Maruti Suzuki Dzire

The Maruti Dzire now has a brand-new engine. It’s a 3-cylinder Z series engine that also powers the Swift right now and will go on to eventually feature on a few other Maruti vehicles. Let me tell you straightaway, this 3-cylinder engine has a very different character when compared to the K Series, four-cylinder engine in the old Dzire. Unlike the K Series engine which would make most of its power at the top end, around 5,000rpm and above, this new 3-cylinder unit has been tuned so that it feels more potent below 4,000rpm even though it’s making 8 horsepower less. So what does that translate to when you get behind the wheel and begin driving this thing? 

It isn't lacking that much horsepower compared to the old Dzire simply because of how this 3-cylinder engine has been tuned. Between idle and around 3-3,500rpm, there is enough torque to get up to speed. Acceleration feels strong, you can keep it in a gear higher than usual without having the engine to knock at low speeds. 

The Dzire is an easy car to drive. And that begins with good visibility. It might be a sedan, but it has relatively high seating. Pair it with slim A-pillars and a low-set dashboard and the visibility is very good in this car. Even the rear side windows are big and the outside rearview mirrors do a good job of showing what’s behind. Add the light clutch effort, the smooth gear shifts, and the light steering to this visibility, and the Dzire makes for a fantastically easy car to drive, particularly in the city. It doesn’t feel slow or lethargic, and it is completely up to the task of dealing with stop-and-go traffic as well as slow city commuting.

The new Dzire measures 3,995mm in length. And it sits on a wheelbase that’s 2,450mm long. To bring things in perspective, the wheelbase is similar to the Tata Tigor although slightly shorter than the Honda Amaze. But on the other hand, it is the widest car here and that’s something that will reflect on the inside. In terms of pure design changes, Maruti has given the Dzire a new lease of life because every panel is pretty much new. The front-end now looks wider and sharper with a slimmer pair of LED headlights, a much bigger grille and an entirely new bumper. Like many cars now in this price point, the Dzire also gets two-tone 15-inch alloy wheels which look good. 

At the back, the taillights have been given a new look which reminds me of the A-Class sedan when you look at the lighting signature. All in all, the new Dzire is not just more proportionate as a three-box sedan but it is also a surprisingly good-looking car. Things like the much sharper-looking front, a strong shoulder line, and a well-defined boot section help it look more convincing than some of its rivals.

The interior of the new Dzire looks and feels exactly like the Swift because this car is based on the Swift like the Dzire always has. Of course, there has to be some differentiation between the two cars and it comes in the form of two things. Firstly you have a beige and black theme for the cabin for a more upmarket feel that sedans usually come with. So the bits of the dashboard, the door pads, and the fabric seats are all finished in a nice shade of beige and this dual-tone treatment actually improves the sense of space here compared to the Swift. 

The new Dzire has improved big time when it comes to safety. Having been tested by Global NCAP for crashworthiness, it is the first ever Maruti Suzuki model to score a full five-star safety rating. Also, the body shell of the new Dzire was rated as stable and capable of withstanding further load. Now for some reference, the current generation Dzire scored a two-star rating during the same test. 

In terms of features, the Dzire gets six airbags, ABS with EBD, ESC, reverse parking sensors, seatbelt reminder, and a speed alert system as standard. As for comfort and convenience features, the top-spec model that we have here gets a 9-inch infotainment screen, wireless phone mirroring, Arkamys sound system, auto folding wing mirrors, LED fog lamps, connected car tech, cruise control, rear AC vents, wireless phone charging, and for the first time an electric sunroof and a surround-view camera system. Other features include LED headlamps and tail lamps, a rear defogger, climate control, TPMS, dual-tone interiors, and both Type-C and Type-A charging ports.

The Dzire is a Maruti Suzuki product at the end of the day. Although it isn’t an exciting sedan, it sure makes for a good purchase given Maruti’s immense sales and support, hassle-free ownership, and high resale. So, if you want to make a safe choice, well you simply cannot do better than the new Dzire. The strengths that have helped the Dzire hold its own against the Honda Amaze and the Tata Tigor, are still very much part of this new package. It is as practical and functional as ever with a spacious cabin and a fairly long list of features. But with this big update including a whole new design, more features, and an engine that realistically feels more potent than the old 4-cylinder engine, the Dzire has moved the goalpost in the compact sedan space.

Pictures by Kapil Angane