2022 Suzuki Celerio: What to can expect from this little 5-door

All-new Suzuki Celerio starts at PHP 708k

It's finally here. After making its global debut in India late last year, Suzuki Philippines has officially launched the 2022 Celerio. 

But what can you expect from this new model? Is it just a new look, or is it more than that? After we got our first look at the new vehicle, it's the latter.

1. Cute and Curvy

Being budget doesn't mean you have to budget the design, and that seems to be the case with the Celerio. Suzuki completely redesigned the looks of the model to look a bit more curved and rounded whereas the previous model was more boxy and angular.

It gets bolder headlights, a new front bumper with blacked-out elements, bigger foglights, and a more prominent grille with chrome "whiskers". The automaker defined the wheelarches with creases, and matches up nicely with the 15-inch alloy wheels in gloss black. The new taillights are larger, and the tailgate is likewise new too. 

2. Extended Dimensions

The new generation hatchback now measures 3695mm long, 1655mm wide, and 1555mm tall. This makes the all-new Celerio 95mm longer, 55mm wider, and 15mm taller than its predecessor. It also has a more generous 2435mm wheelbase which is 10mm longer than before. To put it more clearly: the Celerio is almost 4 inches longer and 2 inches wider. 

The hatchback's bigger size allows Suzuki to increase the hatchback's luggage space to 295 liters, 60 liters more than the outgoing generation. If you need more cargo space, the 60:40 split rear seats can be folded to accept more luggage.

They were also able to provide more shoulder room and legroom for the rear passengers thanks to the increase in dimensions. Suzuki even raised the Celerio's ground clearance from 145mm to 170mm to allow drivers easier maneuverability over uneven terrain.

3. Neat Interior

Like the exterior, Suzuki was also busy changing up the cabin as the company really redesigned the dashboard and center console. It gets carved contours which gives the interior a snazzier appearance. It also gets redesigned center air vents with distinct louvers, circular side vents with faux metal bezels, and a tweaked center console with new dials for the air-conditioning system.

Also new is the instrument panel which now comes with a larger speedometer, and a multi-info display that can show a digital rev-counter, gear position, tripmeter, odometer, average fuel consumption, and a fuel gauge. Infotainment inside the 2022 Celerio comes in the form of a 6.2-inch touchscreen media display courtesy of Sony. It comes with AM/FM radio, Bluetooth, USB, and Weblink 2.0 for connecting your smartphones.

There's also a larger three-spoke steering wheel complete with audio controls.

4. Efficiency All Around

Don't expect to find the window switches on the doors. Instead, Suzuki installed the front window switches on the center dashboard while the switches for the rear are located on the center floor console. Suzuki says this helps increase cabin space (no need for switch pods on the doors), but it also makes the vehicle more cost effective to produce. 

And speaking of cost effective, all variants of the 2022 Celerio is the new-generation 1.0-liter K10C three-cylinder engine. It succeeds the previous K10B engine and makes 66 PS at 5600 rpm with 89 Nm of torque at 3600 rpm. While it makes slightly less power and torque than its predecessor, the engine now benefits from DualJet technology. This allows the three-cylinder to have two injectors per cylinder to give the car better efficiency.

Transmission choices for the all-new Celerio include a 5-speed manual gearbox, as well as a new 5-speed automated manual transmission (AMT) called Auto Gear Shift (AGS). Also found in the Dzire sedan, the AGS replaces the CVT from the previous generation. The 2022 Celerio also comes with an automatic start/stop system to save on fuel consumption.

5. Focus on Safety

When it comes to safety, all models of the 2022 Celerio come with; anti-lock brakes, brake assist, electronic stability program, hill-hold control (AKA hill-start assist), rear parking sensors, and dual front airbags for the driver and front passenger. For extra peace of mind, the Celerio uses Suzuki's latest Total Effective Control Technology (TECT). The result is a body design that can effectively absorb and disperse impact energy in the event of a collision.

A total of 4 colors are available for the 2022 Suzuki Celerio. These are Arctic White Pearl, Fire Red, Glistening Gray Metallic, and Speedy Blue Metallic. The GL manual retails for PHP 708,000 while the GL AGS retails for PHP 754,000. Yes, the pricing is definitely higher when compared to the previous model.

We'll let you know what we think of it once we get the chance to do a full test drive of this new and exciting hatch from Suzuki.