Maruti Swift vs Maruti Dzire: Is The Rs 50000 Premium Worth It?

The new Dzire now stands more independently from the Swift, yet it continues to share a lot with its sibling. So, which one makes more sense to you? Let’s find out

The Maruti Swift and Dzire have long been synonymous with the latter being a sedan version of the popular hatchback. Now in their new generations, while both Marutis still share a nearly identical cabin, features, and the same platform and powertrain, they have notable differences as well. The Swift has chosen to become sportier and more feature-rich than before, while the Dzire has undergone significant design changes, moving beyond just dropping the ‘Swift’ name it once carried.

Both cars fall within a similar price bracket of around Rs 6 lakh to Rs 10 lakh (ex-showroom), with the Dzire demanding a premium of about Rs 50,000 over the Swift. If you're wondering which of these Maruti models suits your needs better and whether you should go for the hatchback or the sub-compact sedan, this detailed comparison will help you make the right choice.

Key 

The first thing before you access the car is its key fob. The Swift and the Dzire get the same small key fob with lock and unlock buttons. The only differentiator is a boot unlock button on the Dzire’s key that adds to the user’s convenience. Not just unlocking the boot, you can actually open the boot lid using the button on the key considering the key is in your hands at proximity to the tailgate. The Swift sticks to the small lever under the driver seat to be pulled to access the boot. 

As for the key fob designs, both units look very basic and outdated. They are tiny in size and get a hard plastic finish with the Suzuki logo on one end, and the buttons on the other. A redesign in this regard would be worthwhile for Maruti to consider.

Looks

The key differentiator! The Swift and Dzire, despite sitting in different segments, used to look quite similar. That’s no longer the case. The two cars now showcase completely different characters. True to its intended inception, the Swift brings a sportier vibe, while the Dzire walks a more sophisticated path. And honestly, they both look desirable.

What’s still common between the two are the cut lines running across their bodies. While these are unavoidable on any car for that matter, Maruti could have made them thinner and less jarring to the eyes. Especially in Swift’s case, the prominent cut on the bonnet makes it look like the car has been split in half. Nevertheless, it’s something one can live with.

Coming to their characters, the Swift now looks even sportier and funkier than before. Up front, its swept-back sleek LED headlights resemble eyes, the grille opens like a mouth, and the fog lamps sit below like dimples, giving it a human-like expression. In profile, it features 10-spoke, 15-inch dual-tone alloy wheels and traditional door handles.

If you pick one of the brighter monotone colours, Maruti has darkened the A and B pillars to create a floating roof effect. At the rear, the Swift gets clear-lens LED taillamps, a tweaked bumper, and a subtle roof-mounted spoiler, which, in our opinion, could have been more outlandish.

The Dzire, in comparison, has shed much of the curviness seen in the Swift. It now appears straighter, lower-slung, and wider at first glance. With sleeker rectangular LED headlights, LED DRLs, and more horizontal elements overall, you can hardly imagine it commercially taxing around. It now feels more personal, more family-oriented and more premium. 

The 15-inch alloy wheels, though similar in size to the Swift’s, feature a 7-like spoke dual-tone design. At the rear, the smoked LED taillights with Y-shaped motifs and a chrome strip running across the tailgate enhance its sophistication. You’ll also find a subtle boot-lip spoiler. While design is subjective, if I had to choose the better one, I’d have a tough time deciding. Sporty and playful or sophisticated and classy? I’d probably go with the latter.

Here’s a quick rundown of all the colour options you can choose with both the cars:

*Available with Midnight Black Roof for dual-tone (optional)

Boot Space

The Swift does not stand fair competition in this regard, as the Dzire benefits from its sedan body style. It gets that added boot space, measuring a generous 382 litres. Realistically, you can fit a complete set of three suitcases (large, medium, and small) and still have room for two duffle bags and some soft parcels.   

In comparison, the Swift comes with a smaller 265-litre boot. While it may not be ideal for packing heavy for long journeys, it still has enough room to accommodate a medium and a small suitcase along with a few other small bags and parcels. However, the Swift does offer a 60:40 split-folding rear seat, just like the Dzire, allowing you to fold down the rear seats when not in use to create additional space for extra luggage.   

So, if your commutes often involve carrying luggage or if you're someone who enjoys long family road trips, the Dzire is the more practical choice for you. Now, let’s step inside the car.

Cabin: Design And Quality 

Even on the inside, the two Marutis share the same cabin layout. The key difference lies in the themes they adopt. The Swift features an all-black interior with dark grey upholstery and plenty of gloss piano black inserts here and there. While the dark theme might feel dull to some, it aligns with the Swift’s sporty intent. A thin grey insert runs across the door panels and dashboard, adding a touch of contrast.

The Dzire, on the other hand, gets a dual-tone light beige-themed cabin, which looks more premium and family-friendly. It not only creates a sense of more space but also contrasts nicely with the black accents used throughout. However, the light upholstery is also more prone to getting dirty, so you’ll need to be extra careful. The Dzire also has an added advantage – the sunroof. It’s a single-pane unit, not necessarily a deal-breaker, and still a good addition for those who enjoy having one no matter what.

Both cars have a similar dashboard layout, featuring a three-spoke flat-bottom steering wheel with mounted audio and calling controls and a thick 9-inch floating touchscreen infotainment system. Maruti could have designed the screen to be sleeker, as it looks a bit old-school in our opinion, especially with the thick bezels.  

The glossy piano-black frame around it also tends to attract fingerprints and visible scratches. Additionally, there's a lot of hard plastic all around, and neither car offers you soft-touch materials, other than what you get on the door pads, which makes it feel a little budget-grade. 

In terms of overall quality, both cabins are as expected from a Maruti in this budget – not too great, not bad either, just above average. Nothing feels loose or flimsy, the AC vents have a nice weight to them, and the buttons are clicky and tactile. Even the front seats are well-bucketed, providing good support and comfort, especially while driving.

Ultimately, both cabins lack vibrant colours, and it boils down to personal preference, whether you prefer a darker or a lighter interior. That said, the Dzire’s cabin does feel slightly more upmarket in comparison.

Cabin: Practicality & Charging Options

The space and practicality of both cars are nearly the same. Talking about practical storage spaces, both get 1-litre bottle holders in the front doors (swift gets 500 ml bottle holders in the rear), a glovebox, two cupholders in the front, and a seatback pocket behind the front passenger’s seat. Additionally, the Dzire gets two more cupholders in its rear centre armrest. Considering the Dzire’s price range, a front centre armrest would have been a perfect addition for the driver’s comfort. 

Charging options in both cars include a wireless phone charging pad. Besides that, you also get a 12V socket, a USB port, and a Type-C port near the rear AC vents.

Rear Seat Experience

As for the above-average interior quality in both cars, they offer comfort just as expected for their price range. For short in-city drives, they are quite comfortable. However, if you decide to cruise on longer intercity drives, there are certain aspects that could be a drawback. The rear seat space is the same in both the Dzire and Swift, and the only difference is a little more headroom in the Swift. However, the Dzire creates a sense of more room due to its lighter cabin theme.

The rear centre armrest in the Dzire provides added comfort for rear passengers. The seats in both cars are well-cushioned, but people with greater body weight might find themselves sinking in a bit. While the rear seats are comfortable for two passengers, fitting in three would lead to a shoulder fight and feel cramped. The headroom and legroom are enough for need. The under-thigh support is however where there’s a lack and could have been better. 

Features & Safety Onboard 

The Dzire might look a lot different from the Swift but its feature-set doesn’t. You get all the same features as the Swift and a few extra for the extra money you spend. You can check that below:

So, for the extra Rs 54,000 you spend on the Dzire (top-spec to top-spec), you get about four niceties on board. This includes the single-pane electric sunroof – not necessarily useful but good to have for sure, a front footwell lighting that amps up the ambience during night drives, a rear-centre armrest for that extra comfort and an inbuilt TPMS to keep an eye on your tyre pressure. 

 

The Dzire also has a 360-degree camera compared to the Swift’s rearview camera. This provides it an extra layer of safety, especially coming in handy while parking and maneuvering around tight spaces and corners. Talking about safety, the Dzire had just lifted its family’s reputation by securing their first-ever five-star safety rating in the GNCAP crash test. So, you can feel a lot more safe in a Maruti now.

As for other features, both the cars get you all that you’d expect and need in your daily drives for practical usage like a 9-inch touchscreen infotainment, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a premium 6-speaker ARKAMYS tuned sound system, auto AC with rear vents, wireless phone charger and more.

Powertrain And Performance 

The Maruti Swift and Dzire, both retailing in their latest fourth-generation, share the same HEARTECT platform and the same engine and gearboxes. Here’s a detailed look at their mutual specifications:

MT - Manual transmission, AMT - Automated manual transmission

The Swift and the Dzire, both available with a petrol engine and an optional CNG kit, produce the same output with both fuel types and also offer the same transmission choices. The engine, now cut short by one cylinder, feels slightly lacking in refinement while still being friendly enough for in-city drives. There aren’t many vibrations at the footwell to keep you disturbed; however, they might say hello at times. The power and torque are well-suited for city traffic until you push them too much above 100 kmph on the highways.

To simplify it down, the engines in both are now a lot better tuned for city traffic, ensuring you do not feel the lack of power at lower gears. You can smoothly do 40-50 kmph speeds even in the second gear while maneuvering between the sudden jam-packed roads and that without the unwanted stress and sounds from the engine.

On the highways, however, you do feel the lack of power. At higher speeds, overtakes take time, and if you have to go from 70 to 100 kmph, it will be reasonably slow. This new 3-cylinder engine has made city drives more convenient, but the trade-off is lack of power on the highway. Both cars offer good value in terms of mileage, returning about 17-18 kmpl in the city and over 20 kmpl on highways with ease.

 

The Swift we drove came with an AMT (automated manual transmission), making it the perfect choice for anyone new to driving or even for a pro who seeks a hassle-free driving experience. Just two pedals mean a lot of convenience, except when you land on an expressway and need instant throttle response. That’s when it might start irritating you a bit. The gear shifts feel a little jerky, that’s a trait of an AMT, and it will need some getting used to. Throughout the drive, you’ll have to plan your overtakes, but the manual mode gives you a little more control so that you can shift when you want to. Out of the manual and the AMT, we will recommend the latter, but it does come with its compromises.

The Dzire, on the other hand, remains as family-friendly as it has always intended to be. The one we drove was a manual. A manual is always an enthusiast’s favourite as it gives you complete control over the car. The Dzire’s gear lever is smooth, making shifts effortless. However, the first gear might feel slightly underpowered, while the higher fourth and fifth gears may require immediate clutch engagement when slowing down. The second and especially the third gear are just the sweet spot–you’d love being in it when you need the perfect balance of power and refinement. It provides enough punch when required and just the right smoothness to avoid frequent clutch use during sudden speed drops. This also makes both these cars better to drive in the city, as you never feel any lack of power.

Ride And Handling

The very inception of the Swift in the Indian car market has been in the sporty sense, which seemed to have gradually faded due to customer demands, as they have welcomed it more as a family car. But you still don’t have to compromise much on the sportiness. It remains a lot of fun, even if not as much as before.

As for the ride quality, both cars offer a comfortable experience in city traffic and at moderate speeds. On highways, you won’t feel excessive jerks unless you hit some uneven patches at high speeds – something better to be avoided with both cars. The horizontal movement of passengers at such speeds can get a bit frustrating, often making you reach for the grab handles. Between the two, there isn't a major difference in ride comfort, but the Swift will feel a little more fun to drive than the Dzire. It also gives a better sense of stability on the road, boosting confidence behind the wheel.

Price And Verdict

So, should you get the Maruti Swift or spend some extra Rs 50,000 to buy the new Dzire?

If your budget isn’t hit a lot by that amount, we suggest you spend that for the Dzire. It is just more family-friendly and it justifies its premium. It gives you a better-looking cabin, a couple of additional features and not to forget the first ever five-star rated safety and yes, the sunroof for the premium feel. In fact, it has shed off all its commercialised taxi image and looks like the perfectly styled premium-looking subcompact sedan. 

The Swift on the other hand is not an inferior choice either. If you’re more of an individual traveller with a knack for expecting some sort of sportiness and adventure in your four-wheeler, it is the go-to for you. With nearly the same features, performance and feel, you won’t miss out a lot. Now it is on your preference and taste if you would like to have something a little more sporty or something a lot more sober and equally potent.