[Turbokick]

All new Swift Dzire 2012. (VDi DDiS)

Date of purchase: 3rd April,2012
Dealer: Odyssey Motors,Angul,Odisha
Waiting period: Approximately 2 and half months.
Cost of the vehicle, OTR : 7.42 lakhs.
Extra accessories: Seat covers,floor mat and Garware Sun films (total worth 10Ks)
Other cars under consideration while choosing: Maruti Swift DDiS, Polo TDi Hyundai i20 CRDi , Ford Figo TDCi and Tata Manza Qjet.



Why they couldn’t make it:
Swift: Absolute lack of boot space, insane waiting period, dark interiors
i20 CRDi : Hyundai's dishonesty in recent times, maintenance costs, AC performance.
Polo TDi : Gruff engine, limited and expensive service.
Ford Figo : Absence of dealership in my town, build to price feel, started getting old.
Manza : Too big a car for our requirements and city drive, didnt appeal much in terms of quality and drive



+ Excellent engine (Efficient, refined and punchy)
+ Balanced dynamics for a family sedan.
+ Vastly improved interiors over previous iteration
+ Easy controls and small turning radius.
+ Improved rear seat comfort.

- Average luggage carrying capability for a sedan
- Spongy brakes lacks feel. Absence of ABS.
- Average rear headroom and knee room.
- Skinny tyres on L/V variants.


EXTERIORS, DESIGN and ENGINEERING:
Dimensionally the new car is 165mm shorter and stands at 3995 mm. Incidentally it is taller (1530mm) and wider (1695mm) also. As a result the car generates bit more space which is critical considering it to be a compact car. Swift always looked good in its hatchback avatar but the sedan derivative (the dzire) looked awkward. The new shortened boot makes the car look more like a notchback than a proper sedan. The side profile does take little getting used to. Having said that the tail section is now better integrated in the new dzire compared the older version.



While whole car is all new in terms of overall design, it bears close resemblance with the old car. The bigger and pulled back headlamps have a rakish look. The front nose gets a new slatted grill and a slightly different looking bumper to give the curvy face of Swift a squarer look to match the boxy rear end. The rear tail lamps are Kizashi inspired and infact the total boot job looks like the bigger Suzuki derivative



The ORVM mirrors get integrated blinkers which give it a robust and up market look. They compliment the rakish front end of the car well.



The 14 inch rims look bit undersized and the 165/80 section tyres are inadequate in terms of looks as well as performance. The wheel caps are well designed and are different from what you get on the AT VXi petrol variant.
The suspension looks bit jacked up and I guess this helps it in having good ground clearance which is critical for handling Indian road conditions

Shortened boot size has negatively affected the boot space which now stands at modest 315 litres. There is a drop of 135 litres over the previous gen dzire. For the matter of comparison cars like Fabia and i20 have equivalent boot space, while sedans like Etios (595 litres) can absorb almost two times the luggage. The only other compact sedan in the market, Indigo CS is capable of handling 360 litres of load. Tata can surely teach Suzuki a thing or two about space management. Suzuki has never been the most intelligent car company when it comes to usable space (passenger or luggage) be it the 4 lakh rupees Astar or the 10 lakh rupees SX4.

[Turbokick]

BUILD QUALITY:

Build quality is on the lighter side like most Marutis. The sheet metal, interior plastics and the overall build is relatively light. There is no flimsy or saggy feel about them though. Rather it’s a well screwed car. Its just like you don’t get that ruggedness as is with the European or even Korean cars. Overall feel is adequate though the metal used on boot opener is seriously thin, which should only qualify for being used in a soft drink can.





INTERIORS:

This is where the car goes dramatically different from the previous generation. Maruti has gone all out to give its entry level sedan a more cheerful and better designed interior.
The dashboard design is nothing but the Swift with a dual tone touch which significantly improves the inside ambience. The style reminds me of the previous generation Honda Accord (especially the central console and the color combination) which is no bad thing.
The faux wood finish on the dash and front door panels compliment the equation well. It could have been extended to the rear door panels for better result.



While the interior color combination is spot on, Maruti has gone overboard in providing beige color to the cabin. The doors, AC control switches and even the floor carpets beige colored! It can be really difficult to maintain.



While the quality has improved for a Maruti , closer inspection reveals that plastic quality is only about decent and aren’t as tough and rich as is with some premium hatchbacks like i20 and Fabia. The new textured black plastics on the top of the dashboard are ‘feel’ good. Even the footwell is neatly finished with no quirky left over



The manual air conditioner works with Japanese efficiency and cools the cabin in quick interval. The taut and sporty looking AC vents do a good job in circulating the air flow. The blower is relatively silent most of the time which is a good thing. The AC controls could have done without the beige color though. They get dirty easily on frequent operation.



Front seats are commanding and very comfortable to be in. Back support and bolstering are just excellent. The VDi only gets height adjustable steering column without the seat height adjuster but the driving position is spot on and it’s really easy to get accustomed




Slight increase in wheelbase (50 mm) ensured that there is some increase in legroom at rear. Light colors means it is more airy at rear inspite of the small windows. The seat itself is better contoured and gives good back and thigh support. The newly designed headrests and central arm rests do a decent job. Headroom still remains tight though, if you are anything above 5’10”. While the comfort levels have definitely improved rear seat is still a tight business compared to what you get incase of Manza, Verito or Etios. Three average sized individuals at rear can be little congested. Dzire is still not the best chauffer driven car in its class for sure. Ingress and outgress to the rear seat isn’t very convenient either.



Pedals are well placed and neatly integrated with enough space. Clutch is soft for a diesel and has relatively short travel which is a good thing



Maruti did go the cost cutting route by having budget quality window switches, stalks and control levers which look bit out of place in an otherwise neat looking cabin. Access to the boot and fuel lid opener is inconvenient



The silver finished instruments are easy to read and look brilliant, especially when they lit up. Orange theme compliments the cabin well. The MID shows critical instantaneous fuel consumption, average fuel consumption and distance to empty meter




The VDi variant now gets an integrated Audio system (CD/AUX/USB compatible) with 4 speakers as standard setup. Unlike the Z variants, this system lacks steering mounted controls and two tweeters (not like you will miss them badly). Moreover the information display unit is less glitzy: gets basic fonts and lighting. Performance wise it is a straightforward unit which provides good entertainment and this is what basically the ICEs should do. It’s right up there with the Ford Figo’s unit in terms of quality of music

[Turbokick]

ENGINE,GEARBOX and PERFORMANCE:

Maruti has consciously worked on the drivability aspect and the power delivery is now bit more linear. The turbo now comes to business at around 17-800 instead of 20-2100 rpm as was incase of previous dzire. But the engine still feels almost dead below 1400 rpm and it doesn’t pull as cleanly as incase of Ford’s TDCi or Logan’s DCi. At the end of the day it is among the smallest 4 cylinder diesel engine around and it behaves that way.
Engine is a different beast once it is in the turbo zone. Keep the revs above 2000 rpm and you will be rewarded with some strong torque delivery. While the drive in the traffic has improved, DDiS is a strong highway performer as it always was. Its infact easy to keep up with bigger petrol engines if you are in power band. Healthier Power: weight ratio benefits the car and I am sure new dzire will be quicker than the older model in terms of outright acceleration.


Fiat seems to have developed the Multijet engine keeping Swift in mind. It fits the bay so well

At 23.4 Kmpl ARAI rating, new dzire is the most fuel efficient car among all Multijet applications. The reason being revised (shorter) first two gear ratios and slightly milder state of tune. Yes, the engine doesn’t feel as free revving (for a diesel) as it was in the BS3 DDiS models. Anything over 3500rpm and the engine feels bit coarse , so its best to shift earlier and make use of available torque. Clearly fuel efficiency and stricter emission norms are given more priority here.

Refinement (NVH) levels are impressive for a budget level sedan. Cabin is relatively free from engine obtrusions and its only when you rev the engine, some diesel clatter does intrude but that’s more to do with average level of cabin insulation. At the back seat one will be hard pressed to know if it is a diesel when driven sedately. DDiS (Infact the pedigree itself) is still among the more refined engines money can buy in this price range. Yet, the i20’s free revving CRDi engine remains the smoothest in its category.

Gearshift has been a traditional Maruti strength and dzire is no different. It has got a slick shifting short throw gearbox with well defined slots. It does require some effort for the shift action though. Short travel clutch compliments the gearbox well. Handbrake lever though feels to be of average quality for a 8 lakh rupees car





SUSPENSION,DYNAMICS and BRAKING:

Based on the all new swift’s suspension new dzire is a good step ahead of the previous car. The suspension is now more refined, matured and comfortable. This is definitely true when you drive car through potholed roads and you find it is quite composed without crashing. Average and low speed ride is on the comfier side and it will pamper the passengers well. Its only the harder edges that unsettles the light sedan. Mind you, this is no Fiat car which glides over any kind of surface thrown at it. Yet it is a comfortable car to be in, most of the time.
Suzuki worked on the stiffness of new Swift’s chassis and the result is a competent handler. Yes, the rear suspension setting is on the softer side to aid ride comfort, still its reasonably fun behind the wheels. On flat highways the car drives very well with good body control and impressive agility. There is bit of a body roll but its well under control.
Throw uneven roads as is with typical India road conditions, the car lose some of its composure with speed. Obviously there is bit of compromise between average speed ride quality and high speed dynamics keeping the nature of car in mind. At times one has to revise the pace to keep the car under total control. Stability on flat roads is adequate though. Maintaining 110-120 kmph is effortless.

Car’s agility in city traffic is remarkable. Turning radius is equivalent to any standard sized hatchback and hence parking this car is a breeze. Light controls and decent all round visibility make things easier. Its really easy to get accustomed to this car.

Steering wheel is among the best bits of this car. EPS is a commendable balance between practicality and fun. While steering is quite light at low speeds aiding city drivability and parking, it gains some weight with speed which inspires confidence in pushing the car. Its quick, responsive and speed sensitive. While pure HPS as is with Fiats and Fords is real enthusiast’s delight, dzire’s EPS is a good compromise of both worlds.

More than anything else, the skinny 165 section tyres are grossly inadequate for this torquey diesel car. Grip level is inadequate for the kind of pace this car is capable of. It is advisable to keep the speed under 120 kmph for stock tyres.

One more glitch attached to the VDi variant of dzire is its average braking capability. They don't have that sharpness as is with the Z variants and the feel of it is quite spongy. Emergency stopping distance is also nothing exceptional to speak about. Maruti SHOULD definitely address this issue and safety is one aspect that cannot be compromised in any way. Lack of ABS and those skinny tyres dont help the matters either.

Other interesting bits

Headlamps beams have good penetration and flow to help you drive safe on highways. Fog lamps are mere parking bulbs literally


Interior ambience at night thanks to orangish-yellow light theme is soothing. They are not harsh on eyes and look pleasant.


Centrally mounted reading lamp has a theatre style dimming effect. They ergonomically placed to light the front….


….and back seats equally well. Check out the ambience at rear seat. Beige color really brightens the cabin.


Some more space could have been generated from the boot. Boot light helps well at night.


Internal rear view mirror gives you a decent sight of back traffic. Stop lamp as seen in the picture can be considered as a blind spot though.


Rear lamps are bright and look good at night.


Front doors look neat but the fabrics and hand rests could have been of darker shade. Faux wood on doors look upmarket...


but its missing on the rear doors which make it look little plain


Overall doesn’t look like a full sized sedan thanks to its very short boot…


… still it looks better than the outgoing model thanks to a more adhesive design


Integrated spoiler and the big chrome strip at the back: dzire has its own sporty bits.


OVERALL:

Sedans in general have distinct advantage over the hatchbacks: They have an independent-spacious boot and have relatively better legroom at back. Unfortunately the new dzire doesn’t have either of these plus points over some of the premium hatches in its price range. Moreover it is still not the best looking car in the business. To be brutally honest the new dzire isn’t exactly a sedan, it’s a notchback version of the new swift and this is what Maruti has intended to do. Maruti has deliberately placed the new car somewhere in between the hatchback and sedan class. While full sized sedans like Manza and Etios are still 80-100 Ks dearer to the equivalent dzire variants, the swift itself is 70Ks cheaper. Car versus car, dzire has definitely improved over its previous avatar in terms of quality, design and engineering which is a good thing. Yes, it lost some of the practical bits of the old car like the big boot, but being a Maruti you are assured with good reliability, service and that peace of mind which is what acts like the X factor for this car. Rest things remain well sorted with a superb engine, nice interiors and that easy to drive nature. Yes, few short comings like average braking, lack of safety features on lower variants and poor tyres need to be addressed as soon as possible.
Overall, the dzire remains a good all rounder with a strong backup organization to appeal the general Indian mass well.

[Altocumulus]

Congrats Turbokick on your new aquisition.

I personally like the new Dzire, especially the rear. The side looks as you mentioned does require a bit getting used to. Its a tried and tested car and am sure you will be clocking a lot of happy miles together.

[DevilsCry]

Congratuations Turbokick for your new mini-Kizashi!

Your thread is a 5-star material. Rated same too. Only today I saw a Dzire of your color for first time. It was kinda hard to get used to. In looks department, Dzire is now one of best looking hatch/sedan. Rear is so beautiful! So Kizashi-like! Only it looks a bit odd while seeing from side due to long bonnet line, large front doors and then suddenly so small rear windows and ridiculous looking boot.

1700 RPM is a lot of improvement in reducing turbo-lag. I had noticed that Dzire accelerates from 1000 RPM 1800 RPM in almost no time. It must mean that with a little getting used to, the experience can be made almost like Figo diesel.

Dzire might be short in rear space but its ride quality totally makes up for it. My Figo might be said to have best in class ride quality but I need ride quality at low and med speed the most which is where Dzire scores. I don't see any problem with the boot. Its boot is quite tall compared to most sedans, making it possible to stack bags vertically. Overall, Dzire really scores well above premium hatchbacks and easily questions need for a proper sedan.

It would be awesome if you could also include more details about AC performance. I'm specifically looking as what if the car was parked in sun at 45C for some time, and you turned on AC, how much time it would take to get comfy.

Have fun revvin'

[GTO]

That's one hell of a review! Thanks for sharing, Turbokick. If anyone wants to know how budget sedans have moved on, they ought to just test the new Dzire (& the Sunny). The refinement & interior quality are really good, easily matching sedans from a segment above.

The Dzire was a strong contender for my family's workhorse. However, the Sunny's back-seat & enormous boot eventually tilted the scale in favour of the Nissan. My needs were purely from the chauffeur-driven point of view. If you have to drive yourself, the Dzire is truly the class-leader.

I also like how they've softened the suspension for ride comfort. Yes, it doesn't feel as nice as the Swift at high speed, but how many owners would even care? You spend 99% of your car's life at speeds <100 kph and that's where the Dzire delivers.

Congrats & do drive safe. Rating this review a well-deserved 5 stars

[sachinj12]

Very well written. This thread truly deserves a 5-star rating. A very comprehensive and detailed one at that. A bit of fine tuning and this could well have been our official review.

I own the previous iteration (VDi), its a modest and practical sedan which quietly does it's duty. My biggest grouse is the body roll. How bad is the body roll in this?

MSIL could have done better to improve the NVH, they missed out on that.


All in all, a fantastic review. Very well written. Congrats on your new purchase. Drive safe and update the thread.

[Turbokick]

Originally Posted by DevilsCry

Congratuations Turbokick for your new mini-Kizashi!
.
.
It would be awesome if you could also include more details about AC performance. I'm specifically looking as what if the car was parked in sun at 45C for some time, and you turned on AC, how much time it would take to get comfy.

Have fun revvin'

Thanks a lot DevilsCry,
Yes the drivability has improved for sure but you have to work around the lag in city traffic. Its not as annoying as some other diesels though.
For AC performance, yes Odisha is actually the best place to check the real thing. Cooling power is relatively good and there shouldn't be any real complains even in worst of summers.

Originally Posted by GTO

That's one hell of a review! Thanks for sharing, Turbokick. If anyone wants to know how budget sedans have moved on, they ought to just test the new Dzire (& the Sunny). The refinement & interior quality are really good, easily matching sedans from a segment above.

The Dzire was a strong contender for my family's workhorse. However, the Sunny's back-seat & enormous boot eventually tilted the scale in favour of the Nissan. My needs were purely from the chauffeur-driven point of view. If you have to drive yourself, the Dzire is truly the class-leader.

I also like how they've softened the suspension for ride comfort. Yes, it doesn't feel as nice as the Swift at high speed, but how many owners would even care? You spend 99% of your car's life at speeds <100 kph and that's where the Dzire delivers.

Congrats & do drive safe. Rating this review a well-deserved 5 stars

Thanks a lot GTO, glad that you liked the report.
Competition draws best out of the manufacturers and cars like new dzire,sunny and manza just reflect that. Having said that I would rather place the Sunny notch above the dzire as it is bigger in every possible way : dimensions,engine or even comfort. Even the price difference is significant.
Nissan has given Indians the car they actually need : The Sunny diesel. Sales figure just reflect that.
Talking about ride and high speed dynamics of the swift and the dzire, for an entry level sedan ride will be given more priority while dynamics will appeal a sporty hatch. Maruti just killed two birds with a single stone.

Originally Posted by sachinj12

Very well written. This thread truly deserves a 5-star rating. A very comprehensive and detailed one at that. A bit of fine tuning and this could well have been our official review.

I own the previous iteration (VDi), its a modest and practical sedan which quietly does it's duty. My biggest grouse is the body roll. How bad is the body roll in this?

Thanksalot sachinj. I am honoured by your words actually.
Talking about the body roll, yes the car rolls a bit but very much under control. Most importantly the boot is now extremely compact and its doesn't add much in terms of length or weight over the hatchback.
Yes, the NVH levels can improve. While the mechnical refinement of the car is good, the kind of sound deadening materials used are just about average.

[goandude]

Well rounded review of this entry level "sedan". My grouse is rear viability which has been helped somewhat by reverse sensors.

I suggest you upgrade the tyres to 185 section at least. I have put in 15" rims in mine but ride quality has suffered, so stick to 14". As far as body roll is concerned, I don't find it an issue.

Congrats on your car. The pictures are very good and show all aspects of the vehicle.

[arup.misra]

Excellent review turbokick. It's truly comprehensive review that you have penned down. Shows the underneath passion and effort. Kudos once again.

Although I am not in the camp that likes the new Dzire yet it definitely does its job.

Congrats and drive safe.

[Deep Blue]

That would be a "model" review for us to follow! Congrats on the purchase!

How would you compare the rear seat legroom of the new DZire in comparision to the Figo?

[Turbokick]

Originally Posted by goandude

Well rounded review of this entry level "sedan". My grouse is rear viability which has been helped somewhat by reverse sensors.

I suggest you upgrade the tyres to 185 section at least. I have put in 15" rims in mine but ride quality has suffered, so stick to 14". As far as body roll is concerned, I don't find it an issue.

Congrats on your car. The pictures are very good and show all aspects of the vehicle.

Thanks for the appreciation, goandude.
Yes,the tyres are inadequate and I think wider rubbers will help in terms of grip for sure. With the kind of roads this car is going to encounter, I will prefer a configuration that helps the ride more than the cornering ability. 14' 185/70 should be ideal.

Originally Posted by arup.misra

Excellent review turbokick. It's truly comprehensive review that you have penned down. Shows the underneath passion and effort. Kudos once again.
.

Thanks a lot arup.misra !
Dzire is one car that appeals mind more than heart and does its job quietly and efficiently :-)

Originally Posted by Deep Blue

That would be a "model" review for us to follow! Congrats on the purchase!

How would you compare the rear seat legroom of the new DZire in comparision to the Figo?

Thanks a lot
Deep blue.
I felt the variant review is critical considering the fact that the L/V variants are little different from the Z variant (wheels,brakes and features) and this could help the potential customers.

I think Figo has got slightly better legroom at the back and even the headroom is bit better. Dzire's rearseat itself though is very well contoured and supportive.

[Deep Blue]

Originally Posted by Turbokick

I think Figo has got slightly better legroom at the back and even the headroom is bit better. Dzire's rearseat itself though is very well contoured and supportive.

Slight difference wouldnt matter much. Dzire seating also will be higher, so ingress and egress would be much easier specially for the elders.

[Cyborg]

Congratulations Turbokick and superb review!

What is the price difference between the VDi and ZDi models?
Did you not consider going for the ZDi with additional features like better braking, alloys etc.

Enjoy your new car and drive safe.

Cheers

[W.A.G.7]

A very nicely written Swift Dzire review, in fact one of the best that I have read in recent times. You have covered all the aspects from all the angles. Congrats on your new acquisition.

Just to break the beige monotony, get black set covers. The car otherwise looks great inside out. I especially liked the front console and dashboard area.