Finally! A Maruti That Uplifts All My Automotive 'Dzires'

2024 was filled with amazing car launches across all segments. Among these, we found the new Maruti Suzuki Dzire to be the most surprising car of the year.

The car has received a design overhaul, has a brand-new engine and is now loaded with modern features. 

However, these are expected from a generational upgrade of the country's most popular sedan car. Where the Maruti Suzuki Dzire surprised us the most though was achieving a five-star crash-worthiness rating from GNCAP. For a car wearing the coveted Maruti Suzuki batch, the Dzire made it to history books. 

But there's more to the Dzire than the five-star crashworthiness rating and the advanced array of features. Join me on finding out what the Dzire hides beneath its pretty skin. 

2024 Maruti Suzuki Dzire is the surprise superstar

The new design of the Dzire 

Gone are the days when Dzire used to look like a Swift with an extended boot. It now has a distinct identity: it looks like no other Maruti car ever made. The Audi-inspired LED headlamps make the car look more premium, with a brand-new radiator grille and redesigned fog lamp housings turning up the 'desirability' by a few notches. 🤪

The side profile of the car also feels upgraded thanks to its brand-new 15-inch diamond-cut alloy wheels. The rear bears a resemblance to its predecessor but the Y-shaped LED elements in the taillamp and spoiler-like bulge on the tailgate make the Dzire look fresher than before.

Interior and features

The interiors of the new Dzire have also received a segment-first feature in the form of a single-pane sunroof. The dashboard trim remains largely the same as the new Swift but the beige and silver panels uplift the cabin's mood. Other highlights of the new Dzire include rear AC vents, a 9-inch infotainment screen with wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay (7-inch screen on the lower models) and more. The Dzire has been a benchmark in the segment for its unmatched ride quality and the rear seat space. It has been the first choice for cab drivers for the same reasons. 

Performance 

Maruti Suzuki also gave the Dzire a new engine. It now gets the same 1.2-litre 3-cylinder Z-series engine from the new Swift. This new mill churns out 80 hp of peak power, which is 8 hp lower than its predecessor. However, the mileage of the new Dzire has benefited significantly. The 2023 Dzire had a claimed mileage of 23.26 kmpl for MT(manual transmission) and 24.12 kmpl for AMT (automated manual transmission). It has improved to 24.79 kmpl for MT and 25.71 kmpl for AMT. 

I know the enthusiasts are not very happy with the new engine. However, in my opinion, Dzire buyers care more about fuel efficiency than performance and this is why Maruti happily traded a 10 per cent power loss with better fuel economy. 

Three-cylinder engines tend to have higher NVH (Noise, Vibrations and Harshness) levels. To tackle this, Maruti has also revised the gearbox by making the third and fourth gears taller. This way, the Dzire carries more speed than its predecessor in the third and fourth gear at low RPM to improve both efficiency and NVH. 

Conclusion

The Dzire is not an enthusiastic car. It never was, and it never will be. A Dzire GTI or Dzire Sport might not emerge in Maruti’s wildest dreams.

The Dzire was conceived as an aspirational people mover from Day 1. Its new avatar is now much safer, gets a load of new features and looks more attractive than any of its predecessors. Despite losing a cylinder, the new engine rewards with better fuel efficiency and superior urban driveability. 

For the common man then, the new Dzire makes more sense than the Thar Roxx (our HCOTY) and hence, remains my top recommendation for the masses from the class of 2024.

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