A look at the New Swift Dzire versus competition

The next-generation Swift Dzire is all set for a market-launch in a couple of weeks from now. The sedan has already been unveiled at the Buddh International Circuit and we were the first to break the news.

The New Dzire is a sub 4-meter compact sedan, and is comparatively shorter in length than the outgoing car.  With the new Swift’s platform in hand, the Dzire avails the excise benefits offered by the Government, on cars that are less than 4 meters in length.

With its chopped-off boot, the Dzire looks much mature than the outgoing car.  The rear is well integrated into the body and follows consistency with the complete design. The new Tail lamps look a bit “Kizashi-ish” but with the chrome boot-lid, it’s easy to link it to current car. Boot space, at 316 litres is a whole size down on the old car, but is large enough to hold a weekend’s luggage.

Maruti has tweaked the front a little, to differentiate the Dzire from the new Swift on which it is based. The mini-Dzire comes with a new slatted grille which looks a tad boring. The front bumper now gets a wider air-dam and larger enclosures for the fog lamps.  With such minor alterations, it’ll be hard to differentiate it with the Swift if you haven’t been following its track.

Get inside the car and it’s all familiar to the Swift! The dash layout is similar to that of the Swift, only with a new dual-tone theme which uses beige plastics in the lower half. The dashboard now gets a few wooden inserts instead of the regular chrome garnishing and hence gives the car a more upmarket feel.  At the rear, despite the trimmed-chassis, the Dzire manages to carve out an extra bit of legroom. The beige seats give the cabin a more airy feel and overall you wouldn’t be disappointed.

As before, Maruti will sell the Dzire with two engine options – an 86bhp, 1.2-litre petrol and 74bhp, 1.3-litre diesel. Both the engines are identical to those on the Swift, and so is the gearing. The K- series petrol now gets a slight power bump, with the new Variable Valve Timing (VVT). The Diesel however remains untouched and still feels great to drive. The petrol Dzire will now also come with an option of a 4-Speed automatic transmission. The option however will only be available in the middle-trim level, the VXI.

The new Dzire is just like any-other Maruti, as it offers a great value for money and comes with looks that don’t disappoint anyone. With over 3.2 lakh units of the Dzire sold till date, the next generation model will keep the momentum going for Maruti in the C-segment. While Maruti will announce pricing on February 1 at the car’s launch, we hear the new Dzire will cost as much as the model it replaces which will continue to sell in a taxi avatar.  If Maruti gets the pricing right, (which we are sure it will) it definitely has a winner in its hands.

Other Points:

The middle level-trims now come with an entry level music system, unlike its sibling the Swift. The unit is however different to that on the top of the line.

Maruti has already dispatched the Test Drive vehicles to its major-dealerships, and hence you’ll soon be able to get your hands on it.

The current Dzire’s top and the middle level variants will be phased out; however the entry level variants will still be sold in a taxi-avatar.

Rumours are that the new Dzire will be priced significantly lower than the current one, thanks to the excise duty benefits it now avails. But since nothing is official yet, we wouldn’t be giving you any false hopes.

A look at the competition…

Mahindra Verito:

It may not excite you with its looks and neither will it attract your neighbour’s eyeballs, but the low cost Mahindra definitely offers a great value for money. Previously known as the Renault Logan, the Verito is powered by a 1.4 litre MPFI petrol engine, which produces a modest 75 BHP and 11.2 KGM of torque. The Diesel gets the same 1.5 litre DCi motor as the Nissan Micra, which produces a tedious 65 BHP and 16.3 KGM of torque.

The Verito offers a great blend of economy with space, and starts with a mouth-watering price tag of Rs 4.9 lakhs! The top of the line which comes with all the safety essentials is priced well too, and can be yours for Rs. 7.1 Lakhs! Since the prices of the Dzire haven’t been announced as yet, we cannot say how it stacks up against the Verito. However, with its contemporary looks and its well-equipped interiors, the Dzire will definitely be a better buy.

Tata Indigo eCS:

23- Kmpl is what Tata claims this mini-Indigo is capable of! The e-CS is currently the most affordable saloon available in the market and starts with an amazing price tag of Rs. 4.5 Lakhs! The Indigo e-CS is currently available with a 1.2 litre petrol engine that you’ll also find in its sibling, the Indica.

The pick of the lot, is however the 1.4 CR4 diesel engine that just simply smells the fuel rather than sipping it. With its low running costs and a value for money price tag, the eCS makes a smart buy for what it’s worth. It isn’t that well equipped if compared to its competitors, and that’s why choosing the Dzire the over this wouldn’t be that tough. But since both the cars are priced so differently, it completely depends on the kind of money you are planning to spend.

Toyota Etios:

The Etios despite being a segment higher makes it to this battle with its irresistible price tag.  The Etios fits the criteria of an Indian buyer well as it offers the maximum space, comes with an efficient diesel engine and offers a great badge value despite being not too hard on your pocket. Toyota has even played it safe with the looks and that is clearly evident with its un-exciting looks. Under the hood, the Etios has a 1.5 litre petrol engine, which is well refined and is fun to drive too. It now even comes in a diesel avatar, which has a 1.4 litre D-4D diesel engine that makes a modest 68 BHP. Given an option between the Dzire and the Etios, my pick would be the Dzire simply because it comes with a smaller price tag and offers a similar list of equipment.

The higher-end variants cost a lot more than the Dzire and hence choosing the Etios would be foolishness. However if you are willing to spend a little more and space is on your priority list, the Etios makes as a smart buy.