Maruti Dzire

The outgoing Maruti Dzire is almost a perfect sedan. It's got good features, is very comfortable, offers a tonne of space and practicality and the mileage is amazing. And to top it all off, it is fun to drive as well. No doubt, it has become the favourite sedan of the taxi market. But there was one big flaw in that car. It had no desire. There was no wow factor - neither in the features nor in its looks. 

And that is exactly what is being changed in the new Dzire with better looks and features. It is an all-new car which has little to do with the Swift. So let's see if this all new Dzire is more desirable. And to get this desirability, did this Dzire have to lose something? 

The old Dzire had a lot of things going for it. But the styling was more about being likeable than standing out. That thing has changed with this new car. This Dzire is a good looking sedan. And that is because it is not dependent on the Swift for its identity - it has its own personality. It looks sleek, wide and has a good stance. And most of it comes down to the new face. The grill is low and wide, and on top of that it gets a lot of premium elements like expensive looking LED headlamps, LED DRLs and fog lamps. However, the indicator is still a halogen bulb. A nice detail is the slim chrome bar in the middle which connects the two DRLs very flawlessly.

From the side, the iconic silhouette of the Dzire is still maintained. But it has been spiced up a bit with stronger and sharper shoulder lines. These become stronger and more prominent towards the back. And while the alloys are still 15 inches, they do look better than before. Overall, from the side, it looks different enough not to be confused with the old Dzire. 

From the rear, the design of its bumper helps increase the visual width of the Dzire. And then comes this showstopper - the smoked LED tail lamps and the boot lip spoiler. Finally, in this generation, Dzire is giving you that feel good factor of owning a premium looking sedan.

Dzire is a prime example of just how much difference a colour change can make in the perceived quality of a cabin. Where in the Swift, the largely same cabin with an all-black interior feels rather cheap, the Dzire feels more upmarket with the use of beige colour. Also, while the upper and lower portion of the dashboard is exactly the same as the Swift, the middle fake wooden trim is completely new which is enough to help the Dzire feel different. 

Apart from this one trim piece, everything else like the steering wheel, instrument cluster, AC vents and the rest of the driver’s cabin is identical. Furthermore, you don't see any uneven panel gap here or any loose fittings.  

If I have one complaint - it is regarding the lack of a central armrest. Not only does it add to the driver's convenience, but also doubles up as a storage option. The overall quality could also have been better though. The only leatherette found in the cabin is on the steering wheel. Everywhere else - be it the seats, front door pads and elbow rest are all fabric. The rear doors won't even get fabric. And even the power window switches in the back feel quite cheap and tacky. 

Cabin Practicality

Apart from the missing under-armrest storage, the Dzire is pretty sorted in practicality. You get two cup holders, an open storage in front of it with the wireless phone charger and a small space under the handbrake to keep your wallet. The glove box is also of a decent size but it is not cooled. 

In terms of charging options, it is a bit disappointing. The front features a USB charger and a 12V socket. A type-C charger would have been better. In the middle however, you have one USB and one Type-C port which is shared with the rear passengers. 

Features

Let's start with the basics. You get electronically adjustable and folding ORVMs, automatic headlamps, well-detailed coloured MID in the instrument cluster, a bigger and better touchscreen and finally, automatic climate control. There are 3 key features aded to this generation. Firstly, the new 9-inch touchscreen from Maruti's premium cars. Its interface is quite easy to use plus you also get the convenience of wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay in it. Then comes the wireless phone charger, a 360-degree camera and finally a sunroof is by far the most popular feature in budget cars. 

Rear Seat Experience

The rear seat space of Dzire has always been its highlight and that thing is still maintained here. There is ample knee room for even 6 footers in the back seat along with good footroom as well. However, in this new Dzire, the headroom has been compromised. It's fine for people under 6 feet but will become a bother for people over that height. The backrest angle strikes a perfect balance between being relaxed and upright, which means long distances will also be comfortable. 

The visibility out of the windows is great, however the large front headrests do obstruct the front view a lot here. There is still good light inside the cabin via the sunroof and the overall beige interiors make it feel super airy. When it comes to the features and amenities, you get small AC vents with blower control, two adjustable headrests, a dedicated place to keep the phone, a USB and a Type-C charger and a central armrest with cupholders. However, the seat back pocket is still only available behind the passenger and not the driver. 

While there is nothing wrong with this experience, it feels the same as before. With this new generation, Maruti should have taken some effort to enhance the experience by either offering sun shades or better storage. 

It's 5 star rated in Global NCAP! This came as a surprise to all of us as well because the Dzire became the first ever Maruti to get the full rating. All other electronic aids like ABS, EBD, Electronic Stability Program, Hill Hold, etc. are here as well. In addition to this, 6 airbags are also being offered as standard in this car.

Boot space has been one of the key highlights of the Dzire and here too, it is ample. The figure has gone up by 4 litres but in the real world what matters is that it can easily take large suitcases, two overnight suitcases and still have room to spare for laptop and duffle bags. 

The Dzire will come with a CNG option from day one and will still feature a large tank. This leaves very little room for the luggage. It's time Maruti should also adopt the dual-cylinder tech like Tata and Hyundai offering better boot space for CNG customers. 

What is a bit frustrating though, is the way the boot opens. Apart from the key and the physical lever near the driver’s seat, you can now open the boot from a button on the boot lid. Which should be a good thing until you realise that it only works when the key is in proximity to the boot. If you are sitting inside the car with the key in your pocket, you will have to bend down and physically open the boot for security checks at the mall or hotels because despite unlocking the car - the boot cannot be accessed from the button on the boot.

Ease of driving. Dzire is based on this philosophy and that is still the baseline. Despite the new 3-cylinder engine, the drive remains largely effortless. The new engine, in fact, offers initial performance which allows the Dzire to get off the line with less effort and feel quick and agile in traffic. However, that is where the advantages of the new engine end. 

The older 4-cylinder engine had a more liner performance, which means it was more effortless to drive on the highway and make quick overtakes with. The new Dzire starts to feel slow and strained while going for overtakes at higher rpms. And this is when the lack of refinement of the 3-cylinder engine, as compared to the 4-cylinder also becomes evident. If you drive the Dzire for the first time, you won't know the difference. However, knowing how good the K12B engine was, one can only wish for it to make a comeback.  Like before, you still get two transmission options. One is the tried and tested five-speed manual and the other five-speed AMT. The manual is the better transmission to drive. The light and predictable clutch and the sure-shifting gearbox make it easy to drive. While the AMT does take the effort of shifting away from you - the issue is that it tries to keep you in a higher gear than required. It shifts to 3rd at 30kmph, 4th at 40kmph and 5th at 60kmph. Driving naturally, you would shift to 3rd at 45kmph and 4th at 60kmph. Because of this quick upshifting logic, there is a lack of usable power from the engine and the gearbox either has to downshift or the car will take its own sweet time to get the car up to speed. 

The plus side to this is the fuel efficiency. The claimed figures for both AMT and the manual stand close to 25 kmpl and in the city, both will return close to 15 - 16kmpl with a gentle right foot.

Another thing that gives Dzire its legendary status is the ride comfort. Whether the roads are bad or good, it always maintains its comfort factor. And this is also true with this new Dzire as well. Yes, the setup has become a little more stiff now but it only means that you feel more of the road surface and not feel uncomfortable. The shock is still not felt in this car so your family will not be bothered by the condition of the road. 

The one quality of the Dzire which has always been a little hidden is its good handling. The Dzire was actually a fun-to-drive car. That part is also well maintained in this generation. When you try to take it to a corner fast or go to a hill station with a bunch of friends, this car feels quite rewarding. Just, once again, you do miss the older engine.

The 2024 Dzire is a very sensible car. This is a car that you do not have to think twice before buying for the family. Its good cabin, features, space, practicality and especially comfort make it an all-rounder. And finally, now on its sensible package, the new and better looks make it desirable as well. 

However, there are some things about this car that prevent it from being future-proof. Like it should have felt more premium with better quality and wow features. And the new 3-cylinder engine, especially with the AMT, isn't as fun to drive as the older one. And yes, if your height is over 6 feet, then you will also feel the lack of headroom especially at the back.

However, then we come to the prices. Maruti has managed to capped the prices at Rs 10.14 lakh which is roughly a 1 lakh jump from before and feels easily justified given the equipment and safety levels which have gone up. This makes the new Dzire a value-for-money proposition if you are looking for a small yet practical family sedan.