
For Swift (launched in 2010), it was designed with many things as standard, such as rain sensing wipers, and so many other auto-things. PakSuzuki figured out the cost of licensing all that stuff from Suzuki Japan is too high and the car would as a result be too expensive, people wouldn’t be able to afford, therefore they developed manual versions of all those things in-house in Pakistan. It was sort of a downgrade, but maybe it was better because it made available and popularized a modern car, at least slightly more modern than the other junk Pak Suzuki is selling.
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I take an stance against this sentence: “The launch of new models from existing local carmakers and European carmakers launching their cars in Pakistan all depends on what sort of incentives the government is going to offer to them.”
All over the world, car makers are not given incentives to launch new models. Launch of new models is not simplified by any means (read next para to understand this fully). On the opposite, the continued manufacture of older models is made more difficult. This is done by improving the minimum required safety standards, or minimum required fuel economy standards, for example.
In fact launch of new models is also difficult in abroad, because it means having to design for ever more stringent safety, fuel economy and other standards. But since launching a new car is DIFFICULT but continuing to sell the obsolete model is IMPOSSIBLE once the date allowing the older standard passes, car makers are left with no choice of either stopping manufacture or to make something modern. Manufacturers then choose the DIFFICULT over the IMPOSSIBLE.
However the tone of this sentence written by the author signifies our collective state of mind that we are so desperate after years of suffering from the same pathetic junk, we are even willing to incentivize something – taking a reactive approach while the world is taking a proactive approach.
The Celerio comes with both AMT and CVT. India has AMT while Thailand, etc has CVT.
The Pakistan model will likely be Manual only as Paksuzuki does not value customer comfort.
Pak Suzuki launch celerio with a CVT gearbox….and i promise i would buy it 🙂
Dear Guest. You are grossly mistaken, local incentives are out of question. Not a bolt can be changed by Pak Suzuki without prior approval from Japan. This is what I learned from IMC.
that is one ugly car.
it’s going be too expensive for a common man to afford. Suzuki should shutdown their company.
Dear mohsin malik, you are grossly misunderstanding.
Changes are done with approval. Simply because Suzuki of Japan “allows” or “approves” a change does not mean they will provide full support to enact that change. While CNG was installed by Pak Suzuki, it was an “approved” alteration but all the calculations/prototyping were done by Pak Suzuki. Which means that Pak Suzuki has the talents and brain which can do so.
I am sure the readers would be interested to know why you are learning about Pak Suzuki at IMC.
Dear Guest, thank you for your input. good too see a to-the-point article instead of ‘I hate this / I love this’
The interior looks fine but the exterior is plainly pathetic. One more ugly car ready to roam the streets of Pakistan just like the ugly Wagon R of Suzuki. The japanese version of wagon R is much more adorable and PakSuzuki had to buy trash from India to make its streets more uglier with it. Our streets are already littered with their Mehran and this is one company that is making it less prettier day after day.
Any good news on plans to shelve production of the Suzuki contraption called ‘Mehran’? This one car is singularly responsible for 80% (perhaps more) of the mess we have on our roads. Its nauseating seeing Suzuki Mehrans swarming like flies on our roads. I am certain there are much better options at the same price but I don’t understand why low budget consumers are being forced to invest their hard earned money in a car that is grossly overpriced, provides little value for money, has the poorest safety standards of all cars in Pakistan and is long long overdue at the car history museum.
Yeah, you are right but the one in this picture from the Auto Expo 2016 has an AMT, that is what I meant.
Actually, PakSuzuki tried buying trash from Maruti Suzuki India but the government doesn’t allow. So they buy it from Thailand.
It is true that most of the cars of Indian manufacture do not have that quality which you are used to in the form of JDM. Quality of manufacture of Chinese cars is also less than JDM. And the engines coming of out Indus or Atlas sound much smoother than any Indian or Chinese engines, shows Pakistanis are much better at tying engines.
Indian culture is different from Pakistani culture. Most cars designed in India, the shape would not fit well with the taste of Pakistani public. Also, Pakistanis like wider and bigger wheels while Indian cars seem to have miniature wheels. Pakistani like sober colours while Indians prefer brighter or even outright screaming colours. You can see the difference even in the colours of the currency notes. Pakistani notes have softer hues while Indian notes have some deep orange and yellow.
However before calling something trash you should consider that it may as well be someone’s treasure. Just because you do not like it does not it is not good.
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“Looking at it sideways clearly shows that it is a modification of the Suzuki Alto rather than being a brand new model”
Celerio is 1000cc version of Alto which is 660cc. They use Celerio badge in some countries for 1000cc Alto.
Did you even read the article? It is mentioned that Celerio “Cross” has some locally done modifications. Rest is the same as plain Celerio (which in turn is identical to Alto).
As far as Suzuki is concerned i must say that this is SUZUKI-GARDI. Most unethical product for the consumers of Pakistan.