With the advent of the all new Maruti Suzuki Swift, it was only a matter of time before the new Dzire made its debut. Vikram Gour spent a day out on the Buddh International Circuit with the new car. Read on to find if it hits the right spots!

The Swift Dzire will be available in both petrol and diesel engine options. The petrol variant boasts of the K12M VVT petrol engine which delivers 87PS of power @ 6000rpm and a decent 114Nm of torque @ 4000 rpm. Tuned to offer a spirited drive yet retain a decent mileage figure, the petrol Dzire is capable of going from 0-100kmh in just 12.6 seconds and offer a company claimed fuel efficiency of 19.1 kmpl. The diesel variant retains the tried and tested 1.3litre DDiS engine that generates 75PS of power @ 4000rpm and a solid 190Nm of torque @ 2000rpm. Being a class leading engine in terms of fuel efficiency, the diesel Dzire offers a company claimed efficiency figure of 23.4kmpl and still manages to go from 0-100kmh in just 14.8 seconds. Now all these figures might seem rather high for an entry level sedan, especially when compared to its hatchback sibling, but here is the key to all this wizardry. The Dzire weighs in exactly the same as the hatchback, despite the slight extension in size! 

Now MSIL hasn’t just stopped here, but have taken the Dzire a notch further (pun intended) by also offering an automatic transmission variant. The four speed automatic transmission will debut with the petrol engine initially however we are praying that this extends to the diesel in the future. The box is a smooth unit that is extremely well suited for city driving and will be a boon any city dweller. It is worth mentioning however, that the automatic variant doesn’t come with climate control air conditioning and features the regular switch and blower unit that we are accustomed to on smaller cars.

So, after having spent a day out with the Dzire, I have returned with a mixed bag of emotions. On one hand, the car just doesn’t offer any visual delight, but there is brilliance in what MSIL has achieved. By making it less than 4000mm in length, it benefits from the excise cut and therefore lets the company pass on that benefit to the customer in the form of lower pricing. At the same time, MSIL has packed the car with ample goodies and safety features that are comparable to sedans from a segment higher. Where this leaves the equation is just about exactly where the original Dzire started its journey-practicality. The new Dzire is once again going to have to make its way into the market by trumpeting the practical vehicle badge. It might have lost out on a little trunk space but there is still no arguing the fact that it still remains a very practical offering that is hard to ignore and customers should be urged to look past the sheet metal and recognize the genius that lies underneath.

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