Comparison: New Maruti Suzuki Celerio vs Tata Tiago

The Indian automotive landscape took off in the 1980s with the launch of the SS80 Maruti Suzuki 800. This sparked a surge in the small car market in India, and by the late 2000s, major car manufacturers were competing fiercely for the highest market share in this segment. Maruti Suzuki has held on to the top spot for the longest time, all thanks to its extensive lineup of budget hatchbacks ranging from the Alto to the Baleno. All models under Maruti Suzuki’s portfolio are strong players with class-leading sales. However, Tata soon recognized the potential of the budget car segment in India and launched the popular Tiago. 

The Tiago was well received by the market and has stood its ground against multiple rivals from Maruti Suzuki. Its key rival in terms of pricing and positioning is the Maruti Suzuki Celerio. Maruti Suzuki recently updated the Celerio with a major overhaul spicing things up in this segment. Tata has also updated its Tiago with a facelift as an answer to the same. Presently, both these hatchbacks have a lot in common and are priced closely to make choosing between the two hatchbacks a tad difficult. 

If you’re planning to buy a budget hatchback and looking at both these cars, here’s a definitive guide and comparison between Maruti Suzuki Celerio and Tata Tiago to find out how they fare against each other on paper:

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New Maruti Suzuki Celerio vs Tata Tiago: Engine & Transmission

Things take a major turn when it comes to engine and transmission. It is clear that the Tata Tiago has a major advantage since it uses a 1.2-litre engine instead of a smaller 1.0-litre engine in the Maruti Suzuki Celerio. Because of this, the Tata also makes more power and torque at 88bhp/113Nm instead of the 66bhp/89Nm of the Celerio. Both these cars use either a 5-speed manual or an AMT. It is obvious that the Tiago has a bigger engine that produces more power and torque. But if you want the most fuel-efficient car, the Celerio takes the lead with an impressive ARAI-rated fuel economy figure of 26kmpl as opposed to 19kmpl of the Tiago. 

New Maruti Suzuki Celerio vs Tata Tiago: Dimensions

Pull your scales out and you will notice that these hatchbacks are close when it comes to dimensions. Look closer, and you will notice the Tata Tiago is longer and wider than the Celerio, while the Celerio sits higher and has the longest wheelbase here. However, these are nothing substantial enough to be a deal-breaker. However, what matters is the boot space and in this case, the difference between both hatchbacks is more pronounced.

The Maruti Suzuki Celerio has the biggest boot space at 313 litres compared to the 242 litres of the Tata Tiago. Both these hatchbacks will feel at home on our broken roads since they both come with ample 170mm of ground clearance. It is hard to pick one car from this but, the Celerio seems to have a minor advantage when it comes to dimensions, especially when you consider the extra boot space and the wheelbase. 

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New Maruti Suzuki Celerio vs Tata Tiago: Features

While the Maruti Suzuki Celerio loses out on engine capacity and output figures, it redeems itself when it comes to the equipment on offer. There’s a larger 7-inch touchscreen unit in the Celerio while the Tiago makes do with a small 3.5-inch system. The Celerio also offers keyless start, Android Auto, and Apple CarPlay making it the better choice here if you consider the tech. That aside, both these small hatchbacks offer more or less the same features covering all the bases that you expect from a hatchback in this price bracket. 

New Maruti Suzuki Celerio vs Tata Tiago: Safety

The Tata Tiago scores high on safety, with a 4-star GNCAP crash test rating. The Celerio is yet to be tested and hence, we cannot offer a piece of definitive advice. But, Maruti Suzuki has equipped the Celerio with Hill Hold Assist which the Tiago misses out on. Meanwhile, the Tiago has something up its sleeve in the form of ESP which makes it even safer. Other normal safety features such as 2 airbags, and ABS are present in both models. Overall, it is without any doubt the Tata Tiago is the safer car by a substantial margin.

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New Maruti Suzuki Celerio vs Tata Tiago: Price Comparison

Well, the Maruti Suzuki Celerio is priced from Rs. 5.35 – 7.13 lakh while the Tata Tiago is priced from Rs. 5.54 – 8.05 lakh. Both these cars are also available with more than 5 trim options to choose from including CNG and dual-tone versions. The price range itself shows how the Maruti Suzuki Celerio is the more affordable car here. The same can be witnessed when we glance at the variant-level pricing. The Celerio starts at a lower price and the same is carried over to all respective variants in comparison to the Taigo which carries a premium of around Rs. 20,000. In its defense, the Tata offers more safety and a much bigger engine making it a hard choice to resist despite the premium. 

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Summary

The Celerio is a practical hatchback that is backed by Maruti Suzuki’s stellar after-sales support. It takes the lead when it comes to overall dimensions and the features on offer. The recent update also improved the styling and the Celerio now looks more upmarket and young. Although it lacks engine capacity and output, the Celerio is a peppy car inside the city and offers the best fuel economy. You cannot go wrong with Celerio provided these factors. 

The Tiago misses out on some features but more than makes up for it with an impressive safety rating and kit making it the obvious choice if you want the safer car here. It is also the more powerful option with a bigger engine that might prove its mettle on a highway. But, a comparatively low fuel economy is a sad downside to this. No matter what your choice is among these hatchbacks, it is clear that these cars have their own qualities and strengths, and make a strong case for each.

It all comes down to what you are looking for in a budget city run around. As for the pricing, the Celerio is the more affordable option while the Tiago commands a nominal premium. At the end of the day, despite which of these you decide to buy, the Tata Tiago and the Maruti Suzuki Celerio are clearly the best two-budget hatchbacks on sale in India today.

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