With low fuel consumption becoming even more important these days, Suzuki is very pleased to report that Celerio has been voted the Best Real MPG Performer by Honestjohn.co.uk in their top 10 recently analysed cars.
The ‘Real MPG’ section of the HonestJohn.co.uk website was launched five years ago following complaints from readers that their cars could not match official fuel economy figures. Readers can log the true fuel economy that their own vehicles are achieving into a database of more than 150,000 fuel consumption submissions. The database covers over 2,500 model and engine configurations of cars since 2006.
Daniel Powell, managing editor of honestjohn.co.uk comments “Suzuki has one of the best Real MPG scores of any car manufacturer. On average, Real MPG drivers get 90 per cent of their advertised economy with a Suzuki – the industry average is 83 per cent. The Celerio will return 93 per cent of its claimed economy at over 60mpg in everyday driving and the Auto Gear Shift (AGS) version is even more efficient with a score of 63.7 mpg.
Factor in the Celerio’s affordable price and generous equipment levels and its easy to see why this little Suzuki is held in such high regard by Honestjohn.co.uk’s 2.3 million readers”.
Until the end of June 2018, the Celerio range has a £500 customer saving and the SZ2 model at the offer price of £7,499 is available for an initial deposit of just £126 followed by 48 monthly payments of £126.72. As with any PCP agreement, this will require a final optional payment which is £2,465 to keep the car.
Monthly payments can be as low as £89 for the SZ2 model if a deposit of £1,740 is made, again with a final payment of £2,465 and both have a representative APR of 5.9 per cent.
Standard specification highlights for the Celerio range include six airbags (Driver, passenger, side and curtain), ESP*, Tyre Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS), front electric windows, DAB Radio and CD Tuner.
- First launched in the UK in February 2015.
- “A+ compact” car that exceeds A segment standards gives class leading interior space
- Available in three trim grades which are SZ2, SZ3 and SZ4.
- Six airbags and ESP fitted as standard safety equipment for all UK models.
- 99g/km CO2 emissions and combined fuel consumption of 65.7mpg.
- Manufactured for Europe at Suzuki Motor Thailand.
- AGS (Auto Gear Shift) now fitted as standard equipment on SZ4 model.
Following its European debut at the Geneva Motor Show in 2014, Celerio, Suzuki’s new global compact City car went on sale in the UK in February 2015.
Suzuki is well known as the small car experts and Celerio has retained its trademark compact car ease of drive, while providing an elevated driving position, interior space that surpasses most conventional A-segment cars and also a class leading luggage capacity of 254L.
The SZ2 model joined the range in July 2015 with standard specification highlights include six airbags (Driver, passenger, side and curtain), ESP*, Tyre Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS), DAB Radio and CD Tuner.
Additional specification on the SZ3 model includes air conditioning, alloy wheels, USB and Bluetooth connectivity.
Moving up to the SZ4 model adds polished alloy wheels, body coloured door mirrors, chrome front grille, front fog lamps, electric door mirrors, rear electric windows and four speakers.
Suzuki’s AGS (Auto Gear Shift) was first added to the range in April 2015 and became standard equipment on the SZ4 model in Spring 2018. This system features an Intelligent Shift Control Actuator positioned at the top of the transmission that operates the gearshift and clutch automatically.
With AGS, the driver can enjoy the effortless driving of an automatic, particularly in City traffic, but without any loss in fuel efficiency or increase in CO2 emissions versus manual transmission.
* ESP is a registered trademark of Daimler AG
Main features
- 1. Superior packaging
Despite the compact body with the easy-to-manoeuvre total length of 3,600mm, it balances best in class interior space and a luggage capacity of 254 litres.
- 2. Class-leading low CO2 emissions
In addition to adopting a new powertrain, Suzuki has pursued considerable weight reductions and aerodynamic performance in order to achieve class-leading low CO2 emissions of 84g/km (K10C engine) without compromising dynamic performance.
Design
Exterior design
A sharp front end design with continuous headlamps and grille; a flowing press line running from front to rear, indicating high quality; the body silhouette conveying the impression of comfortable cabin space and rear-end aerodynamics, enhanced by edge treatment. All these design elements ensure its superb dynamic look.
Colour design
The attractive compact car effect is heightened by a range of six exterior colours, including three new metallic shades. Metallic paint is offered as an option at £465.
- Superior White (solid colour)
- Star Silver Metallic
- Mineral Grey Metallic
- Super Black Pearl Metallic
- Ablaze Red Pearl Metallic
- Cerulean Blue Pearl Metallic
Outstanding packaging which gives priority to driver and passengers
- Roomy, comfortable interior space
- Best-in-class luggage capacity
- Easy to drive and outstanding manoeuvrability
- Five seat capacity
Roomy, comfortable interior space
Suzuki has consistently aimed for a resolution of the apparently contradictory elements of retaining interior room as well as making dimensions as compact as possible. By going back to basics and reviewing the body structure, Suzuki succeeded in delivering a roomy, comfortable interior space within a compact body with a total length of 3,600mm and width of 1,600mm. A height of 1,530mm and a non-slanting roofline provides the occupants with greater overhead space.
The 2,425mm long wheelbase provides a tandem distance of 743mm, which gives occupants roomy seating in the cabin and optimised interior insulation materials have also played their part in ensuring a quiet and comfortable atmosphere. Celerio has only one other competitor in the market segment that offers seating for five as standard.
Interior design
During development, there was all the more reason to focus on the quality of the interior craftsmanship. The design team aimed for a simple, ever-fresh, easy to use interior by providing a symmetrical design built around the centre panel. They have also successfully achieved a sense of space which exceeds the actual size by using an outward facing form and incorporating a flat top for the dashboard panel.
Black is the predominant interior colour, while the main seat fabric is a blue dot pattern in keeping with the exterior colour together with contrasting black trim for the sides of the seats. The dot pattern theme changes between blue and grey, adding further design flair to the interior.
Best-in-class luggage capacity
Adopting a flattened-end torsion beam for the rear suspension has resulted in under body strength and a lower luggage room floor, which ensures a best-in-class luggage capacity of 254 litres with the rear seats in position and 726 litres with them folded.
A key factor is ease of use when loading and unloading, with a large luggage room opening area with a maximum width of 1,020mm and a maximum length of 751mm, while the tailgate height has been kept to a low 682mm.
Cost of ownership.
The cost of owning a Celerio is low over a typical three-year period with 12,500 miles service intervals, insurance group ratings of 7E for all models, combined fuel consumption figure of 65.7mpg and low emissions of 99g/km.
Easy to drive and outstanding manoeuvrability
In addition to the easy to manoeuvre compact body offering a very tight turning circle of just 9.4 metres, the Celerio features a high-mount gear shift and high-hip points that produce good all-round visibility to further enhance ease of driving. The high seating position and large side door opening also facilitate entry and exit.
Superior performance, balancing low CO2 emissions and driving pleasure
- Newly developed engine and transmissions deliver best in class fuel economy and dynamic performance.
- Class-leading level of CO2 emissions.
- High level of safety is assured thanks to impact-absorbing body and adequate equipment.
K10B Engine.
In conjunction with the development of the Celerio, Suzuki implemented various improvements, such as weight and friction reductions in the highly reliable K10B engine that was first used in the earlier Alto and Splash models.
CO2 emissions and fuel consumption
| Engine type | Transmission | EASS | CO2 emissions
– combined (g/km) |
Fuel consumption
– combined mpg. |
| K10B | 5MT | without | 99 | 65.7 |
| AGS | without | 99 | 65.7 |
Main engine specifications
| K10B | |
| Cylinders | 3 |
| Displacement (cc) | 998 |
| Bore (mm) | 73 |
| Stroke (mm) | 79.5 |
| Camshaft layout | DOHC |
| Variable valve timing | Without |
| Valves per cylinder | 4 |
| Camshaft drive system | silent chain |
| Compression ratio | 11.0 |
| Max. output (kW/rpm) | 50/6,000 |
| Max. torque (Nm/rpm) | 90/3,500 |
Transmission
Five speed manual transmission
During development, revisions to the manual transmission enhanced both fuel efficiency and smooth shifting. These include a greater synchromesh capacity and improved lever ratio to ensure more accurate and slicker gearshifts.
To further assist efficiency, torque loss was reduced by 40 per cent, less oil is required within the gear casing and lower frictional loss bearings were utilised.
Auto Gear Shift – convenience of an automatic and economy of a manual.
Suzuki’s ‘Auto Gear Shift’ (AGS) was launched in the UK in April 2015 as an option for Celerio SZ4 and incorporates an electro-hydraulic unit that operates the gear shift automatically. It became standard equipment on SZ4 in Spring 2018. The system, known as an ‘Intelligent Shift Control Actuator’ incorporates the gear actuator and shift controller together as one integrated unit. To help facilitate faster and smoother gear shifts the unit is attached directly to the top of the transmission without the need for any additional linkages.
With AGS, the driver can enjoy the effortless experience of a conventional automatic transmission but without the typical losses in fuel efficiency or increase in CO2 emissions. For convenience Suzuki has added a low speed ‘creep’ facility (approx 5mph) which is useful in slow traffic and when parking with no need to depress the accelerator pedal.
Should the driver prefer; the AGS system also has a manual mode facility for a more direct drive feel on country roads. This mode is selected simply by moving the gear shift to the left and then by moving the lever backwards to shift up and forward to shift down the gearbox.
Safety features
Suzuki’s Total Effective Control Technology (TECT) concept has been adopted together with high-tensile steel as well as crumple zones that absorb impact energy during a collision, a frame structure that effectively disperses impact load, and a high-strength cabin structure that protects occupants. Combined, they result in a lightweight body with good impact-absorbing performance.
Other safety features ensuring a high level of safety include:
- Six airbags fitted as standard to UK models.
- ESP® to assist the driver in slippery conditions.
- Tyre Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) helps the user keep the tyres correctly inflated.
Key dimensions
| Overall length | 3,600 mm |
| Overall width | 1,600 mm |
| Overall height | 1,540 mm |
| Wheelbase | 2,425 mm |
| Front Track | 1,420 mm |
| Luggage capacity (VDA) | 254L |
* ESP is a registered trademark of Daimler AG