Maruti Suzuki Dzire (2024) review

The previous design of the Maruti Suzuki Dzire has been around since 2017, and has been in considerable need of a refresher. The new Dzire does exactly that, bringing a more modern and mature look and feel to the car. The front feels more sporty thanks to the new-look front grille and shape, even giving the car a feeling of being bigger than it actually is. Of course it isn’t actually bigger - it’s still very much a sub-4m compact sedan.

The back of the car feels a lot more defined and makes the car look more sedan-like, rather than just an extended version of a hatchback. It’s also quite different from the design of the Maruti Suzuki Swift (2024), thus finally and irrevocably splitting the two products into separate offerings. On the whole, the new Dzire feels fresh and modern, as was much needed.

Getting into the cabin, the changes are subtle but noticeable nonetheless. It’s still very much a Maruti Suzuki car inside the cabin, and will feel similar to other cars from the brand in terms of where everything is. Given that my personal car is a Maruti Suzuki vehicle, I found the experience in the cabin of the Dzire quite familiar, while the small changes made a fair difference in the overall glow up factor.

 

 

 

 

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I quite liked the dual-tone interiors and wood-finish texturing across the console, as well as the 9-inch infotainment system which feels much more accommodating and easier to view. The instrument cluster is old-school with analogue speed and RPM gauges, but gets a digital bit in the middle which can cycle through various info modes - more on these later.

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The front seats are comfortable, while the back also feels decent for those with average or slight ly above-average height. The boot is a convenient 382L, giving you enough space for two or three suitcases with gaps for smaller bags and items to spare. Interestingly, you also get an electronic sunroof, although only the actual sunroof is electronically controlled; the bottom cover still needs to be slid open and closed by hand.

The Maruti Suzuki Dzire (2024) may not have the same level of tech and gadgetry as some of the more high-profile recent launches, but where it stands out is in bringing some of these features and perks to a price category that typically doesn’t see this level of in-car tech. 

The tech offerings are led from the front by the 9-inch SmartPlay Pro+ infotainment system, which is compatible with wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. Additionally, there is an Arkamys Surround Sense audio setup, with four speakers and two tweeters on the top-end ZXI and ZXI+ variants. The exact range of features varies with the variant you choose, and I had the top-end ZXI+ car for review to be able to test all of the available features.

You also get a 360-degree camera system on the top-end ZXI+ variant, which lets you view around the car in certain situations. It automatically activates in select situations such as parking where it helps with visibility on all sides, but needs to be manually controlled and viewed at other times. Another rather useful touch is the tyre pressure monitoring system which shows the current levels on the infotainment screen.

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The infotainment system is backed by the digital display in the middle of the otherwise analogue instrument cluster. Among the other info, it gives you turn-by-turn navigation instructions when you have a route set up on the infotainment system, but I found it a bit too enthusiastic in providing this info. It sometimes took away from more useful displays such as fuel economy and driving stats, and couldn’t be overridden on its own until I ended the navigation routing, which was occasionally annoying.

You also get the Suzuki Connect app experience on the new Maruti Suzuki Dzire, which is available on the ZXI and ZXI+ variants for now. Useful features in this include vehicle tracking, drive summary, geofencing and speed warnings, fuel info, and connectivity for smartwatches and Amazon Alexa.

A couple of other small touches will help enhance the experience in the Maruti Suzuki Dzire when it comes to tech. This includes wireless charging at the front, with the charging zone positioned rather nicely just under the AC controls and working quite well. Additionally, there are two USB Type-C ports for rear-seat passengers to use as well.

The Maruti Suzuki Dzire isn’t just an all-new car when it comes to the look and feel; there’s a new engine under the hood as well. It’s still a 1.2L powertrain, but the new one is a three-cylinder engine with power rated at 82bhp and torque rated at 111.7Nm. The new engine is geared for fuel efficiency over all else, with a claimed ARAI mileage of almost 25km/l.

The driving experience is quite refined, offering a silent and generally smooth driving experience at typical driving speeds. Cruising around the idyllic inner roads of South Goa with the automatic (AMT) version of the Dzire (2024), the car felt smooth, responsive, and rather easy-going for the most part. 

At low to moderate speeds - generally keeping it under 60km/h - the car is very easy to drive and also fairly economical to run. Even the relatively slow gear changes on the AMT aren’t likely to bother you, and once you’re used to how it works, you can largely dictate how the car responds with varying throttle control. Decent low-end torque also helps when keeping to reasonable speeds.

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The Maruti Suzuki Dzire (2024) isn’t a performance-oriented car, and this meant that it was largely tuned for highway cruising at reasonable speeds. Taking the car onto the wide and fast stretches of NH66 through Goa, it was a pleasant drive even at around 80-90km/h, even if it took a bit longer to get to those speeds than I’d have liked.

On hilly roads, the new Dzire felt a hint sluggish at times, and even needed a bit of manual intervention to select the right gear for climbing inclines. Overtaking took a bit of planning and wasn’t as effortless as I’d have liked, but this car is made for comfort and function over being an out-and-out driver’s car. Perhaps its could have been a bit more exciting, though…

My not-so-conservative driving style meant that the Dzire was displaying an indicative mileage of around 12km/l or so after around 100 kilometres of driving, but you could get this up to a realistic mileage of 17-18km/l with more reasonable driving, without too much effort on your part. This car is made for efficiency and ease of driving above all else, and generally gets it right for typical driving styles and behaviour.

The Maruti Suzuki Dzire isn’t typically considered a glamourous or adventurous car, but it’s one that appeals to aspirations nonetheless. With this 2024 facelift, the Dzire pushes this approach further than before, hoping to change some of the notions and stereotypes that surround this otherwise practical and very successful compact sedan.

There’s nothing too fancy here, but the Dzire does get a bit of a glow-up and new features that make it more current and relevant in 2024. At its price, it’s a good option for the most part, suitably backed by Maruti Suzuki’s excellent reputation in India.