The new third-generation Dzire is now bigger, lighter and more fuel efficient that the previous car. The new Dzire, which is built on the same platform as the Baleno and the new Swift, is considerably lighter than the car it replaces – by up to 85kg and 95kg for the petrol and diesel variants, respectively. The wheelbase is longer than before and rear occupants can expect more space at the back as well. Engines continue to remain the same, the 1.2-litre K-series petrol and the 1.3-litre DDiS (diesel) soldiering on. The new-gen compact sedan also gets a name change with Maruti having dropped the Swift prefix and just calling the car the Dzire.
There are also new variants on offer with the LXi/LDi, VXi/VDi and ZXi/ZDi now being joined by a new range-topping ZXi+/ZDi+ trim which features additional goodies such as LED projector headlamps, SmartPlay infotainment system and all-new design alloy wheels.
So, how does it stand against its rivals? We compare it with the rest of the compact sedan segment on paper to find out.
The 2017 Dzire has grown a bit in size and, while the length hasn’t changed due to the four-metre cap, it is wider than before. In fact, the new Dzire is now the widest car in its segment. Also, its wheelbase has increased by 20mm to 2,450mm, making it longer than the Amaze and the Xcent, still shorter than the Ameo’s and the Aspire’s 2,470mm and 2,491mm, respectively. Its height, however, has been reduced by 40mm and now stands at 1,515mm. More importantly, the Dzire’s boot is 378 litres, which is 60 litres more than before. Compared to cars like the Tigor (419 litre), the Xcent (407 litre) and the Amaze (400 litre), the Dzire’s boot is still small, but is bigger than the Ameo’s (330 litre) and the Aspire’s (359 litre).
| Dimensions | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maruti Dzire | Hyundai Xcent | Honda Amaze | Ford Figo Aspire | Volkswagen Ameo | Tata Zest | Tata Tigor | |
| Length | 3995mm | 3995mm | 3990mm | 3995mm | 3995mm | 3995mm | 3992mm |
| Width | 1735mm | 1660mm | 1680mm | 1695mm | 1682mm | 1706mm | 1677mm |
| Height | 1515mm | 1520mm | 1505mm | 1525mm | 1483mm | 1570mm | 1537mm |
| Boot space | 376 litres | 407 litres | 400 litres | 359 litres | 330 litres | 360 litres | 419 litres |
Maruti is sticking to the same 1.3-litre MultiJet diesel engine and the 1.2-litre petrol for the Dzire. The 1.3-litre diesel motor makes 75hp and 190Nm, while the petrol engine makes 83hp and 113Nm of torque. Apart from the five-speed manual gearboxes on both the engines, with the new-gen Dzire, both engines get the AMT gearbox option (unlike the previous generation where only the diesel engine had AMT).
In comparison, the Hyundai Xcent has a 1.2-litre, three-cylinder diesel motor that makes 75hp and 190Nm of torque. The power and torque output is similar to the Dzire’s, and even the 1.2-litre petrol motor makes quite similar power and torque outputs – 83hp and 114Nm. Hyundai offers a four-speed torque converter autobox with the Xcent petrol but the diesel is only available with a five-speed manual gearbox.
The Tata Zest uses the same Fiat-sourced 1.3-litre diesel motor as the Dzire. Tata, however, offers this engine in two states of tune in the Zest – 75hp and 190Nm, and 90hp and 200Nm. The lesser powered diesel motor is only available in the base XE variant though. The Zest also gets a 1.2-litre turbocharged petrol motor which makes 90hp and 140Nm of torque. Apart from a five-speed manual box, Tata offers an AMT option on the diesel Zest.
The Tigor has the smallest diesel motor of the lot at 1.04 litres and also makes the least power at 70hp and 140Nm. Its 1.2-litre petrol motor, however, makes 85hp and 114Nm of power, which is quite up to segment norms. Unlike the Zest, the Tigor is currently offered only with the option of a five-speed manual gearbox.
| Petrol Engine | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maruti Dzire | Hyundai Xcent | Honda Amaze | Ford Figo Aspire | Volkswagen Ameo | Tata Zest | Tata Tigor | |
| Displacement | 1197cc | 1197cc | 1198cc | 1196/1499cc | 1198cc | 1193cc | 1199cc |
| Power | 83hp | 83hp | 88hp | 88/112hp | 75hp | 90hp | 85hp |
| Torque | 113Nm | 114Nm | 109Nm | 112/136Nm | 110Nm | 140Nm | 114Nm |
| Gearbox | 5-speed MT/AMT | 5-speed MT/4-speed AT | 5-speed MT/CVT | 5-speed MT/ 6-speed DCT | 5-speed MT | 5-speed MT | 5-speed MT |
Honda’s Amaze is powered by a 1.5-litre diesel motor that puts out 100hp and 200Nm of torque. There’s a petrol option too, and, like the others, the capacity is similar at 1.2 litres, with 88hp and 109Nm of torque. Along with a five-speed manual gearbox, there’s an option of a 7-step CVT (continuously variable transmission) on the petrol Amaze, but the diesel is available with only a manual gearbox.
It is the Ameo that has the most powerful diesel motor in this class; its 1.5-litre diesel motor makes 110hp and 250Nm of torque. While Volkswagen has paired this motor with a five-speed manual, you can also opt for a seven-speed, dual-clutch automatic (DSG) gearbox. Its three-cylinder petrol motor is the least powerful here at 75hp and 110Nm of torque.
| Diesel Engine | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maruti Dzire | Hyundai Xcent | Honda Amaze | Ford Figo Aspire | Volkswagen Ameo | Tata Zest | Tata Tigor | |
| Displacement | 1248cc | 1186cc | 1498cc | 1498cc | 1498cc | 1248cc | 1047cc |
| Power | 75hp | 75hp | 100hp | 100hp | 110hp | 75/90hp | 70hp |
| Torque | 190Nm | 190Nm | 200Nm | 215Nm | 250Nm | 190/200Nm | 140Nm |
| Gearbox | 5-speed MT/AMT | 5-speed MT | 5-speed MT | 5-speed MT | 5-speed MT/7-speed DSG | 5-speed MT/AMT | 5-speed MT |
Ford’s Figo Aspire offers two petrol engines – a 1.2-litre and a 1.5-litre developing 88hp and 112hp, respectively. While the former engine option is mated to a five-speed manual transmission, the latter is the only one in the range to offer a DCT (dual-clutch transmission). The Aspire’s oil burner option is a 1.5-litre TDCi engine developing 100hp and 215Nm, respectively, and only comes with a five-speed manual transmission.
In terms of pricing, Maruti has launched the new Dzire starting with a tag of Rs 5.45 lakh for the entry-level petrol model, going up to Rs 9.41 lakh for the top trim diesel AMT. When compared with the rivals, the Dzire is positioned at the heart of the compact sedan segment, though the top variants do get a bit pricey.
Also read
2017 Maruti Dzire image gallery
Click here to see how the new Dzire stacks up against its rivals in terms of price.