I picked up the new Suzuki Celerio yesterday (5 January, 2015) and have only done about 50 kilometres in it so far, mostly around town in Dublin.
It's not the sexiest looking car on the road, not even in its class, but the gangly proportions lend it more interior space than most cars in the segment. Rivals on sale right now in Ireland include the Hyundai i10, Volkswagen up!, SEAT Mii, Skoda Citigo, Toyota Aygo, Citroen C1 and Kia Picanto.
The Suzuki doesn't drive as well as the best in the class though. Its clutch is too light and the engine is quiet (no bad thing) so it takes getting used to the biting point. The five-speed manual gearbox isn't the most refined either, though the shift itself is fine - and the steering is a tad on the heavy side when parking. It's perfectly nippy enough though.
The interior is well-made and designed, as well as commodious. There are loads of cubbyholes dotted around, including a large recessed space ahead of the gear lever near the USB port, plus a sensibly deep cupholder at the rear of the centre console. The Bluetooth system is easy to use.
Access to the back seats is made easy thanks to wide-opening doors.
Key tech specs:
- €11,995 to €12,995
- Manual and auto options
- 1.0-litre petrol engine
- 99g/km emissions
- 4.3 litres/100km (65.7mpg)
- 254-litre boot
Further reading: