The Maruti Suzuki Ciaz will be phased out by April 2025 amid declining sales and a market shift towards SUVs. Autocar India has learned that production will cease by March 2025, with sales expected to end by April.
While Maruti Suzuki has denied the suggestion in an official statement, terming it “incorrect”, multiple industry sources confirmed the development.
Shrinking sedan segment and Maruti Ciaz sales
Maruti’s share down to 11 percent from 40 percent in 2017-18
Perhaps the most significant contributor to the sales decline is the shift in buyer tastes. In 2015, sedans accounted for 20 percent of India’s car market; by 2024, that share had dropped below 10 percent, with SUVs rising to over 50 percent of total passenger vehicle sales.
As a result, the midsize sedan segment, once a stronghold for brands like Honda, Hyundai, and Maruti, has shrunk significantly. By December 2024, only five models remained, down from nine in 2017. Volkswagen Virtus now leads the segment, followed by Skoda Slavia and Hyundai Verna. Maruti Suzuki’s share has plummeted to 11 percent, a far cry from the 35-40 percent it held in 2017-18.
The Ciaz was launched in 2014 as a replacement for the SX4.
Ciaz’s monthly sales in just three digits
Midsize sedan sales peaked at 1,73,374 units in FY18, before declining steadily to 97,466 in FY24. On a monthly basis, the Ciaz saw sales of 659 units in October, 597 in November, and 464 in December 2024, totaling 5,861 units for the first nine months of FY25 – a 34 percent decline YoY, outpacing the segment’s overall contraction.
The Ciaz was launched in 2014 as a replacement for the SX4. It enjoyed early success, often leading its segment against the Honda City and Hyundai Verna.
Reasons why Maruti Ciaz lost its appeal
Diesel blunder
One of the turning points for Ciaz was Maruti Suzuki’s abrupt decision to exit the diesel market in 2020, just a year after launching the in-house-developed 1.5 DDiS diesel engine for the Ciaz. Unable to meet BS6 emissions standards, the engine was axed, leaving the sedan with only a 1.5-litre petrol option at a time when diesel made up 30 percent of its sales.
Maruti’s 1.5-litre DDiS diesel engine debuted in the Ciaz.
Lack of mid-lifecycle updates
Compounding the issue, the Ciaz remained largely unchanged after its last major update in 2018. While rivals introduced ADAS, sunroofs, digital instrument clusters and turbo-petrol engines, the Ciaz continued with a naturally aspirated engine that lacked the power and refinement of its competitors.
Pivot to SUVs
In sync with market trends, Maruti Suzuki also shifted its focus decisively toward SUVs, with models like the Jimny, Grand Vitara and Fronx driving growth. Even within Nexa dealerships, SUVs dominated the floorspace, while the Ciaz received minimal marketing push in recent years.
Will there be a Ciaz replacement?
No. With the Ciaz’s discontinuation, Maruti Suzuki will effectively exit the midsize sedan segment, mirroring an industry-wide trend where SUVs are pushing sedans to the margins.
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