Maruti Suzuki Dzire

India’s Family Sedan

Even those living under a rock, know what the Maruti Suzuki Dzire is. That is how popular this subcompact sedan is in India, with every street of every city and every village having seen one. And it is pretty obvious why it is so popular and successful; a spacious and comfortable sedan with a Suzuki badge for the price of a hatchback? Who wouldn’t like that! It also looks handsome, especially when compared to its rivals, and gets the option of CNG to make running very economical. Should this be your go-to car if you are shopping for a sedan under ₹10 lakhs? Read on to find out.

Maruti Suzuki Dzire Pros and Cons 

Maruti Suzuki Dzire Exterior Design 

Like the previous generations of the Dzire (or the Swift Dzire, as it was then known), the current gen borrows its face from its sibling hatchback, the Swift. In fact, the entire front end is nearly identical to the Swift, up until the B-pillar. The bumper and front grille do get a few changes, but only a keen eye could spot them. Top-end trims also get projector LED headlamps with DRLs, which look gracious. 

Behind the B-pillar is where the Dzire differentiates itself from the Swift. The rear doors get regular pull-lever style door handles, instead of the floating ones on the C-pillar from the Swift. The silhouette is sedan-like, and the body is bulbous and curvy, somewhat like the Ambassador. But being a sub-4-metre car, the rear overhang appears disproportionate.

Maruti Suzuki Dzire Interiors 

Although the interiors of the Dzire have started to show their age, they have aged well, and updates over the years have ensured they don’t look outdated compared to modern rivals. The cabin gets a beige and black finish, and while the beige makes the interiors appear airy and spacious, it will be a tedious job to keep it clean. The three-spoke steering wheel is leather wrapped in the top spec trim, and it is a joy to hold. The steering, dashboard, and door panels also get faux wood inserts, which look unnecessary. The seats are finished in good quality fabric, a wise choice considering how hot faux leather gets during Indian summers. The 378 litre boot — while smaller than some rivals — can hold enough luggage for a road trip, thanks to its practical shape.

Maruti Suzuki Dzire Comfort 

The front seats in the Dzire are well contoured and make you feel snug, but not cramped. The rear bench also has plenty of room considering this is a subcompact car, and can host two adults over day-long journeys comfortably. Three abreast could be a squeeze though, given that the car is not wide. All the seats also have soft cushioning, which in turn deliver great comfort. The suspension soaks up bumps and potholes well, but the ride does get a bit floaty at high speeds.

Maruti Suzuki Dzire Performance and handling

With Maruti Suzuki stopping production of diesel vehicles in India, the Dzire is left with only one engine option which can be had with either petrol or petrol + CNG configurations. The engine in question is the same 1.2-litre K-series engine that powers the Swift, and dishes out 89 bhp and 113 Nm torque while running on petrol. The engine is peppy and free revving, and is refined. At idle speeds, you can barely hear the DualJet engine, and there’s plenty of low-end torque to ponder around at low speeds in higher gears. Floor the throttle, and the engine will spool all the way up to 6,400 RPM, delivering plenty of power for your enthusiastic drives. The latest facelift also gets slightly stiffer suspension and heavier steering, but the weight feels artificial, and handling is still pretty uninvolving.

Maruti Suzuki Dzire Key specifications 

Maruti Suzuki Dzire Safety Features

The Maruti Suzuki Dzire has a very lightweight construction, weighing less than one ton even in CNG trims. That doesn’t exude a feeling of safety when you are in the car. While there is no NCAP rating for the Dzire yet, its hatchback cousin — the Swift — received a poor one-star crash test rating from Global NCAP. Some basic safety features are a part of the Dzire’s feature list, including dual-airbags, ABS, EBD, brake assist, ESP, hill hold (AMT only), ISOFIX child seat mounts, and front seat-belt pre-tensioners. 

Maruti Suzuki Dzire Technology and Infotainment

Top-end variants of the Dzire get Maruti Suzuki’s Smartplay Studio infotainment system, which is a 7-inch touchscreen display that gets Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. While this is a good addition, a slightly larger screen with better resolution would have been nice. This screen has also been seen in smaller B-segment Maruti cars, and its rival — the Hyundai Aura — offers an 8-inch unit. The screen is mated to a six-speaker audio system, which is decent for its class. The mid-spec variants offer a simple dock with aux, USB, and bluetooth connectivity along with four speakers, and the base variants don’t feature an audio system. The Dzire gets a semi-digital instrument cluster with analog dials flanking a 4.2-inch screen that displays basic information.

Is the Maruti Suzuki Dzire for you?

The Maruti Suzuki Dzire inspires a family car feeling like few others. It ticks many boxes for a budget car buyer, like good looks, peppy engine, spacious interiors, generous boot space, great fuel economy, option of CNG, and an affordable price tag. And most important of all, it’s a Maruti! Most people will buy the car just for that, and they will be very happy with their choice. However, for its price tag, Maruti Suzuki should have included more features in the car, and the Dzire also needs better safety features to be a complete package.