2017 New Maruti Suzuki Dzire Test Drive Review

After a long wait, Maruti Suzuki has launched the Dzire in a completely new avatar to be on par with the competition, as the recently launched Hyundai Xcent Facelift, Ford Figo Aspire S and New Tata Tigor made the segment more exciting than ever before. And knowing the fact that the compact sedan segment is dominating equally to the entry level segment, Maruti Suzuki has introduced the new Dzire over new Swift and it is entirely based on the Baleno’s HEARTECT platform which makes it lighter by 105 kg than its predecessor.

Unlike the old Dzire that was available with a diesel AMT, the new Dzire is now available in petrol AMT option as well so the New Dzire is available in MT & AMT variants in both petrol and diesel engine options. It’s not a surprise move, as Maruti did the same thing with Ignis earlier this year. So, how is it like to drive and where have the improvements been made? Will you actually like to own it as much as you did with the previous version?

We will give you all the answers about the all-new 2017 Maruti Suzuki Dzire in the review below:

2017 Maruti Suzuki Dzire Design

New Maruti Dzire is no more the Swift Dzire, because it is based on the HEARTECT platform of the Baleno premium hatchback and even the Swift name has been dropped from the sedan. Thanks to the new platform, the new Dzire is pretty much wider. However, the length remains same at 3,995 mm as the old model. Thanks to the new platform, the car has become much more spacious and the leg room has increased significantly as well as the wheelbase too by 20 mm.

Up front, the new Dzire delivers a classy retro look. Its headlamps look quite similar to the upcoming new Swift hatchback. But, the new Dzire has received several different elements to give it an unique stature. It looks very attractive with the new grille and it makes the front fascia completely different compared to all the other Maruti cars. There are bezels above fog lamps that give it more attraction.

From the front view, the Dzire doesn’t look like a compact sedan. Instead, it appears like a fully grown sedan and very appealing compared to the rivals in its own segment and the segment above where sedans like City and Ciaz are selling in good numbers. If we talk about side profile, fender, front and rear passenger doors, and creases appear similar to the Baleno hatchback and the precision cut alloy wheels add sportiness to this beautiful looking sedan.

Being a Sub-4M three-box car, it delivers a compete sedan like look unlike the outgoing sedan that gave a feel of an added trunk with a Swift hatch. I would say the inbuilt boot spoiler along with the overall design of this car gives a Suzuki Kizashi like feel. Kizashi was a pretty expensive car sold in India, priced between Rs. 18 lakh – Rs. 20 lakh.

Speaking about the rear, it doesn’t look much different compared to the old Swift Dzire, but the taillights are very attractive with full LED and there is chrome plate between the tail lamps enhancing the visual appeal. The rear bumper looks very wider and the vehicle is emphasised with that.

Height of the new Dzire has been shortened by 40 mm compared to the old model. But this move has increased the aerodynamic efficiency of the car along with making it look more like a complete sedan.

2017 Maruti Suzuki Dzire Interior

The new Maruti Dzire gets a completely different look compared to the old model and it doesn’t share elements with other Maruti cars. But yes, you may get a feel of Ciaz’s interior that gets a two-tone dashboard. The 2017 Maruti Dzire gets a flat-bottom steering wheel and it matches well with the overall interior theme.

The steering wheel delivers a very sporty feel and in the compact sedan segment, the Dzire is the second model after Ameo to come with this kind of a steering. It doesn’t get driver armrest, which would have been offered in the top-end trim. The driver and front passenger share plenty of shoulder room, thanks to the 40 mm extra width compared to the old model.

Speaking about the rear seat occupants, earlier three occupants had to sit little uncomfortably, but with the wider stance and spaciousness of new Dzire, now they can sit very relaxed. Even if there are two rear occupants, they get an armrest with cup holders. The modifications inside the cabin include rear AC vent, that was pretty much needed for a family compact sedan, as temperatures shoot up to even 48 degree Celsius in India at times.

Bootspace has increased by 58 litres in the new model compared to the old Dzire and this has happened thanks to the new platform and increased width. It means while the occupants enjoy the roomier cabin, the new Dzire offers more luggage capacity as well.

Over to the features, the 2017 Maruti Dzire is ahead of all the cars in its segment. It gets smart infotainment system, audio control buttons on tilt-adjustable and multi-function steering wheel, double-tone dashboard with wood insert, height adjustable driver seat, rear AC vent with dual 12V power socket, rear armrest with cup holders and bottle holders in all four doors and additionally the two top-end trims come with reverse parking sensor as well.

2017 Maruti Suzuki Dzire Engine and Performance

In terms of performance, the new Dzire behaves very differently compared to the old Swift Dzire and current Baleno as well. All thanks to the low driving height and the centre of gravity advantage, the car is much more stable on road. It doesn’t matter, whether you are driving petrol or diesel, manual or AMT variant, it behaves the same way. I touched around 160 kmph (in Diesel AMT) with the new Dzire and it was very stable indeed.

The reason behind the improved stability could be the increased width and longer wheelbase but it has more to do with the stiffness of the chassis and the added strength. We drove both petrol and diesel AMT versions along with petrol manual model. The diesel manual is the one we couldn’t get our hands on though due to the shortage of time. So, let’s talk about the petrol AMT first.

Maruti Suzuki Dzire Petrol AMT is powered by the same 1.2-litre K-series engine that is capable of generating 84.3 PS of peak power at 6,000 rpm and 115 Nm of peak torque at 4,000 rpm and it delivers an impressive 22 kmpl of mileage. In the city traffic conditions, the AMT delivers a very comfortable driving character and unlike the other AMT cars from Maruti, the new Dzire is very smooth offering comfort and convenience to the driver.

On the highway, you may feel some sluggishness in the gearbox, but if you are in a sporty mood and it’s a Sunday, then you can put the lever towards left and drive it in manual mode. All you need to do is shift it upwards and downwards. I was very impressed with the Dzire petrol AMT and it deserves the extra Rs. 40,000 – Rs. 45,000 amount of money over the manual transmission model, as it offers appreciable levels of comfort and convenience.

The all-new Maruti Dzire diesel manual is powered by the same 1.3-litre DDiS engine and it appears with very controlled and refined NVH level compared to the old model and the transmission is very smooth as well. On the driving part, the new Dzire diesel MT behaves very differently as there are very minimal turbo-lag in the diesel engine – making the driving experience smoother along with a class-leading rated fuel efficiency of 28.4 kmpl.

However, on our test we got around 23.6 kmpl to 24.2 kmpl, but it’s nonetheless impressive indeed. We will tell you the exact mileage once we get the car for a longer duration of time surely. Comparing to the Dzire diesel manual, the diesel AMT model offers better comfort. However, the top trim fully loaded with features is priced at Rs. 9.41 lakh (ex-showroom, New Delhi), which will cost you around Rs. 10.02 lakh (on-road).

2017 Maruti Dzire Ride and Dynamics

With the comfort and convenience it offers as the petrol AMT, I would suggest you to invest extra Rs. 40,000 – Rs. 45,000 to buy the AMT model. It’s very refined and once you start driving an AMT or automatic car, you will surely feel the hidden comfort. If you want to try some sportiness with the diesel motor, you can always do that with the manual function that the AMT gearbox offers. It’s just a flick of the gear lever, upward and downward.

The MT Shift of AMT gearbox is very responsive and it takes less time for gear shifting compared to the manual gearbox, like if you are shifting from third to second gear or from second to first, the AMT takes less time. You can see the gear information the car is running on the speedometer screen.

So, on the driving front, I am quite impressed with the overall comfort, convenience and pleasure offered by the new Dzire. If I have to buy a car under Rs. 8 lakh and petrol is my choice, then I will definitely go for the petrol AMT model as it offers impressive mileage of above 20 kmpl and it costs around Rs. 1.2 lakh less compared to the diesel version.

The suspension faired pretty well on bumps and the setup is not harsh either. It plays a big role in keeping the occupants relaxed over a long journey. But when you speed through the corners, the body roll can be felt but it’s only noticeable for the avid drivers.

Also, the car’s smoothness, silence, premium feel and very responsive engine are the other factors that impressed me a lot. You can feel the quirky nature of Maruti’s K-Series engine if you have ever driven the Swift before. However, if you drive a long range then you should go for the diesel model, but I would again suggest you to buy the AMT version only.

2017 Maruti Dzire India Price

2017 Maruti Suzuki Dzire Review Verdict

I have driven three of the four variants the new Dzire offers and I can tell you for sure that this is the best compact sedan in its segment. It can give tough competition to the Ciaz and City also, which are positioned in the upper segment as it gets all the features that a customer demands in the mid-size segment. Along with that, the new Dzire offers very good mileage and comfort as well as packed features.

The exterior design of the car gives a retro classy feel and Dzire brand itself is very famous in India with around 13+ lakh models sold in the country already. Logically, the new Dzire could be the first Maruti product where an existing owner could replace the outgoing model with this very own model as it offers great premium value and comfort levels compared to the exited model.

However, I feel Maruti Suzuki should have made a couple of small changes in the car, like the cup holder in the dashboard and driver armrest. Design of the new key gives pretty basic feel, but these are no big issues.

So, if you can ignore these, it’s not only a value for money package, but the best value for money package and price of the car begins from only Rs. 5.45 lakh (ex-showroom, New Delhi), with the top trim available at Rs. 9.41 lakh (ex-showroom, New Delhi). If you are planning to buy this car, I would suggest you to book the trim of your choice as soon as possible and if you so ‘desire’, buy the AMT variant.

The only motive behind offering AMT gearbox is giving comfort to the driver. You get comfort with the sportiness, as you don’t need to press clutch and change gear repeatedly and it doesn’t affect the mileage. Waiting period for the new Dzire is about to touch 6-7 months soon. So, if you are planning to buy the Dzire, just close your eyes and go for it. If you have any question then comment for sure, I will definitely answer them.