SPIED: Suzuki Ciaz spotted along Jalan Sultan Ismail

SUZUKI-CIAZ-SPYSHOT

While there has been no official word about the car that you’re seeing here, reader Steven Lee has snapped up a picture of a Maruti Suzuki Ciaz in Malaysia – completely undisguised too. This sedan, which was first unveiled in India last September, looks like it’ll be making its way into local Suzuki dealerships sooner rather than later.

Size wise, the Ciaz looks to be in the C-segment class – it’s 4,490 mm long, 1,730 wise and 1,475 mm tall, with a 2,650 mm wheelbase. But in markets like India and Thailand, it’s marketed to go against the B-segment crowd.

The Ciaz is available with four engines, depending on markets. It gets a tiny 1.25 litre K12B four-cylinder petrol engine that delivers 91 PS and 118 Nm in Thailand (where it gains eco car status), and either a 95 PS/130 Nm 1.4 litre petrol or a 1.3 litre DDiS turbodiesel in India. In China, there’s a 121 hp/158 Nm 1.6 litre petrol option too. The transmission is a CVT automatic.

Since this car carries a Maruti badge, it’s likely to have the 1.4 litre petrol engine up front. Dear readers, which engine do you hope Malaysia gets in this one, and what do you think of a C-segment-sized sedan with a B-segment price?

Suzuki Ciaz 1.25 eco car at the 2015 Bangkok International Motor Show

Looking to sell your car? Sell it with Carro.

10% discount when you renew your car insurance

Compare prices between different insurer providers and use the promo code 'PAULTAN10' when you make your payment to save the most on your car insurance renewal compared to other competing services.

Car Insurance

Graham Chin

Having spent a number of years as a journalist for a local paper, a marketing executive for a popular German automotive brand and a copywriter, Graham, a true-blue Sarawakian, knew he had to take the leap back into the motoring scene - and so he did. To him, nothing’s better than cruising for hours along a scenic route, in a car that’s designed and built for that purpose.

 

Comments

  • Hi Graham, that is the next Proton Saga.

    Cheers

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 15 Thumb down 14
    • Proton is a Disgrace on Jul 10, 2015 at 11:53 am

      Proton got no shame. Since its inception it has already sucked more than RM100 billion of the rakyat’s money just to stay afloat. And now, they only know how to rebadge.

      Hyundai started just 10 years earlier than Proton. Today Hyundai is selling 7 million vehicles globally. Proton got ZERO marketshare overseas and in Malaysia, people are “forced” to buy Proton and the Government supports Proton by buying tens of thousands (through Sparco) of Protons per year for official Government cars.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 21 Thumb down 29
      • Sparco??? What a disgrace. They can sue u for making a misleading statement.

        Like or Dislike: Thumb up 11 Thumb down 5
  • Suzuki Malaysia pun nak bungkus,, baik rebagde as Persona.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 5 Thumb down 3
  • vivavi on Jul 10, 2015 at 10:26 am

    you mean proton ciaz kan hehe

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 8 Thumb down 2
  • lowprofile (Member) on Jul 10, 2015 at 10:28 am

    I’d like the Turbo diesel as first choice please. Second choice would be the 1.6 petrol. Good idea to offer a C-Segment size for a B-Segment price. Better still to actually market it as a B-Segment car and be the best in that class.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 11 Thumb down 0
  • Looks like Honda City from the back…
    Proton please re-badge this as new Proto Wira :)

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 13 Thumb down 2
  • Jason Lim on Jul 10, 2015 at 10:32 am

    rear light look like city’s

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 4 Thumb down 0
  • smart guys buy ori on Jul 10, 2015 at 10:35 am

    Maybe the price is Rm80k like Vios City.

    Perhaps the rebadge version price later (whoever it is) somehow mysteriously allowed to drop to Rm45k, almost like duty-free price.

    To convince the macais to buy it simply put slogan how smart you are or some crap like that.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 4 Thumb down 9
  • cendol (Member) on Jul 10, 2015 at 10:41 am

    Should rename it to become Suzuki Cial.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 4 Thumb down 8
  • Aero (Member) on Jul 10, 2015 at 10:47 am

    Proton should NOT rebadge the Ciaz. It will kill off the Prevé and the new Saga altogether. Even if the Ciaz is under-specced and not 5-star safety rated, Malaysians will still buy it because it’s Japanese-engineered. If the rebadged Ciaz replaces the Saga and ends up cheaper than the Prevé, nobody will want to spend extra for the Malaysian-engineered Prevé. If the Ciaz is more expensive than the Prevé, it just won’t sell (like the Inspira). That’s the sad truth. Proton can’t afford to take chances. Bottom-line; DON’T DO IT.

    Whatever Proton intends to rebadge from Suzuki, it must be either;

    1. In the A-segment and preferably a hatchback.
    2. A B-segment SUV.
    3. A B-segment MPV.

    On a second note, there is no point in Suzuki Malaysia (SMA) bringing the Ciaz in from Maruti Suzuki India when Thailand is producing the Ciaz as well. Importing CBU cars from Thailand is cheaper and the ASEAN CEPT tax is lower than the import tax on CBU cars from India. However, SMA still needs to get the APs and their sales will eventually hit a glass ceiling, so they might as well CKD the Ciaz… but again, that makes no commercial sense as the President of Suzuki already made mention that they intend to consolidate their Malaysian operations and possibly withdraw from the market to avoid competing against partnering Proton. Having a CKD B-segment Ciaz at City/ Vios prices will not bode well for Proton. Worse still if it’s at Almera prices.

    Tldr; Don’t sell the Ciaz in Malaysia.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 14 Thumb down 13
    • Obviously (Member) on Jul 10, 2015 at 11:15 am

      Begs the questions though: What exactly is this Ciaz doing here, then?

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 3 Thumb down 0
      • It’s to dabao Vios.

        Like or Dislike: Thumb up 8 Thumb down 0
      • Aero (Member) on Jul 10, 2015 at 1:49 pm

        Hey man, I’m willing to bet that it’s just a sampling mule that either Suzuki Malaysia or Proton brought in from India. For all we know, Perodua could be responsible too, as they’re developing a sedan too. Remember when Proton was developing the Iriz, they brought in some Honda Brios (which we never got) ? Just my hunch anyway, I could be totally wrong. o.o

        Like or Dislike: Thumb up 11 Thumb down 0
    • Anti Bebel on Jul 10, 2015 at 11:56 am

      “Competition is good” – MAI

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 2 Thumb down 0
    • iskhalifah (Member) on Jul 10, 2015 at 12:07 pm

      I beg to differ. Although it doesnt carry any trade plates on it, there is possibility of Proton ditching the Iriz as the base for its Saga, while opting for Ciaz instead. The Ciaz has been proven as a competent rival to the City in India, and it does makes sense to bring it here. A person who is family oriented may not prefer a Saga that handles well but feels firm during town ride and fuel thirsty (heavy)? (The Iriz weight already nearly 1.2 tonnes, almost near the older Waja/Persona!).

      The Ciaz is in a different value proposition from the Preve, despite not much different in size. The former is a B-segment with a lighter chassis (slightly above 1 tonne, better FC too), comfort-oriented suspension (softer sprung than the City) & easy cruise, while C-segment Preve is rigid with heavier chassis (1.35 tonne), direct steering (heavier), solid handling, firmer ride & more powerful engine. Both have their own appeal to the market. Its just Proton have to carefully price the Ciaz to be within 45-55K region (its just a 1.4L engine), or else it will certainly cannibalize the Preve.

      For me as a family man, the Ciaz ticked the right boxes.
      1.good interior fit & finish quality
      2.very roomy inside (close to City)
      3.low fuel consumption (lightweight & small size engine)
      4.highly comfortable suspension (akin to Vios & Almera)
      5.NVH & engine refinement

      These are the things that average family-oriented Malaysians need, rather than pure sporty drive but less impressive engine refinement & FC.
      (Source on the Ciaz vs City: Indian auto reviews)

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 15 Thumb down 1
      • Aero (Member) on Jul 10, 2015 at 1:45 pm

        Hey iskhalifah, thanks for sharing your thoughts on the matter. Quite a lot of interesting facts you’ve pointed out.

        Of course, I was being very straight-forward and general in my original comment; anyone with decent car sense will grasp the major differences in the USPs of a Proton-badged Ciaz versus the Prevé.

        But the problem now is that Proton must reduce their costs and increase economies of scale. Having a Ciaz-based Saga makes little to no economic sense because it will involve MASSIVE licensing and royalty costs and additional investment on Proton’s behalf; they don’t have that much money to throw on new models. Having an Iriz-based Saga replacement is far, FAR more economically sensible. There’s no royalties involved since Proton owns all the rights to the Iriz. They can save on additional engineering costs because they only need to redesign the rear half and possibly a platform extension. Economies of scale can be achieved by using the same components from the Iriz. This is exactly what Proton did with the Saga BLM, which was derived from the Savvy.

        No doubt, having a Ciaz-based Saga would be significantly better than an Iriz-based Saga for the reasons you’ve kindly highlighted, but Proton will end up losing in the long-run. Proton must continue making their own B/C-segment sedans (their strongest models have always been B/C-segment sedans) and get better at it. The whole idea of having Suzuki as a partner was not a return to the old ways of rebadging Japanese cars, but as a simple stopgap which would buy Proton time and resources to develop other, more important models and engines which are fit for export.

        Don’t get me wrong, I think the Ciaz is a very competitive car and I would love to see it here (and I know I’m not the only one either), but it’s simply not in Proton’s interest. Yes, Suzuki Malaysia will lose out on potential sales, but Global Suzuki will gain FAR more Malaysian sales from the A-segment, Proton-badged Alto/Celerio. Some sacrifices need to be made.

        Like or Dislike: Thumb up 3 Thumb down 2
        • Jonn Dol on Jul 10, 2015 at 4:41 pm

          With or without Proton partnership, Suzuki will still bring the Ciaz sedan to the Malaysian market. And it certainly absurd that Proton badge will be on this car. The new Saga will be based on the Iriz platform.

          Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 0
        • Arrow on Jul 10, 2015 at 8:00 pm

          Inspira and Lancer are sold together here. Why not Ciaz and its Saga rebadge?

          Inspira should be making huge loss due to massive royalties if using your insecure logic that imply Proton despise open competition. Shocker.

          Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 1
        • Silthice on Jul 11, 2015 at 11:24 am

          Suzuki Ciaz to replace the obsolete Persona…

          Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 1
    • GTR fanboy on Jul 10, 2015 at 1:59 pm

      I stopped reading after (like the inspira)

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
      • Aero (Member) on Jul 10, 2015 at 2:48 pm

        Sorry if there were any misunderstandings. What I meant was; “it will be a sales failure like the Inspira”, not “it will sell as well as the Inspira”.

        Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 1
  • Proton, please rebadge Suzuki Ciaz, then u can beat Vios and City already.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 6 Thumb down 2
  • errr…..where did I saw that but?

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 2 Thumb down 0
  • 1.5 or 1.6 minimum. 1.4 is underpowered.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 3 Thumb down 1
    • Seen this a lot in India. Big car put that comfortable. Hard plastics, but i think its quite fuel efficient. Works pretty well in Indian roads but not here !

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 0
  • Josh Ling on Jul 10, 2015 at 11:15 am

    if proton is only interested in rebadging an A-segment car from Suzuki, i don’t see why Suzuki can’t sell a car like this here, since it still can fill the price gap between Swift and Vitara. Jimny is a niche car at best, and SX-4 is no more, so Suzuki needs something mainstream to compete in this B/C-segment market (from RM80k – RM100k), and I think Ciaz is the perfect fit, provided it comes with at least an 1.4 or 1.6 engine, and a host of goodies.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 2 Thumb down 0
  • cendol (Member) on Jul 10, 2015 at 11:22 am

    Proton should rebadge it and rename it Proton Cial, aptly describes Proton’s philosophy and direction.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 3 Thumb down 12
  • Jonn Dol on Jul 10, 2015 at 11:27 am

    I can tell you that the Ciaz will not be one of those Suzuki models that Proton will assemble locally. It’ll be the Suzuki’s small hatches and possibly mpv & suv. And hopefully Suzuki will bring in the 1.6 L Ciaz to Malaysia , that will compete with the ubiquitous Vios & City..

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 2 Thumb down 1
  • DPCraft on Jul 10, 2015 at 12:04 pm

    Suzuki’s designer run out of idea and decided to copy Honda City. But Honda City still owns the crown of this segment.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 8
  • Peeved on Jul 10, 2015 at 2:24 pm

    Looks like a combo of the Jetta and Altis.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 3
  • ben yap on Jul 10, 2015 at 5:37 pm

    if it has the 1.6 prince engine from the peugeot 308 turbo, than it would be awesome.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 2 Thumb down 1
  • Sylinder on Jul 11, 2015 at 9:00 am

    I bey differ, the take ciaz platform to design perdana, with cfe engine in it…

    Proton, could you rebadgre vitara for us? Hehehe

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • SamShowedMeTheHilux on Jul 11, 2015 at 2:15 pm

    As long as its not a kimchi, it will have RV

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
 

Add a comment

required

required