Everyone wants affordable cars. But these days, just having seats, wheels and engine isn’t enough. The car must also come with lots of toys and creature comforts, all packaged in a shape that will not reduce small children to tears. That balancing act is rather challenging for automakers. But Suzuki Philippines may just have hit the right spot with the all-new Celerio.

The vehicle debuted in its home market of India last year, and that is also where it will be built. We’re happy to report that the Celerio still has the same friendly face with rounded headlights and a contrasting black bumper trim piece. The black 15-inch alloy wheels are also standard equipment, and they do give this cute econobox some street cred.

Within the confines of its petite frame is a cabin that makes efficient use of all the available space. The wheels are pushed as far out to the car’s corners as possible, which maximizes interior room. Unlike the budget-oriented S-Presso, the Celerio comes with creature comforts such as power windows, a tachometer, and a touchscreen infotainment system with phone mirroring.

The 1.0-liter K10C engine under the hood delivers 67hp and 89Nm. This is mated to either a traditional stick shift (manual) or an automated manual transmission (Auto Gear Shift in Suzuki-speak). The latter is said to have lower mechanical losses than an automatic gearbox or a CVT. This is combined with a stop-start feature and the Heartect platform that reportedly offers more rigidity at a lower vehicle weight. When it comes to fuel efficiency, Suzuki claims that the Celerio (with AGS) has topped 28.25km/L during tests.

Don’t let the Celerio’s small size fool you as this car comes with features that one would normally find in more expensive offerings. Aside from the usual antilock brakes and dual airbags, stability control is standard. Parking sensors and hill-start assist give novice drivers more confidence in maneuvering the vehicle in tight spaces.

Suzuki will offer the all-new Celerio in two variants:

• GL AGS – P754,000
• GL MT – P708,000

Interested customers may check out the Celerio at all Suzuki authorized dealerships nationwide starting tomorrow, May 7.