Maruti Suzuki launched the small hybrid car, Ciaz Hybrid, at a starting price of Rs 8.23 lakh(ex-Delhi). The Ciaz Hybrid will return fuel efficiency of 28.09kmpl. Maruti Suzuki claims that Ciaz hybrid is the most fuel efficient diesel car in India now.

The Ciaz SHVS will replace the current diesel version of the model and will be sold in five variants:

VDi – Rs 8.23 lakh

VDi (O)– Rs 8.37 Lakh

VDi+ - Rs 8.81 Lakh

 ZDi – Rs 9.52 Lakh

 ZDi+ -  Rs 10.17 lakh

The main change is the 1.3-litre Multijet engine that now comes with Integrated Starter Generator. The system has been christened SHVS (Smart Hybrid Vehicle). It makes use of lithium ion battery that gets charged with the help of regenerative braking. The system converts the kinetic energy of the rolling wheels into electricity for charging the battery.

Apart from the hybrid engine, Ciaz Hybrid sports the following features:

Idle Stop Start: The engine stops automatically when the car is idle and it starts when the clutch is pressed.

Torque Assist Function: The regeneration of the energy assists the torque function of the car. This helps in optimal acceleration and performance.

Gear Shift indicator: It prompts the driver to efficiently change gears according to the rpm.

All the above technologies are added to boost fuel efficiency. Ciaz Hybrid will be identical to the outgoing model in terms of exterior and interior designs, barring the SHVS badge at the rear. The car features SmartPlay infotainment sytem.

Maruti Suzuki has made use of the FAME scheme launched by the government of India, offering incentives on electric and hybrid vehicles up to Rs 29,000. This helped Maruti Suzuki to reduce the price of the new model in comparison to the outgoing model, which had a starting price of Rs 8.31 lakh for VDi going up to Rs 10.37 lakh for ZDi+ variant (ex-showoom Delhi).

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