Road test: Suzuki Celerio 1.0 SZ3 Dualjet

Suzuki’s city runaround has plenty going for it, says Martin Gurdon

Engaging: the Suzuki Celerio is well-made, with a slick five-speed gearbox

8 October 2015

When Suzuki’s Celerio hatchback appeared on our drive, I found it hard to suppress a yawn.

A rival for models ranging from the Dacia Sandero to the Toyota Aygo, the Celerio is a slightly dated-looking little box, but I found it a lot more engaging than I’d expected.

The steering is pleasingly direct, the handling tidy and the slightly choppy ride no worse than other upright city cars with little wheels.

The 1.0, three-cylinder petrol engine provides perky acceleration, but is mechanically refined and will happily punt the car on motorways without undue effort. The five-speed gearbox is also slick.

The interior is impressively spacious for four, and will take five at a pinch. The boot is one of the biggest in this class, and although, unsurprisingly, a lot of hard plastics are used, the interior is solid and nicely put together. For the money, the Celerio is well equipped. Even the cheapest version has air conditioning and six airbags.

In marketing terms, the Celerio got off to an awful start. Days after its UK launch, road tests flagged up a serious, but simple-to-fix brake problem, when less than 40 had been sold. Although quickly sorted, this can’t have helped sales. A pity, because this is a nice little car with a lot going for it.

Suzuki Celerio 1.0 SZ3 Dualjet
Top speed: 96mph
MPG: 78.4
Emissions: 84g/km
Price: £8,499

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