The second generation Suzuki Celerio review
Budget-friendly city car
South African consumers have been feeling the pinch of the post-pandemic economic recovery. Prices of even the basic goods have become somewhat luxury items for even the middle-class. The price of fuel was not spared from this as we saw record-high prices. Sounds like all doom and gloom right? Well, not quite. There are some selected items and services that don’t break the bank. One such example is the new Suzuki Celerio*, which we’ve had the privilege to test for some time. The Suzuki Celerio delivers excellent value for a city car, with plenty of features, economy, and utility.
The brand
Firstly, let’s look at the Suzuki brand itself in the South African market. Suzuki is known for producing small vehicles with enormous personalities, with every model providing drivers with extra comfort and value in addition to exceptional fuel efficiency. 2022 has seen some good performances for Suzuki in the passenger car segment. Suzuki managed to outsell** some of the long-standing popular models in South Africa (according to the NAAMSA sales figures).
*Model under review is the GL
**May 2022 new car sales figures
The Celerio
The Celerio replaces the Alto model, which is a model with a rich history in Suzuki's past. The Celerio comes in 3 variants locally, a GA, GL and GL AMT that are all 1.0-litre petrol engine models.
Standard
Alloy wheels***, central locking, and a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system with smartphone connectivity are included in the Celerio's standard equipment. The Celerio seats five people (with three seatbelts in the back) and is equipped with Bluetooth, air conditioning, and rear parking sensors.
A 1.0-liter, three-cylinder, naturally aspirated petrol engine with 50kW and 89Nm of power and torque each provides the power. A five-speed manual gearbox transmits power to the front wheels in traditional city car form.
The Suzuki Celerio accomplishes the task for which it was created, and it should prove to be a dependable engine with respectably low operating expenses. It's a risk-free vehicle that will transport you from place A to point B with the least amount of hassle.
***The GA comes standard with steel wheels
Safety
The Celerio comes standards with 2 front Airbags, 2 ISOFIX child seat anchors, immobilizer, anti-lock braking system (ABS) with electronic brakeforce distribution (EBD) function and Brake Assist. The GL and GL AMT also come standard with Electronic Stability Program (ESP).
The good and the bad
The electric mirror adjustment and the rear park-distance control come in very handy while the electric mirror controls placement takes some time to get used to initially. The boot space is actually not bad (relatively speaking) for a city car.
Pricing
Suzuki Celerio 1.0 GA manual – R178 900
Suzuki Celerio 1.0 GL manual – R198 900
Suzuki Celerio 1.0 GL AMT - R213 900
The Suzuki Celerio comes standard with a 2 year / 30 000 km Service Plan and a 5 year / 200 000 km Promotional Warranty.
