The new Dzire asks some hard-hitting questions. How important is a boot? Does having a sedan, even one that forgoes some of the real benefits of one, outweigh the convenience of a hatchback? What would you give up for an automatic gearbox? We get behind the wheel of Maruti Suzuki's latest model to see if we can find the answers

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Let’s get one thing out of the way, it’s going to be impossible to review the new Maruti Suzuki Swift Dzire without drawing parallels to the outgoing model. The old Dzire was pretty much the poster child for how practicality and the inclusion of a boot score over almost everything else in the psyche of the Indian car buyer. So with the new Swift all grown up when compared to the earlier, one would expect its sedan version, the Dzire, to do the same as well. But surprisingly, rather than slapping a full sized boot to the Swift, the boffins at Maruti Suzuki have added more of a notch to keep it under that magic 4-metre mark, giving it the impression of a two-and-a-half box sedan, rather than a proper three-box. It’s not a notch back mind you, just a really, really small boot. But nonetheless, getting our hands on the new Dzire is an exciting prospect, and here’s a rundown of just what we concluded.

The Looks

The new Swift is definitely a handsome brute, with matured lines, that extended hood and bigger head lights. On the aesthetics front, it really does a much better job than the old Swift. The new Dzire also carries over this new front end design from the Swift, and in that regard, looks more elegant from the front than the old Dzire ever did. But at this juncture, it becomes very critical to address the elephant in the room – the boot! The tiny rump, no matter how you look at it, is something that really doesn’t do the design any favours. The old Dzire wasn’t really winning any beauty contests, but it was a design that grew on you, and the oddities were something you learned to look past. The new design is more of a shocker as a whole, though the individual details are quite pleasing to behold.

On the Inside

Step inside the car however, and it’s a whole different ball game. From the driver’s seat, the interiors are an absolute delight. The new steering wheel, new dashboard and all the other new trim bits from the new Swift have been carried over in to the new Dzire and what makes the deal even sweeter is that it now comes in a beige and black two tone colour scheme. In the front, the seats are spacious and comfortable, and the cabin has a pretty premium feel to it. Like the back end design, the back seats however take a bit of a beating. Even though the wheelbase of the new car is about 40mm longer than the previous car, space in the back actually seems to have decreased with not only lesser knee room, but lesser foot room as well. But thanks to C pillar being less raked than the one in the previous car, the chances of banging one’s head on the pillar while entering the rear of the cabin are significantly reduced.