Used Honda City vs Maruti Suzuki Ciaz vs Hyundai Verna: Which One To Buy

The Honda City, Maruti Suzuki Ciaz and Hyundai Verna are the three most popular mid size sedans in India. Each one comes with its unique set of strengths and over the years have garnered a separate fan base. In case you are planning to buy a used sedan and are confused between the three, this guide should help choose the right one for you. 

The Honda City was first launched in 1998 and has since undergone five generational updates. The Maruti Suzuki Ciaz meanwhile debuted in 2014 and till its discontinuation in April 2025, received just one facelift. Lastly, the Hyundai Verna was launched in 2006 and is now sold in its fourth-generation avatar. 

Current Resale Value: Used Honda City vs Maruti Suzuki Ciaz vs Hyundai Verna

While all three sedans have similar resale values, the City has the lowest average price due to its relatively high maintenance cost, which makes buyers wary. The Verna offers slightly better resale value owing to its sporty styling and reliable engines while the Ciaz is more expensive owing to it being launched later in 2014 compared to the City and Verna. This, along with the Ciaz’s low running costs, makes it an attractive proposition in the used car market. 

Honda City: 

Later generations of the used Honda City cars command a high asking price owing to the new cars being priced at a premium. That said, despite the Honda City being the most reliable vehicle here, the comparatively higher service costs also act as a deterrent to 

the used car buyer. 

Maruti Suzuki Ciaz:

A used Maruti Suzuki Ciaz commands a higher resale value as it was introduced in 2014, later than the City and Verna, which were already present before the MY 2011 cutoff. That and the sedan’s low running costs which makes it quite popular in the used car market. That said, the discontinuation of the Ciaz should make the used car models even more sought after. 

Maruti Suzuki Ciaz image

Hyundai Verna:

The Verna’s sporty styling and powerful diesel motor makes it an attractive proposition in the used car market. The later generation used Hyundai Verna models command a high asking price owing to premium exterior and interiors and multiple engine and gearbox options. 

Note: The used car prices shown are calculated for vehicles MY 2014 and above and with mileage under ₹ 1 lakh kilometres. 

The second-hand Maruti Suzuki Ciaz commands a higher average price despite the new sedan being priced lower than the other two sedans. While the Ciaz being launched much later than the City and Verna are an important factor, its low running costs also factor into the sedan’s high resale value. The fact that the Ciaz has been discontinued should help enhance the resale value of later generation cars in the future. 

Yearly Rate of Depreciation: Used Honda City vs Maruti Suzuki Ciaz vs Hyundai Verna

All three sedans exhibit a slow rate of depreciation, comparable to popular hatchbacks. The Verna experiences a slightly higher rate of depreciation in the first year but from then forward, its depreciation is on par with the City and Ciaz up to year five. Here’s a quick look at the Year On Year depreciation of all three sedans over the last five years. 

Honda City: 

The Honda City has earned a name for itself for its reliability and build quality. The sedan ages well and feels bulletproof leading owners to hold on to their cars longer, boosting its resale value. 

Maruti Suzuki Ciaz: 

The Maruti Suzuki Ciaz is known for its spacious interiors, fuel efficient engines and low running costs making it a popular sedan in the used car market. 

Hyundai Verna: 

The Hyundai Verna is loved for its sporty styling, comfortable suspension and feature packed interiors. Its premium driving experience helps it earn brownie points as well. 

In terms of depreciation, it is the Honda City that holds its value well. It has earned a reputation for its reliability which means a used City will age well and have fewer problems. So should you plan to sell your used Honda City a few years down the line, it should still fetch a better price compared to its rivals. 

Engine and Transmission Options: Used Honda City vs Maruti Suzuki Ciaz vs Hyundai Verna

If you are looking for a post 2020 used diesel sedan, you can choose between the City and Verna. Honda did offer a 1.5-litre diesel engine in the City briefly from 2019 to 2022. The City and Verna diesel were discontinued in 2023. Interestingly, Honda introduced the City Hybrid in 2022, a car which impresses with its phenomenal fuel efficiency. 

Honda City Engine and Transmission Options

• 1.5-litre, petrol - 6 speed manual / CVT automatic
• 1.5-litre, petrol hybrid - CVT automatic
• 1.5-litre, diesel - 6-speed manual

Maruti Suzuki Ciaz Engine and Transmission Options

• 1.5-litre, petrol - 6-speed manual / 4-speed automatic

Hyundai Verna Engine and Transmission Options

• 1.5-litre, petrol - 6-speed manual / CVT automatic
• 1.0-litre, turbo petrol - 7-speed DCT automatic
• 1.5- litre turbo petrol - 6-speed manual / 7-speed DCT automatic
• 1.5-litre, diesel - 6-speed manual / 6-speed automatic

While the Honda City does earn brownie points for its fuel efficient petrol hybrid engine offering, the used Hyundai Verna impresses with its choice of powerful engine and gearbox options. While the Honda hybrid engine impresses with its fuel efficiency, the Maruti Suzuki Ciaz has low service costs while the Hyundai Verna impresses with its performance. 

Maintenance Cost Comparison: Used Honda City vs Maruti Suzuki Ciaz vs Hyundai Verna

Honda City: 

While the Honda City is a reliable car, it is expensive to maintain. Parts prices and labour costs are at a premium. A scheduled service will cost you around ₹ 6,000 to ₹ 7,000 on average with the service at 1,00,000 kilometres costing around ₹15,000. That said, there is very little that goes wrong with the City if maintained properly. 

Maruti Suzuki Ciaz: 

The USP of Maruti Suzuki cars is their low running cost and this applies to the Ciaz as well. A scheduled service will cost you between ₹ 1,600 and ₹ 2,700. These prices are substantially lower than its rivals. Add the fuel-efficient motor to that and you have a mid-size car that’s as affordable as a hatchback to live with. 

Hyundai Verna: 

The Verna comes with a choice of powerful powertrains and while its service costs are not as expensive as the City, it is on the higher side. A scheduled service can cost you anywhere between ₹ 3,000 and ₹ 6,000. That said Hyundai spare parts are priced reasonably well and their cars are reliable if maintained well. 

Note: Maruti Suzkuki Ciaz service cost mentioned excluding labour charges.

In terms of service costs, the Honda City is the most expensive to maintain, followed by the Hyundai Verna. The Ciaz is substantially cheaper to service and features the most affordable spare parts here. This and Maruti Suzuki’s vast service network makes the Ciaz the most affordable car to use on a daily basis. That said all three sedans here are quite reliable provided you service them on a regular basis. 

Conclusion

The used car prices of the Honda City, Maruti Suzuki Ciaz and Hyundai Verna shed light on interesting mid size sedan buyer trends. The primary buying point remains low maintenance costs, followed by sporty styling, feature packed cabin and powerful engines. The Maruti Suzuki Ciaz holds its value longer here owing to its maintenance costs being more affordable than some hatchbacks! 

All three sedans are built well with the City impressing the most with its solid build quality while the Verna impresses with its premium cabin finish. The Verna offers multiple powertrain options as well offering the buyer more choice and more importantly, a diesel engine with an automatic gearbox. 

To sum it up, the Maruti Suzuki Ciaz is the most popular choice owing to its USP of offering a premium sedan at a lower price point and running costs similar to hatchbacks. 

Interestingly, the Maruti Suzuki Ciaz comes with a standard 2 year/40,000 km warranty while both the Honda City and Verna come with 3 years/unlimited km warranty as standard. Used cars also come with additional warranty from CARS24. This includes a standard 3 month warranty and a 1 year extended warranty available at a nominal cost.