A first car is a huge milestone in anybody's life. Unfortunately, picking the perfect entry-level vehicle is often difficult due to the many factors that need to be addressed. Size, safety and, of course, price are all elements that play a part in this decision. With the new Celerio, Suzuki has crafted a superb student car that would work incredibly well as someone's first vehicle. A smooth gearbox, welcome safety features and a nimble engine all combine to create a quality experience.

On The Road

With a notably small engine, the Suzuki Celerio 1.0 GL MT may come across as underpowered at first glance. However, during our time with it, we found the hatchback to be quite quick in a variety of scenarios. Furthermore, the effortless manual gearbox allowed for every journey to be very enjoyable. Of course, this is not a vehicle that you will be breaking records in but it still manages to be impressive when you consider its price point. 

When it comes to manoeuvrability and parking, the Suzuki Celerio is blissfully easy to control thanks to its small size and easy handling. Reversing into a spot is fairly effortless, not only because of the aforementioned points but also due to the welcome addition of a collision alert system when driving backwards.

On The Inside and Outside

The Celerio is certainly not as physically stylish as the swift but its modern design still makes it a vehicle that many will find attractive. Alongside the overall look, the 15” alloy wheels of this model add a sporty flavour that isn’t present in the lower variant. Moving within the vehicle, the Suzuki Celerio is perhaps best described as a step above basic. There aren’t many bells and whistles but the touch screen display and informational speedometer prove that Suzuki has made a clear effort to instil this car with some nice quality-of-life features.

Key Features

  • Halogen multireflector headlamps
  • ISOFIX child seat anchors
  • ABS with EBD function

Final Thoughts

The Suzuki Celerio 1.0 GL MT costs R194 900, which is a price that many parents will consider reasonable for their child’s first car. Overall, we found the new Celerio to be quite enjoyable and certainly a worthy entry into the hatchback market.