Toyota is bringing the Vitz hatchback to South African market which is the rebadged version of the Maruti Celerio.
As a part of the joint venture between Toyota and Maruti Suzuki, there are a lot of rebadged versions in various international markets like the Celerio and the Vitz. For the South African market, the Vitz will replace the Agya within the next few months. Celerio is an entry-level product in the SA market which has price-conscious customers. In addition to that, the low running costs, affordable price and high fuel economy are the other reasons making it quite successful. Toyota aims to replicate that with the Vitz.
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Maruti Celerio vs Toyota Vitz – Specs Comparison
The made-in-India Maruti Celerio is already being sold in SA. The Toyota Vitz will be identical to that hatchback save for the Toyota badges at various places on the outside and inside. This means that it will most likely come powered by a 1.0-litre 3-cylinder petrol engine that produces 49 kW and 89 Nm of peak power and torque just like the Celerio. This engine would come mated to a 5-speed MT or an AMT gearbox. Celerio boasts an impressive fuel consumption of 4.4 l/100 km. We expect all these specs in the Vitz too.
| Specs Comparison | Suzuki Celerio | Toyota Vitz (exp.) |
| Engine | 1.0-litre petrol | 1.0-litre petrol |
| Power / Torque | 49 kW / 89 Nm | 49 kW / 89 Nm |
| Transmission | 5-MT / AMT | 5-MT / AMT |
| Fuel Consumption | 4.4 l/100 km | 4.4 l/100 km |
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Features
As far as the features are concerned, the Celerio comes with a digital infotainment system, a 3-spoke steering wheel with audio and multimedia controls, power window switches on the centre console, engine push start-stop button with smart key, Smartplay Studio with navigation, vehicle tracking, and more. Expect these features to make it to the Vitz too.
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Verdict
The price of the Suzuki Celerio starts at R178,900 in South Africa making it one of the most affordable cars in the market. Although the Toyota Vitz has not been launched yet, we expect it to be priced similarly as there will be hardly any changes to it. Therefore, it will just be a matter of preference when choosing which one to go for. You could consider things like the vicinity of the service centre in your area or if there are any differences in the warranty services of the two brands.