Maruti Dzire: A new car for a growing market

The Maruti brand is one of the household names in India. Maruti made its impact in the Indian market with the Maruti 800 which went on to become the most affordable Indian car, shattering the dreams and hopes of the western automakers in India. As the company entered into the 21st century , the competition in the market rose as the east asian automakers began selling cars in India. By 2004, foreign automakers began showing their market presence and Maruti’s sales was diminishing . Hence Maruti had to come up with something that would help it regain its market. The desperate Maruti launched prototypes of its new car named the ‘Swift’ at the Delhi Auto Expo in 2004. In the summer of 2005 the first bookings were opened for the Swift , which attracted a lot of the Indian population. By the end of 2006, the Swift was sold in large numbers and it gained the ICOTY (Indian Car Of The Year) award for 2006. Maruti gained confidence with this and went on to launch Maruti Swift Dzire in 2008. The Maruti Swift Dzire was launched in two different body types, the L and the XL. The Swift Dzire L created it’s very own class in the Indian auto market. In 2011 the XL variant was discontinued and its production was restricted to taxis only. Though the XL was discontinued the L variant went on to become a segment winner. It was not until 2013 that the Dzire saw rivalry. In 2013, the Japanese auto maker Honda, who had already made their mark in the industry with the Civic and Accord showcased their sub compact sedan, Amaze which was immediately followed by the Hyundai Xcent .

This year, Maruti introduced its new Swift along with which it also introduced the Dzire. The Dzire which until 2016 was being sold as an extended version of the Swift, by the name Swift Dzire, will now on be sold as the Dzire, creating its own marque under the roof of Maruti, although sharing it’s styling with the Swift.


The base version of the Dzire is expected to start at 5.2 lakhs as features the same options as the previous generation, while top-end could command a higher price compared to the outgoing one as it now packs features like auto LED headlamps, LED daytime running lights, push/button start stop, automatic climate control with rear AC vents and touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity. Also, unlike other Maruti cars like the Baleno and the Ignis, the new Dzire gets an optional automatic transmission even in the top-spec Z+ variant. Prices of the new Dzire haven't been revealed yet but being a Maruti expect them to be competitive. The new Dzire could be priced slightly over the older one, considering safety features like ABS and dual airbags which will be standard now.. The outgoing Dzire didn’t have the most spacious cabin, but the new one promises a lot more interior space.The second-generation Dzire was one of the most fuel efficient cars in its segment with a claimed mileage of 20.9 KMPL , and the new Dzire is also likely to retain this title as it is 80-100kg lighter compared to its predecessor. The AMT unit should also make the automatic Dzire equally fuel-efficient as its manual counterpart. The AMT gearbox will be offered from the second ‘V’ variant onwards in the upcoming Dzire, and it should end up making the package a lot more desirable for those who don’t drive much but can spend a few extra bucks for the convenience of an automatic.The upcoming Dzire looks promising on paper; its wheelbase now measures 2,450mm - up 20mm from its predecessor, which should add to its roominess. Also, the width of the new Dzire has increased by 40mm to 1,735mm, making it the widest sedan in this comparison. Shoulder room at the front has been increased by 20mm, and at the rear by 30mm.On paper, the new Dzire appears to be promising, even before its prices are out. It will offer ABS and dual airbags as standard, and will also be one of the most feature-rich cars at the top of the spectrum. With the AMT now being offered with both petrol and diesel engines, that too in all the variants except the base, the Dzire is one car that looks set to sweep the segment again on the sales charts.