Making way for the all-new Ignis crossover, Maruti Suzuki will be discontinued the Ritz hatchback in India. The Indo-Japanese carmaker has seized the production of the Ritz, and its continuous low sales could be a reason behind this move. This will also help the carmaker utilize its production capacity for catering high-demand of the new models, including Vitara Brezza and Baleno.
First launched in 2009, the Maruti Ritz has always been among good value for money cars. With affordable pricing, the hatchback initially managed to take over the market. The car had registered sales over 2 lakh units within three years of its arrival in India. Though, it failed to maintain the sales momentum for a long run.
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In 2012, the carmaker introduced a facelifted version of the hatch with a series of cosmetic and mechanical updates. But with rivals such as Maruti Swift, Chevrolet Beat, Ford Figo and Honda Brio, the Ritz couldn’t pick up on sales once again. Currently, the company sells nearly 2,500 – 3,000 units/month of the Ritz in India, which is a bit low from Maruti Suzuki’s standards. Read – Maruti To Offer ISOFIX Mounts As Standard Safety Feature On Ciaz
Talking about the car itself, the Maruti Ritz comes with the familiar 1.3-litre DDiS diesel and a 1.2-litre K-series petrol engines that power several Maruti Suzuki cars. The updated model of the hatchback had received a slightly lower mounted nose with one-piece grille, a new audio system with USB, a multi-information display on the instrument panel, steering mounted controls, electrically adjustable wing mirrors and dual front airbags. The car also received a dual-tone interior (for mid and top variants) with better rear seats lumbar support.