IntroductionJust when we thought compact sedans were out of the Indian automotive cinema, two respectable leads made their grand entry in all-new avatars. Make no mistake, these are not just mid-life facelifts but proper next-gen upgrades. If not clear, I am referring to the all-new Honda Amaze and the new-gen Maruti Suzuki Dzire here. And the latter is here at the CarWale garage to serve us for a long time. During this period, we will test it with all sorts of tests that we do at CarWale but most importantly it will be my daily driver for a couple of months at least giving us a clear picture of how worthy of an upgrade the new Dzire is over the previous one.

　　Plan

　　The plan is quite simple and complicated at the same time. My daily commute currently consists of roughly 15 kilometres to and from the office, but this will change starting February! I’ll be moving to a different home quite far from the office effectively making my commute 45 kilometres every day. That said, it will only give me more time to test the new Dzire out for its performance, drivability, ride quality, and overall comfort. Beyond this, the Dzire could also serve as a support car at times for our rigorous and challenging shoots. Another thing to look forward to?

　　With the new supposedly more efficient engine, a whole new look and more features inside, the new Dzire has already got me excited and that will show during the time I spend with it. Will it continue to redefine its status as a no-nonsense family sedan for an average Indian? Time will tell.

　　Variant and SpecificationsThe Maruti Suzuki Dzire that has come to us is in its top-spec form, the ZXi Plus AMT, finished in an Alluring Blue paint scheme. Do mind that this being the top-of-the-line variant has all the bells and whistles and some more as compared to Maruti’s standard. Having said that, costing nearly Rs. 12.10 lakh (on-road, Mumbai) it has to deliver on that front, right?

　　Coming to the powertrain, it gets an all-new 1.2-litre Z-Series engine, which is short of one cylinder compared to the previous motor. This petrol engine is capable of churning out 80bhp and 112Nm of peak torque while being mated to a five-speed AMT gearbox.

　　I am curious to test the performance of the new Dzire post this new engine switch. Even though I have driven the new Swift with the new Z-Series motor, that little hatchback has characteristics of its own adding the fun to the driving aspect. It will be interesting to see how the new Dzire proves its mettle into the driving scenes.

　　In the upcoming months, we will try to answer around how good it is to live with. So, stay tuned!

　　Product Details

　　Make & Model: Maruti Suzuki Dzire

　　Version: ZXi Plus AMT

　　Fuel efficiency: NA

　　Kilometres this month: NA

　　Price: Rs. 12.10 lakh (on-road, Mumbai)