[GHPBrezzinBy]

I am thinking a lot of cannibalization would happen from Swift to Dzire for below reasons,

1. Killer looks.
2. 5* safety rating.
3. Bigger boot space.

Would be interesting to see after the initial month to see how each of them would fare against each other.

[nisshith]

The center arm-rest is a huge miss IMO. I was dead set on the ZXI variant which is a good deal. Any idea if Maruti provides it as accessory or if the one from Fronx/Baleno will fit?

[RavenAvi]

I like it.

It's the perfect choice for a five-member family as a compact, point-A to point-B, no-nonsense commuter which can wade through everyday traffic between average speeds of 30-40 kmph, can return excellent FE, is low on maintenance and gets the famed Maruti-Suzuki service backup which is second to none. Add a now-famous 5-star GNCAP safety rating, fantastic all-round contemporary looks and a few novel features to it's arsenal, and the 2024 DZire comes across as a very compelling "dzirable" package. Ticks most, if not all, boxes for a urban/semi-urban customer.

Maruti, however, has overpriced the most selling variant - VXi (7.79L). For 1 lakh rupees extra over the LXi (6.79L), all one gets is chrome addons and body-coloured stuff, wheel covers, wireless Android Auto/Apple CarPlay, steering-mounted controls, rear AC vents, USB ports plus a music system with 4 speakers (more or less). Not worth it.

That makes the next variant, the ZXi (8.89L) seem much more VFM with plenty of definitive upgrades over the VXi - bigger 15-inch wheels (alloys), LED headlamps & DRLs, a reverse camera, TPMS, a wireless charger, a smart key with start-stop button, auto headlamps, trunk opening & Suzuki Connect.

Although, it's a no-brainer for anyone considering the ZXi, to just shut their eyes and go for the ZXi+ (9.69L). For just 80K extra, you are getting precision-cut alloys (not painted-over ones), LED foglamps, ambient lighting in footwell, leather-wrapped steering wheel, a coloured MID (instead of a monotone one for the ZXi), 2 tweeters, 360-degree cameras, anti-theft security connected to shock sensors, a 9-inch Smartplay Pro+ system (ZXi has 7-inch) with Arkamys sound, a sunroof, separate rear reading lamps, cruise control & auto-folding ORVMs.

The premium charged for the AMT equivalents is reasonable at 45K.

They could have cut down on the VXi variant pricing by at least 20K, which would have rounded off the top ZXi+ AMT variant to under the 10-lakh ex-showroom mark - a mental cutoff checkpoint for many. They always have the "huge demand", "long waiting period", "01st January 2025 rise in input costs" excuses to hike the pricing within 2 months or 3.

But, what do I know about corporate thinking behind introductory pricings?

Thanks for the wonderfully detailed and in-depth look, Aditya & Nishad. A very worthy 5-star effort, as always!

[thoroughbred]

While a lot of reviews, including Team BHP's, is largely positive, with improvements across the board - 2 things have caught my eyes:

1. The perception of safety is still very much in the 'feel' of things, like weight, and that perhaps will never return with suzuki's sole focus on making the most out of the package.
2. Secondly, the soft setup for suspension, coupled with lower ground clearance, may mean a bouncy ride when riding with 4.

[fhdowntheline]

Let us admit- had it not been for the GNCAP news, this particular model's review would have been as dull as ditchwater to peruse and comment on.

That GNCAP score has completely changed the perception about the car. Even I have a newfound respect for my Swift based on a tantalizing proposition that it may have similar build quality even though that is not guaranteed or validated.

Originally Posted by thoroughbred

While a lot of reviews, including Team BHP's, is largely positive, with improvements across the board - 2 things have caught my eyes:

1. The perception of safety is still very much in the 'feel' of things, like weight, and that perhaps will never return with suzuki's sole focus on making the most out of the package.
2. Secondly, the soft setup for suspension, coupled with lower ground clearance, may mean a bouncy ride when riding with 4.

Going by my experience on the Swift (identical wheelbase, width, tyre sizes) , the ride is not at all bouncy, in fact it holds up rather well at fast urban and highway speeds.

[Electricpig]

Originally Posted by Aditya

Maruti Dzire Exterior Images

Front is dominated by a large, black grille that is flanked on both sides by LED headlamps. Many people opine that the styling is similar to some Audis:
Attachment 2681461

Rear features new LED tail-lamps and a new boot lid design with a prominent lip spoiler on the top. Number plate housing continues to be located in the centre, with a prominent chrome bar running above it. Towing point and exhaust are clearly visible:
Attachment 2681462

Front definitely looks similar to the A series :




And rear reminds me of the ameo somehow

[Venkatesh]

How the new Maruti Dzire stacks up against rivals like the Tata Tigor, Hyundai Aura and Honda Amaze.

[AnAntinspired]

I'm unable to appreciate the depth of anything rewritten as the contents of this new car, halted in dismay by the obvious lack of originality in its cover. I belong to an industry that is both highly paid but also very competitive to earn pride, which can come only from originality.

As a product designer with 3 decades of multi material learnings by working with the top industry players across segment, the - in your face - copied elements of this car depress me.

I'm sure many of you can view design elements from other cars in this one. Its not even like things are copied from other body styles of cars or other markets. As a starting point, attaching the images of the Virtus taillight. That car itself has been 'inspired' by the Hammer of Thor headlights of the Volvo, which has both patent and marketing nomenclature. Virtus atleast took a front element to the boot. The Maruti was lazier than that even, in creating the - hammer of Parashurama, is it?

When one is creating a major refresh like this in an engineering product, there is a lot of leeway to explore form and fashion. Maybe the design team pay went towards the safety rating, the only justification for such aesthetic slacking off. As someone who likes turning back to look at my car after iv parked it, this would warm my ears in being a wannabe Virtus on the cheap!

[Sudarshan42]

Originally Posted by AnAntinspired

I'm unable to appreciate the depth of anything rewritten as the contents of this new car, halted in dismay by the obvious lack of originality in its cover. I belong to an industry that is both highly paid but also very competitive to earn pride, which can come only from originality.

As a product designer with 3 decades of multi material learnings by working with the top industry players across segment, the - in your face - copied elements of this car depress me.

I'm sure many of you can view design elements from other cars in this one. Its not even like things are copied from other body styles of cars or other markets. As a starting point, attaching the images of the Virtus taillight. That car itself has been 'inspired' by the Hammer of Thor headlights of the Volvo, which has both patent and marketing nomenclature. Virtus atleast took a front element to the boot. The Maruti was lazier than that even, in creating the - hammer of Parashurama, is it?

When one is creating a major refresh like this in an engineering product, there is a lot of leeway to explore form and fashion. Maybe the design team pay went towards the safety rating, the only justification for such aesthetic slacking off. As someone who likes turning back to look at my car after iv parked it, this would warm my ears in being a wannabe Virtus on the cheap!

Aren't most such designs derivative anyway? How many mass-market manufacturers can claim to have created something unequivocally original?

As long as the design comes together reasonably cohesively to its audience (and let's face it- design purists probably won't be looking at a Maruti for inspiration), it doesn't hurt to have elements reminiscent of other bigger products/brands.

Maruti played it safe because this is fundamentally a very important model for them, and they couldn't risk it being polarizing. Your average cabbie/family man may not appreciate a Verna-esque front or a Cybertrucky rear

[amoi]

Originally Posted by AnAntinspired

I'm unable to appreciate the depth of anything rewritten as the contents of this new car, halted in dismay by the obvious lack of originality in its cover.

Not everything is a copy of something else. You as a designer should know this. With so many vehicles on the road and with current design trends, there are only so many design combinations which can be tested and validated for use.

Many car design will always look similar, maybe because the design team got similar briefs or maybe they took inspiration.

The Dzire is a great effort by MS and a step in the right direction.

[shibujp]

I would love to see Maruti come out with a sportier version of the Dzire with the 1L BoosterJet engine. That would be something.

Drive on,
Shibu

[Chillout]

While they are doing good on the looks, safety and features, looks like they have gone one notch down on the engine and AMT. They should have stuck the existing 4 cylinder and improved the AMT, opportunity lost

[AnAntinspired]

Originally Posted by Sudarshan42

Aren't most such designs derivative anyway? How many mass-market manufacturers can claim to have created something unequivocally original?

Hi Sudarshan42 , since you had questions pertinent to how it works in industrial and product design, i feel compelled to clarify.

Typically product design of anything offering the next generation of a bestseller is a derivative OF ITSELF, Considering the visual appeal is presumed as one of the reasons to make it so. Case in point is how the last 4 gens of Samsung and Apple products have stayed similar to themselves within the space constraints a small product such as a phone offers. Cheaper, less brand equity phones such as Vivo, Oppo, what-have-you, also attempt to keep a design DNA intact.

Originality of form, which comes from confidence, is not a trait of most Indian business houses especially when preparing a mass market recipe that needs to do volumes. In that regard, Indian product business briefs are still finance led vs fashion forward. And we contribute a great deal as bring a non-experimental, I want my 100 rupee car to look a million bucks pressure point for the business.

So yes, the Mahindras, the Tatas, all copy liberally with a vital effort - they either take an element from other segments or view models not running alongside in rhe country. To take elements of India's current best selling C segment sedan, that sells in the same market, and put it so literally copied, requires a special kind of emptiness in creativity.

The first Dzire itself is proof one can be different in form and become a best seller. To my eye that inspired by Ambassador like form was atleast unique. Every manufacturer has a signature look, derived from it's family aesthetic that not only do they use a glimpse of in further iterations but also across their own segments. The VW sedan face now is mosty similar across their segments.

Especially in the light of Suzuki being associated, which continues to churn out some really fantastic unique designs for their cheapest international models, blowing away excuses made saying there is only so much one can expect or do to budget cars. Maruti for India though has gone all over the place - BMW copied tail lights for Ciaz, volvo based for Wagon R and now this Virtus copy. Anyone who says it's not copied but because of lack of options or coincidences, needs a design and product manufacture understanding session I ain't giving for free.

Anyway, I realise the mistake is to state my opinion based on a higher product virtue such as design, about a car seeking the base virtue of being maintainable and cheap (and now, safe too!?).

Maruti holds much positive nostalgia for almost every Indian - Including me! From 1992 when i bought my first 800, to today where my beater car is an Spresso, i have owned over 12 different model Marutis, as beater vehicles, dog carriers, farm support, personal drives etc. and always found it unique from all other options at the time, even if not special to look at.
Now, with this, in trying to look special, the uniqueness has gone, making me not Dzire the Dzire.

Advance apologies to anyone else who reads this, for i understand this may be too informed a perspective interfering with your simple Dzire to own one! No debate invited, good luck.

[aNANOnymous]

Great review. At last the Dzire is 'Diserable' now. But somehow this reminds me of the 2014 Mitsubishi Lancer. Very uncanny resemblance.

[Silver Knight]

The newly launched 5-star rated Swift Dzire and the upcoming Honda Amaze are set to revitalize the compact sedan segment.