Maruti Suzuki Dzire

The 2017 Maruti Dzire has been an eagerly awaited launch, particularly because Maruti Suzuki has been striving to launch the third generation model in a more premium and luxurious avatar and also because this is the first time that the Dzire gets rid of the Swift prefix from its name. The Dzire is being independently positioned as a premium compact sedan while the old Swift Dzire will continue to be sold for the fleet segments. This clear differentiation should definitely help boost sales further. The Dzire has been officially launched in the Indian market and is priced between INR 5.45-8.41 lakhs (ex-showroom, Delhi) for the petrol version and between INR 6.45-9.41 lakhs (ex-showroom, Delhi) for the diesel version. The new Dzire has V, Z and Z+ grades for both petrol and diesel variants and all these grades have AMT options.

The new Dzire makes use of the brand new HEARTECT platform and is a completely new model, something which may work in its favor. The new Dzire looks and feels more premium and sedan-like with the styling elements clearly inspired by the upcoming new generation 2017 Swift. There are projector headlamps which look neat in tandem with LED daytime running lights and LED tail lights. There is also a signature light which is available only in top end trims. There are three new color options, namely Sherwood Brown, Gallant Red and the gorgeous Oxford Blue. There are diamond cut alloy wheels available as well.

The Dzire measures 3, 995 mm in terms of length while overall width increase by 20 mm to stand at 1, 735 mm. Height remains at 1, 515 mm while the wheelbase increases by 20 mm to stand at 2, 450 mm which should ensures even better legroom inside the cabin. The ground clearance has been lowered by 7 mm to stand at 163 mm. The Dzire offers a bigger 379 litre boot now and the HEARTECT platform is stronger and lighter as compared to the previous model, ensuring weight savings of 85 kg and 105 kg for the petrol and diesel variants respectively. High tensile steel has been used for the construction in this case as well.

The front fascia looks completely different with the raked A-pillar and trapezoidal grille and the more proportionate look. The side profile is quite similar to the outgoing model while the rear gets a few minor enhancements. Inside, the new Dzire boasts of a premium cabin with the two tone color combination working marvelously while other attractions include a leather wrapped flat bottomed steering wheel and a touchscreen infotainment unit with Apple CarPlay, MirrorLink and Android Auto. There are rear AC vents which is a welcome feature along with the engine push start-stop button and automatic climate control. The Dzire gets dual front airbags, ABS with EBD and brake assist as standard for all models which is also a nice touch. There are ISOFIX child anchorages for the rear seats as well.

The Dzire continues using the 1.2 litre K-Series four cylinder petrol mill that makes 82 BHP and 113 Nm while the 1.3 litre DDiS engine churns out 74 BHP and 190 Nm. Both engines come paired to a 5 speed manual transmission unit while Automated Manual Transmission options are available for both petrol and diesel variants. Another area where the 2017 Dzire shines is fuel economy. The petrol version offers approximately 22 kmpl while this goes up to a whopping 28.48 kmpl for the diesel variants. Both figures are the very best in the segment.

The 2017 Dzire competes with the likes of the Hyundai Xcent, Volkswagen Ameo, Tata Tigor, Tata Zest, Honda Amaze and Ford Aspire in its segment. The car looks and feels fresh and the engine drives pretty well with minimal cabin noise. Ride and handling is also pretty decent though maybe not as much as you would otherwise expect in a car which has suddenly upped its game.