The Maruti Suzuki Dzire is one of India’s most popular compact sedans, known for its reliability, fuel efficiency, and practical features. In fact it is the only Sedan that still dominates the market that is almost hijacked by SUV madness. Aimed at first-time buyers and families, the Dzire has consistently been among the best-selling cars in its segment. In this review, we delve into its design, engine performance, interior features, safety, and overall value proposition.
Exterior Design
The Maruti Suzuki Dzire has undergone significant design updates over the years, and the current model is the most refined and modern version. Unlike the earlier iterations, this new Dzire boasts a completely new look when compared to its hatchback counterpart. That means the Dzire has now its own unique identity of a premium sedan and not a hatchback with a boot mounted on its back.
- Front Fascia: The most significant changes are seen at the front of the new Dzire; gone are the old Swift-like rounded headlamps and curvy DRLs. Now the headlamp units are horizontal, and the LED DRLs are sleek and thin, sitting right below the headlamps. The crystalline cubical fragments of the headlamp unit impart a very premium touch. The front bumper is all new, resembling a premium brand (you know which one), and the long, bulky chrome lining holding the Suzuki logo gives a sense of low-slung design.
- Side Profile: It is the side profile of the car that feels most like the earlier Dzire, because the overall silhouette is almost identical to the older models. Although new 15-inch alloy wheels and a shark-fin antenna suit well the overall design of the car. One noticeable addition on the ORVMs is the 360-degree camera unit.
- Rear Design: The LED combination taillights are new with a Y-shaped design with squarish elements for the indicators and reverse light, both of which are halogen. To make the car look wider, Suzuki has cleverly integrated a lip spoiler to the boot lid, and the lower part of the bumper also gets a molded strip. There is no cost-cutting at providing a full set of four parking sensors at the rear.
Interiors
Get inside the Dzire, and you will be like, “Oh!” It’s a Swift, but with a different color scheme. Beige color is most used, while wood trims are also in plenty, and even white and gray are also used. The color scheme makes the cabin feel more spacious. The overall layout feels premium, and the car is very well ergonomically sorted. At the center of the dashboard, you get a large, floating 9-inch touchscreen infotainment unit, and the instrument cluster is predominantly an analogue unit with twin dials and a digital display in the center.
The three-spoke steering wheel is similar to the Swift, and it gets controls like infotainment and cruise on either side. The controls for the climate control are well laid out and in easy reach of both the driver and front passenger.
The 360-degree camera setup is similar to what we get in other Suzuki cars, starting from the Swift to the Grand Vitara, and it offers good picture quality.
Comfort and Features
As far as space is concerned, the front seats offer good space for an average build person; the large slanted headrests hold well while the seat comfort is similar to what we get in the Swift. At the rear, the headroom may feel slightly tight due to the sloping roof, but still it is good for people up to 6 feet in height. Under-thigh support is lacking for taller passengers, but the center armrest at the rear compensates for missing support and provides good hold for your elbows on long journeys. There are only two adjustable headrests at the rear, so the center passenger may feel uncomfortable. Door pockets can hold one-liter bottles each, and the rear AC vents are helpful in summers.
The luggage-carrying capacity of the Dzire is 382 liters, but the rear seats do not offer a 60:40 split.
- Features:
- 9-inch touchscreen with wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay.
- 360-degree camera 3D Display and Dynamic Guiding Lines
- Cruise Control
- Wireless phone charger
However, Maruti Suzuki tried to pack the Dzire with the latest features, but with the launch of the latest Honda Amaze, it feels like Dzire still lacks many, like ventilated seats, premium audio hardware, and ADAS.
Engine Performance
The Maruti Dzire is powered by a 1.2-liter Z12E petrol engine. This is the same engine that debuted with the latest Swift. It is mated to a 5-speed manual transmission and a 5-speed AMT. It is a 3-cylinder unit that produces 82 hp of power and 113 Nm of torque. The engine itself is quite refined by a 3-cylinder standard, but as soon as you crank it on a cold start, it does remind you of its missing cylinder. At low engine rpms, the noise feels the most, but as soon as speed is picked up, the engine settles down with a nice note, but there is a consistent feeling of some vibrations throughout the rev range. In the top end, though, it again becomes harsh and vocal, and you wouldn’t like it pushed that much.
Manual:
We drove the manual car first which comes with a crisp and smooth 5-speed gearbox. The engine feels hesitant while you try to pick it up from rest in the first gear without any throttle input. That means, at full load you will have to push the throttle enough to get the car moving unlike the earlier car that had good low end. So in our opinion this engine feels lethargic below the 1500 rpm mark and can hamper your driving experience in traffic jam. But don’t get confused as if the other 1.2 liter 3-cylinder engines in the segment offer any better performance than Suzuki’s this engine. No, Dzire’s engine still performs better than those, only the earlier 4 cylinder unit or other 4 cylinder engines in the segment offer better all-round performance.
Once you attain cruising speeds the engine feels most relaxed and somehow we also feel that Dzire has far better noise insulation compared to Swift.
Now the AMT:
The most significant change while driving the AMT version is that it feels much more relaxed while picking it up from the rest because of its creep function. If driven sedately with a light right foot, the car feels more relaxed, and gearshifts are almost unnoticeable. It’s only when you try to push it too hard, the head nodes become longer and annoying.
The gear ratios in both the manual and AMT seem exactly similar, as both the cars cruised at 100 km/h with the tachometer needle around the 2500 rpm mark.
Fuel Efficiency:
We know that the standout feature of every Maruti car is excellent fuel efficiency. And with the new engine the Dzire now boasts a claimed mileage of 24.79 km/l with the 5-speed manual, an increase from the previous model’s 23.26 km/l. The AMT version offers an even higher claimed mileage of 25.71 km/l.
Additionally, there’s a factory-fitted CNG variant, yet to be test-driven, which delivers an impressive 33.73 km/kg, powered by a 70 PS and 102 Nm engine.
In our routine testing, we can happily say that if driven sedately, the Dzire can easily return 15-16 kmpl in city driving conditions and up to 23 kmpl on a highway run.
Ride and Handling
The Dzire is tuned for comfort rather than sporty handling, as it is evident from the steering feel and softer suspension setup. Soft suspension soaks up bumps well, ensuring a plush ride on Indian roads. However, the car feels reasonably planted in corners. The bigger issue is, however, the steering, which is very light but lacks feel at curves. In our opinion, Swift handles better than this one. But the light steering makes city driving and parking easy. Equipped with disc brakes in the front and drum brakes at the rear, braking performance is adequate but not exceptional.
The Dzire isn’t built for spirited driving, but it handles day-to-day commuting comfortably.
Safety
The Maruti Dzire startled everyone when the Global NCAP announced it crash test rating of Five stars. Yes! you read it right. From the reputation of tin cans the Dire has become the safest rated sedan in India. That’s some achievement Maruti. Good Job.
- Standard Safety Features: 6-airbags, ABS with EBD, ISOFIX child seat anchors, and rear parking sensors, 3-points seatbelts for rear passengers, Hill Hold Assist,
- Global NCAP Rating: The Dzire scored a 5-star safety rating in Adult Safety while 4-star for child occupant in GNCAP.
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Outstanding fuel efficiency.
- 5-star GNCAP Rating
- Spacious and comfortable cabin.
- Excellent service network and low maintenance.
Cons
- Lack of premium features seen in competitors.
- Low and top-end engine performance
Verdict
The Maruti Suzuki Dzire is a great choice for buyers seeking a practical, reliable, and fuel-efficient compact sedan. It excels in day-to-day usability and comfort, making it an ideal family car. However, the engine lacks punch, and the newly launched Honda Amaze, with many segment-first features, is only going to make the competition even tougher for the best-selling sedan.
Starting at Rs 6.79 lakh and going up to Rs 10.14 lakh (ex-showroom), the price bracket breaches into the territory of compact SUVs, but still, if you know that the Dzire is a no-nonsense car, it is for you.
