These days in a sea of SUVs, we finally have a new sedan and that too a car which has always been popular. The Dzire, born out of the Swift grew into further popularity with the launch of the earlier generation model and now Maruti has simply made it a lot more appealing. Based on the 5th gen Heartect platform, the new Dzire comes with more features, is more fuel efficient and is of course the first Maruti Suzuki to get a 5-star GNCAP crash test rating. Launched at a starting price of Rs 6.7 lakh, the new Dzire is also not that much expensive over the earlier model.
However, the appealing factor for this model is surely the styling which we make it a much more convincing sedan. It looks better proportioned now and does not look it was based on a hatchback. The styling upfront comes with a larger grille and new LED headlamps which form a big part of the new look plus there are new 15-inch alloys as well as a new rear styling with a Tri-Star pattern. The rear as well as the front enable it to give a more premium look while the new colours too help in that. Quality we feel has improved and importantly, it feels richer in terms of plastics or cabin design. The door pad for example is not the usual Maruti design with a new pattern while the dashboard too comes in the same texture. The mix of light colours and the faux wood trim looks nice as well as the new 9-inch touchscreen.
The touchscreen like all new Maruti cars works well but the talking point is the new 360-degree camera with the HD display and that is something not seen on any other Maruti. Other features include a sunroof which is first in class as well as rear ac vents, an Arkamys audio system, connected car tech, 6 airbags standard and more. Wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay is also helpful too. Comfort we think has improved over the last generation model with better seats and the light colours makes the cabin airy too. That said, the sunroof impacts the headroom a bit. Boot space has improved to 382 litres but still is behind some rivals.
The other big change is the new Z Series three-cylinder petrol engine which brings in more efficiency but is down on power over the last four-cylinder motor with 82bhp and 112Nm. The standard gearbox is a nice 5-speed manual which is light but buyers will like the new AGS automatic which is a 5-speed AMT. When you start driving, the engine is very smooth and refined while the AMT gearbox moves along at low speeds very well. It does not feel jerky at low speeds too and is easy to drive with a light steering as well.
This engine does not like being revved and neither does the AMT like being driven hard. It is more for easy city driving and that is where you like it. On the highway, the AMT has lag and performance is not huge but manageable. What is impressive is the efficiency which is 25.71 kmpl for the AMT and you can expect 15-16 easily.
Compared to the previous Dzire, the handing is more secure and the ride quality is better too with less road noise coming into the cabin. The steering has improved and it is less bouncy while being more confident at high speeds. That said, the thin tyres are more for efficiency but the it is a huge leap forward now for the new Dzire.
Overall, the new Dzire is a big improvement in every area and is easily the best compact sedan right now while proving to be a good option which buyers must consider in the 6-10 lakh segment.
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