Wheels of the Week: Suzuki Celerio is a super saver

The Suzuki Celerio stands out as a compact hatchback celebrated for its exceptional fuel economy, budget-friendly pricing, and dependable performance.

With manual transmission, in town driving, the Celerio gave me 5.6 litres per 100 kms and highway driving delivered a deeply impressive 4.9 litres per 100kms. With the price of fuel these days, the fuel consumption is a pretty amazing benefit.

Under its hood lies a 1.0-liter petrol engine generating 68 horsepower and 90 Nm of torque. The Celerio comes in manual or automatic transmission. However, because it has such a small engine, uphill and over-taking can be sluggish.

The features on the Suzuki Celerio are impressive. It has Anti-lock Braking System (ABS), airbags and a touchscreen infotainment system, which is basic but very easy to use.

The biggest surprise was that the Celerio supports cabled Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. The screen for mirroring one’s mapping app is small, but so much better than using the screen of a smartphone. The infotainment screen has the option of splitting the screen for music and mapping or having one screen for either. This is a feature that not even many upmarket and more expensive vehicles offer.

Connecting with Bluetooth was simple, and I was able to play my music from Spotify with ease when I did not have a cable for Android Auto connection.

Opening the windows, especially in the dark, can be a challenge. The controls for the front windows are above the console, below the infotainment screen, in the centre of the vehicle. The back window controls are behind the hand brake.

The road holding of this little car is really good. It is zippy and maneuvers easily, although going over speed bumps can be felt, despite the Celerio having a high suspension.

As an entry level vehicle, the Suzuki Celerio is a fabulous car. The affordability and fuel efficiency of this budget friendly car is very attractive. Pricing starts at R183,900.