We recently got a chance to get up-close with the new Dzire, and there was a lot for us to take notice. Let's talk about all the aspects in detail
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The Maruti Suzuki Swift Dzire has come a long way since it was introduced back in 2008. The first-generation Dzire was based on the Swift hatchback but its design was a bit oddball. Later in 2012, Maruti Suzuki launched the second-gen Dzire with the overall length falling under 4 meters to take advantage of the lower excise duties for sub-4m vehicles. With its attractive price tag and better design, this model climbed up the popularity charts and it eventually became the best-selling sedan in India.
Last year, Suzuki launched the new Swift in Japan, and it should be here later this year or early next year. But before that happens, Maruti Suzuki is all-set to launch the new Dzire, which shares its platform with the upcoming Swift and the current Baleno hatchback, on May 16, 2017. We recently got a chance to get up-close with the new Dzire, and there was a lot for us to take notice. Let's talk about all the aspects in detail.
Exterior
The new Dzire wears the upcoming Swift’s face, and the most striking elements up-front are undoubtedly the new hexagonal grille and LED daytime running lights (DRLs) in the headlamp assembly. The new Dzire is wider than the outgoing model by 40mm. The shorter overall stance and a slight bulge over the headlights which extend into the A-pillar further add visual breadth to the compact sedan. The bonnet is also slightly swollen in the middle which helps keep the face upright.
The hexagonal grille now gets chrome surrounds and chrome slats while there are chrome accents just below the fog lamp enclosures as well. It doesn't look overdone, though. In fact, it makes the Dzire look premium. The chrome elements are unmistakably thick and don't come across as sub-standard. Since the new Swift will also be coming to India with the same face, Maruti Suzuki might reserve the chrome embellishment for the Dzire only, which would give the compact sedan a distinct identity. Maruti Suzuki has also added some beading in the panel gap between the front bumper and the bonnet, which looks like a step up in attention to detail.
White backlit instrument console
Head over to the side and the Baleno-like wave on the shoulder line is instantly noticeable. The design looks aggressive from the front quarter with the nose sticking out a bit. Maruti Suzuki has reduced the overall height by 40mm and the ground clearance is now down by 7mm measuring 163mm. In effect, the Dzire doesn't appear like it’s sitting too low despite the lowered ground clearance.The short height is also not very apparent, at least when viewed in isolation.
From the rear quarter, the Dzire's design connection with the Baleno becomes even clearer. The shoulder streak of the Dzire rises at the front, drops in the middle and goes up again before meeting the tail lamps, the same way as in the Baleno hatchback.
There's a break in the design language at the rear. The boot is sharper in comparison to the front that gets more rounded design elements, but the Dzire carries it off well. The rear design may draw a lot of parallels with other sub-4m sedans, and that could be because of the usage of similar design elements like a chrome garnish that spans across the boot lid, the licence plate that sits just under it, or a slightly upright boot tip. The Dzire's tail lamp assembly gets LED light guides that look stylish. Overall, with a smoother roofline now, the Dzire's boot gels well with the overall design.
7-inch infotainment system & controls for automatic climate control
New multispoke alloy wheel design. Wheel size is 15-inch
The new Dzire's boot is also more spacious than the outgoing one by 60-litres. The additional volume takes the overall capacity up to 376-litres now. The new Dzire's wider dimensions may have played a part in the space gain, but the boot also appears to be deeper now, which should make it more useful than before.
LED light guide in the tail lamp assembly. Notice the new Dzire logo
Interior
Before entering inside, you realise that the doors and other exterior panels of the Dzire are still quite light. Step inside, and the first thing you notice is the new flat-bottom steering wheel, which is leather-wrapped in the top Zxi+ variant. The audio controls on the steering wheel are also differently designed now. However, I am not a fan of the telephony controls that lie behind the steering wheel, especially when the design team had enough space to play around with on the steering wheel. It just takes a bit more time to get used to and doesn't come naturally to me. There's a dose of fake-wood trim on the dashboard and the steering wheel, which looks a bit overdone in images. In reality, however, it doesn't look as bad which could be down to the fact that it has got a matte finish.
Fog lamp & chrome embellishment underneath
The 7-inch infotainment system in the Dzire is skewed a bit towards the driver. The driver-centric infotainment system and the chunky steering wheel are two of the elements that make you feel that the cabin is built around the driver. However, head to the backseat and you feel that equal importance has been given to make the Dzire more comfortable for the rear passengers as well.
LED DRL & LED projector headlamps in Zxi+ Dzire
What is most noticeable at the rear is the extra bolstering on the seat back on both the extremes, which could prove useful when seating three abreast. Did I mention that the new Dzire is a lot more roomier than before? The 20mm longer wheelbase has resulted in more rear legroom and seating two six-footers one behind the other should be easier in the new Dzire compared to the outgoing one. The rear seat also gets detachable headrests, separate AC vents, a 12V charging socket and an armrest with dual cupholders. Impressed? So are we.
What doesn't impress us is the plastic quality. It's almost the same as the outgoing Dzire’s, which gets hard, shiny plastics on the doors and the dashboard. The plastic does age well, but it looks made to a price and starts to rattle a bit early in its life. Using soft-touch finish paint at places would have added to the feel-good factor.
Overall
The new Dzire is a more natural sedan now and doesn't look like a hatchback with a boot stuck to the rear. This is probably how Maruti Suzuki wants to project it, and the reason why the new Dzire will be out on our roads way before the new Swift.
It looks more premium than the outgoing Dzire and gets a lot more equipment in the top variant. It will be interesting to see how well equipped the lower variants are and how do they look minus the exterior chrome bits and LED projector headlamps.
Maruti Suzuki says that the new Dzire is lighter than before. Considering that it gets the same engines, that too in the same state of tune, the new Dzire should be more frugal than the outgoing one. Lesser weight would mean a better power-to-weight ratio, so it should also be peppier to drive as well. We'll be driving the new Dzire in May 2017. Until then, let us know what you feel about the new Dzire in the comments section.
Read More on : Swift Dzire
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