Maruti Suzuki to pull the plug on Ciaz sedan. What's killing this Honda City, Hyundai Verna rival?

Maruti Suzuki Ciaz, the midsize sedan of the automaker sold through the Nexa premium retail network is looking at the end of the road. Maruti Suzuki is reportedly planning to pull the plug on the Ciaz sedan in March 2025, while the remaining stock of the car will be phased out by April this year. The decision from the automaker for Ciaz, which competes with rivals like Honda City, Hyundai Verna, Skoda Slavia, and Volkswagen Virtus comes at a time when the sedan segment in India has been reeling under pressure from the crossover and SUV segment, just like the rest of the world. Also, another interesting fact is that Ciaz's discontinuation move comes at a time when OEM is gearing up for the launch of the Maruti Suzuki e Vitara electric SUV, which will be sold through the Nexa retail chain.

Sedans have been witnessing an ever-shrinking sales figure and market share globally and India is no different. The advent of sub-compact and mid-size SUVs has had a major impact on the sales figures of sedans. Modern buyers prefer the tall stance and high ground clearance of SUVs over the low-slung and road-hugging dynamics of a sedan. Among the shrinking number of sedans, the Maruti Suzuki Ciaz is one of the well-known names. However, the OEM has decided to pull the plug on this model and has no intention to replace it with a fresh model, which apparently means the largest carmaker in India is quitting the mid-size sedan space. The only sedan on sale from the brand in India after the demise of the Ciaz will be the Maruti Suzuki Dzire, which is a sub-compact model.

Here is a quick look at the possible reasons that might have propelled Maruti Suzuki to ditch the Ciaz.

Sales slowdown

Sales of sedans in India have dropped significantly over the last couple of years. Back in 2015, sedans made up 20 per cent of the Indian passenger vehicle market. In 2024, the market share slumped below 10 per cent. On the other hand, SUVs have surged to more than 50 per cent of total passenger vehicle sales in the country. Keeping pace with this trend, the mid-size sedan segment in India, which was dominated by brands like Maruti Suzuki, Hyundai and Honda has witnessed a significant decline in sales numbers.

Talking numbers, Maruti Suzuki sold 5,861 units of Ciaz in the first nine months of FY25, between April and December. This recorded a 34 per cent year-on-year decline compared to the same period of FY24. In the last three months of 2024, Maruti Suzuki Ciaz registered 659 units, 579 units and 464 units, respectively in October, November and December. This clearly indicated the declining trend for the sedan.

Maruti Suzuki didn't give Ciaz a major update

First launched in 2014 as a replacement for the Maruti Suzuki SX4, the Ciaz didn't receive any major update in more than a decade of its existence in the Indian passenger vehicle market. The last update for the Ciaz was in 2018 when the OEM launched a minor facelifted iteration of the car. This has left Ciaz behind in competition compared to its rivals like City, Verna, Virtus and Slavia. While these cars come with features like digital instrument cluster, electric sunroof, ADAS etc, Ciaz doesn't get those.

Maruti Suzuki Ciaz has limited engine choice

Maruti Suzuki Ciaz is currently sold with a 1.5-litre naturally aspirated petrol engine, paired with a five-speed manual gearbox. Also, there is a four-speed torque converter automatic unit on offer. The automaker briefly offered a diesel engine for the Ciaz. In 2019, the Ciaz was sold with a 1.5-litre DDiS diesel motor. However, Maruti Suzuki quit the diesel segment later as the fuel burner was not compatible with BS6 emission norms. The lack of turbocharged engines or strong hybrid powertrains also played a key role in reducing Ciaz's appeal to consumers.

Check out Upcoming Cars in India 2024, Best SUVs in India.