• Published On: 17 March 2017
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Maruti's sub-four-metre sedan hits a lot of sweet spots. First impressions inside!

The second-generation Dzire is different from the car it replaces. It’s only 3995mm long, (To keep length under the crucial four-metre mark, the new Dzire sports an extremely short boot) so it is a whole 165mm shorter than its predecessor.

On the outside
The company has done a good job of integrating the tail section with the rest of the body. The squarish profile of the bootlid is what resembles the earlier car. Sure, at 316 litres, the boot is a whole size down on the old car, but it’s good enough to store your bags for a long weekend drive.

The company has tweaked the styling of this car to ensure the Dzire looks a little different from the new Swift on which it is based. The front has a slatted grille, while the bumper features a wider air dam and larger enclosures for the fog lights. The rear quarter glass is slightly different and the rear door is marginally larger as well.

On the inside
The interior is identical to the Swift’s. The use of beige on the lower portion of the dashboard and door pads, and the light seat fabric help give the cabin a much airier feel. The front seats are also from the Swift – they are very comfortable. Existing Swift owners will notice the difference in space in the back, courtesy the 40mm longer wheelbase. The level of comfort for rear-seat occupants is decent but the backrest feels like it’s reclined a tad too much. There are adjustable headrests and a rear centre armrest to make it more comfortable.

From behind the wheel
The Dzire is available with two engines – an 86bhp, 1.2-litre petrol and a 74bhp, 1.3-litre diesel. Both are identical to the ones that do duty in the Swift. The petrol engine’s low-speed response is good, there’s a slight lack of mid-range punch but the top-end is impressive. The diesel engine’s healthy mid-range performance is great, which will prove ideal in the city. Shifting gears on the five-speed gearbox feels smooth and light too.

The Dzire’s suspension is also the same as the Swift, however, the rear has been tuned to aid comfort. The Dzire does tend to roll a fair bit more than the Swift though. Feedback from the steering wheel is good and the car holds its own well, even at high speeds.

Is it worth the money?
Overall, the new Dzire makes a compelling case for itself. It is smart to look at, comes decently specced and is good fun to drive too. The updated engines deliver ARAI-tested figures of 20.85kpl for the manual petrol and 26.59kpl for the diesel, while the option of an automatic transmission only adds convenience to this stellar package.