Rumour: Next-gen Maruti DZire to launch ahead of Swift

Maruti Suzuki is reportedly planning to launch the next generation DZire compact sedan in India, before bringing in the new Swift. This strategy is a departure from the automaker's earlier track record, as the Swift hatchback has always received an update prior to its sedan sibling.

This decision has likely been taken after studying current market trends. The Swift is currently showing a downward trend in its monthly sales. However, the main reason behind this dropping sales graph is the cannibalization of the Swift by its bigger sibling, the Baleno.

However, the compact sedan segment is getting competitive with every new launch. Volkswagen recently introduced the Ameo, Honda has updated the Amaze with better interiors, Hyundai has a facelift of the Xcent in the pipeline, while Tata will soon be introducing a new sub-segment with the upcoming Kite5. These new launches might take a share of customers away from the DZire, which is currently the segment leader. Moreover, since DZire is the company's only offering in the compact sedan space, it has a lot more importance than the Swift, which is surrounded at both ends by other Marutis.

In-line with these plans, Maruti Suzuki has also started testing the new-gen DZire in India, while the updated Swift hasn't yet touched ground in the country.

Source: Overdrive