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

Engine and performance

Now the Dzire comes in both the 1.2-litre petrol and 1.3-litre diesel variants that are currently on offer in the new Swift. But one trump card that the Dzire holds is the inclusion of an optional 4-speed automatic gearbox in the mid-level VXi petrol variant. And as luck would have it, this was the very car we got to test. Now one might think that a 1.2-litre 4 cylinder petrol mill would feel a little weedy when coupled to an auto ‘box, but this it comes with variable valve timing that significantly improves engine response through the rev range, and even improves on the output figures of the previous engine by a small amount. Now packing a power punch of 87PS @ 6000rpm and a torque figure of 114Nm @ 4000rpm, this automatic Dzire can get from zero to 100km/h in 16.49 seconds, and if you keep you right foot firmly planted on the throttle, it can eventually hit a top speed in excess of 160km/h. But more important than the outright performance of the engine and gearbox combination, the really impressive bit is the sheer tractability of the two. Moving around city traffic, the drive is an absolute breeze and the neither the gearbox nor the engine feel laggy at any point. 

Mileage

Performance apart, mileage is a very critical factor, especially to those considering entry level sedans. Both the diesel and petrol engines have been thoroughly tested on the new Swift before, and considering that the short sedan doesn’t gain much more mass over the hatchback, the mileage figures shouldn’t take too much of a hit. But our chief concern was what the automatic gearbox would do to this small engine, and we’re glad to say, not much. Pootling around town, it returned a mileage figure of about 11kmpl, and when we hit the highway, the figure climbed easily to about 16kmpl. Not bad for a small engine with an auto ‘box.

Handling and Ride

The old Dzire, while not what you might call a bad handler, was rather rolly-polly in the bends. Thankfully, this new one borrows its handling characteristics from its hatch sibling rather directly. The steering is nicely weighted and carving corners on a twisty mountain road is as fun as it gets in this segment of cars. And the beauty of the whole thing is that ride quality isn’t compromised to the point where it becomes a problem. Sure, it’s a bit stiffer than the old Dzire, but overall, whether sitting in the back or the front, you won’t really find a reason to complain.

Conclusion

Now here’s the real question. Is the new Dzire really worth it? Well, this requires a rather subjective treatment. There are a few things to consider. First and foremost of which is the fact that the boot space is as little as some of the larger hatchbacks out there. It’s almost exactly the same as the Fabia’s boot, and it’s smaller than that of the Jazz. So is the lure of a boot, no matter how small, enough to satisfy the Indian psyche and make buyers sacrifice the convenience of a hatchback? This really comes down to personal choice, given the fact that the price benefit of having a sub 4-metre sedans isn’t wholly passed down to the buyer. And then there’s the question of the automatic gearbox variant. Since the company only offers the auto ‘box in the VXI variant, you don’t get a lot of bells and whistles, such as steering mounted audio controls, automatic climate control, alloy wheels, seat height adjustor as well as airbags. So is the convenience of an automatic gearbox worth sacrificing all these features and still paying almost Rs. 35,000 more than the fully loaded ZXI manual version? Again, this comes down to a matter of personal opinion.

The new Dzire is a desirable car no doubt. It drives well, is smooth and refined and bearing a Maruti Suzuki, comes with a lot of benefits such as low running costs and ease of maintenance. But unless you have an overwhelming need for an automatic transmission, we’d stick to the either the top-end ZXI or the mid-level VDI variant. Alternatively, if you’re not charmed by boots, then the Swift hatchback should suit you just fine in most situations.