With the aging esteem running out of steam and Baleno phased out , what other options did Maruti have in Sedans particularly in the lower Mid-size segment, SX4 had evoked a favorable response but it was loosing it out in the diesel segment. So out came the idea of replacing Esteem with a sedan based on a hatch back.
Swift Dzire, indeed it represents a hatchback’s desire to be a sedan , and it does that with aplomb. Esteem had been around for 18 years right from its first avatar – Maruti 1000 to Maruti esteems which went a couple of times under the knife for cosmetic changes. Esteem was the fuel efficient sedan which provided government officers and business man the status symbol at a reasonable price. With it out of the picture Dzire had huge shoes to fill in.
The Exterior
The Dzire is Swift with a boot. The front remains the same except for the two chrome strips on the front grille which differentiates Dzire from Swift. At the rear end Maruti designer have done a good job, the peeled back rear lights along with the stubby boot does give the car a very elegant look. The Rear end design is derived from the Chris Bangle Design for BMW Beamers.
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After Audi, Mercedes, Lexus and Toyota now Maruti have borrowed the design cues from Chris Bangle much criticized Design.The boot design goes well with image and look of Swift. The boot provides ample space to the tunes of 400 litres , enough for a weekend trip.
It is only when seen from side that one can deduce that the boot was an afterthought. The part after of B-Pillar does not gel with the one ahead. It seems like an arranged marriage, joining two completely different individuals and hoping that things will work out. Well have they, that’s a personal choice. It has evoked a mixed response, with some liking it while others are not comfortable with unusual look. Personally, I feel the boot was designed so well that now the rest package is not as attractive as the rear end. Other than that the Well-defined, muscular wheel arches, a waistline that runs the length of the car, chunky C-pillars that suggest strength and the beautiful floating-roof (an effect created by black-taping the pillars) all make the car very desirable.
The Interior
The interiors too are similar to the Swift hatch although they have been tweaked considering it too be in a different segment than Swift.
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The characteristic is grey interiors now a fully integrated stereo with steering mounted controls and a fully automatic climate control unit. . The climate control system has an easily-operable large circular dial. The centrally-located instrumentation display includes a tachometer, speedometer and digital odometer, as well as a clearly visible digital clock.The fit and feel of the cabin is top notch, and the fabrics and plastics of the interiors suit a car of this class. Maruti has recline the rear seats to enhance comfort , it is an improvement over Swift’s cramped rear Seats but it would have been better if Maruti engineers would have gone to increase the wheel base to enhance room.
The Heart
Dzire shares the same petrol and diesel engines. The renowned 1.3 litre aluminum petrol engine is a powerhouse which is hugely popular for its peppy performance but the main catch is the award winning 1.3 litre DDIS diesel which is based on the frugal yet power packed engine Fiat 1.3 Multi Jet which already doing duty on Swift , Indica Vista and Fiat Linea. Thus it offers excellent performance, low NVH levels and an amazing mileage. It should be the Diesel motor from which Maruti will be expecting the maximum amount of sales.
Ride And Handling
DZire's ride and handling is just like swift , although the added boot does show its effects around sharp corners.
Shifting gears is quite quick in the Dzire, due to Maruti’s newly-designed short stroke shift linkage. The suspension has been tweaked to supports the 30 kg add on weight of the boot. Maruti Engineers have been successful in keeping the weight in check thus enabling the Dzire to take the strengths of Swift.