Established in 1983, Maruti Suzuki has served the nation for more than 28 years with its highly reliable and fuel efficient cars. The Indo-Japanese czar can be truly credited for putting India on four wheels.

The car maker has been consistently dominating the small car market since its inception. While the early sales were dominated with the 800 and the Omni, the new boys such as Alto, Wagon R and Swift contribute to much of sales now.

Maruti Suzuki also revealed a ‘Top 5’ model wise split up of their sales till date which goes as follows

1. Maruti 800 – 26.36 lakh units
2. Alto F8 and Alto K10 – 19.08 lakh units
3. Omni van – 14.37 lakh units
4. WagonR – 11.14 lakh units
5. Swift – 6.85 lakh units

To commemorate the occasion in its own special style, Maruti Suzuki launched the SX4 Celebration Edition. Although the price of the Celebration edition model is yet to be known, the additional features include:

• New seat fabric
• Chrome inside door handles
• Chrome air conditioning louvers
• Cubic printing on arm rest
• Celebration edition floor mats and pillows

Source: TimesofIndia.indiatimes.com

Prices of the new Dzire have been announced by Maruti Suzuki in New Delhi a few minutes ago.

Maruti Swift Dzire petrol variants and prices (ex-showroom, Delhi)

• LXI – 4.79 lakhs
• VXI – 5.32 lakhs
• VXI Auto – 6.54 lakhs
• ZXI – 6.19 lakhs

Maruti Swift Dzire diesel variants and prices (ex-showroom, Delhi)

• LDI – 5.80 lakhs
• VDI – 6.31 lakhs
• ZDI – 7.09 lakhs

What next?

You can read our review of the 2012 Swift Dzire to know of the improvements and see high resolution photographs.

You can view brochure scans of the new Dzire.

Is the car as good or better as the old one? Let’s find out!

We’ll answer the most important question first – Isn’t this just a Swift with a bigger boot?

Yes, but the boot being smaller, is less noticeable. It does look better than its predecessor. Maruti says the new look is based on four pillars namely dynamic, elegant, energetic and balanced. Even without the help of the marketing division’s vocabulary, one can say the new design is a step in the right direction.

While the length stands at a shorter 3.95m, the new sedan is wider at 1695mm (+5mm), taller at 1555mm (+25mm) and has a larger wheelbase at 2430mm (+40mm) adding to the overall vehicle stability. With its class leading 170mm ground clearance and a turning radius of 4.8m, its really easy to maneuver in the city.

On the inside, the two-tone, multi-layer dashboard with waterfall console, wood finish inserts, leather trims and silver accents looks both sporty and classy. With the introduction of two new colors i.e. Pacific Blue and Glistering Grey, it now comes in a total of 7 colors.

The car is installed with the same D13A 1.3 ltr DDiS diesel engine but the petrol K-12M engine now has VVT (variable valve timing) which makes it more efficient and lowers the carbon emissions as the engine breathes better. The petrol engine accelerates from 0-100kmph in 12.6 sec and its diesel counterpart completes this challenge in 14.8 sec. Different calibrations for both engines have decreased the engine noise by 3 db.

The power is delivered to the front wheels via an improved 5 speed manual or a 4 speed auto (only on petrol VXI variant) gearbox that now has changed gear ratios, Detent pin technology and weighs less by 30kg in the petrol variants and 15kg in the diesel models. The combined weight loss has led to a 7.8% increase in fuel efficiency for the diesel, which now stands at 23.4kmpl and a 6.7% increase for petrol which returns 19.1kmpl.

The manual gearbox was fun as ever with slick, short and accurate shifts. The clutch action is not too long or short, is just about perfect helping you to shift gears very quickly. The difference in gear ratios are hardly noticeable though.

The four-speed automatic gearbox, a first in this segment, is not fun to drive. When you hit the gas pedal, it thinks for two seconds and simply slips into the lowest gear possible, which is not really a pleasing experience. No matter how hard you try, the real-time fuel consumption meter didn’t show more than 18kmpl. The hill starts were useful as the stops the car from rolling backward as you release the brake pedal. Another good point is the shifter’s no-frills nature – driving modes are arranged in a simple straight line and there’s no zig-zag arrangement like on the SX4 – you get acquainted to the car faster.

The petrol motor is refined and thanks to its low end torque it performs well in the city. The engine surprisingly does not run out of breath in the highway as there’s ample power higher up in the rev band. The petrol engine feels very refined and does not stutter even if you are driving in the highest gear at low speeds.

The car just seems to glide over the potholes its faced with. The ride quality is as good as it gets for this price band. It’s even fun to drive around the bends with good levels of feedback from the steering.

The overall driving experience was one step better than the last generation Swift Dzire be it in the city or the highway. The cabin feel very roomy and the driver seat hugs you from all around nicely. Reversing the car is easier thanks to the new rear windshield design and the suitably shaped ORVMs.

The instrument cluster looks sportier and the multi-information display is easy to read. Interiors are entirely new and everything is well placed to squeeze out the maximum space. Every button on the console feels good to operate and the plastic quality is a notch better. The AC is very effective and keeps the cabin cool even at the lowest fan speed. The rear seats are much more comfortable thanks to the additional leg and knee room. The hand rest is retractable and is at an appropriate height. With new windows all around, the cabin feels airy as well.

The boot at 316 litres can ingest a full size suitcase and a couple of shopping bags. The loading lip is a little high.

The new Swift Dzire is now safer to drive with the addition of a new generation ABS and brake assist system. The brakes are a bit spongy but that’s not to say they aren’t responsive.

2012 Maruti Swift Dzire positives

> Suspension provides comfortable ride
> Refined and efficient engines – Fun to drive and superbly fuel efficient
> Compact dimensions – easy to park and consumes less fuel
> Great interiors – Material quality, fit and finish have improved greatly
> Loaded with useful features – USB connectivity and steering-mounted controls are our favorites
> Comfortable seats – Body hugging driver seat helps you out on long journeys
> Safety features – improved ABS and dual airbags provide peace of mind
> Slick gearbox – Shifts are quick aided by the almost perfect clutch action
> Handling – I’m happy to report that this car is more fun to drive than its predecessor

2012 Maruti Swift Dzire negatives

> Quality not convincing in certain plastic and metal components
> Automatic gearbox lacks quickness and fun quotient
> Less boot space compared to the outgoing model – what’s a sedan without a large boot?
> We have a sneaking suspicion that not everyone will like the Kizashi inspired rear profile!

2012 Maruti Swift Dzire Image Slideshow

can’t see the slideshow above? Head over to our Flickr page to see the 2012 Maruti Swift Dzire image gallery

The new Dzire, measuring 3.95m in length, is available in a choice of seven colors. It has a 42 liter fuel tank and a turning radius of 4.8m. It may not be a beauty contest winner but the 1.3L diesel engine under its hood returns an impressive fuel economy of 23.4kmpl while the 1.2L petrol gives 19.1kmpl on the manual and 17.4 kmpl on the automatic transmission variant.

The brochure provides you every miniscule detail of the car (as it should). We’re waiting for Maruti to announce the prices to see if there are any changes from the current Dzire. We’re also told that certain variants of the old Dzire will live on for the commercial market.

Later today we’ll also present our driving impressions and include high resolution images of the new Dzire.

2012 Maruti Dzire brochure

Head over to our Flickr page to see the 2012 Maruti Dzire brochure scans.

The A-Star, since its launch, has always been under the shadow of sibling Alto and rival i10. Maruti Suzuki has exported many times the volume it has sold in the Indian market. Since Maruti has two vehicles at similar price points (A-Star and Wagon R), the A-Star always played second filled to its tall boy partner.

To induce the A-Star a bit of zing, Maruti has provided some minor updates for 2012. The new A-Star features:

• Rear spoiler
• New set of alloy wheels
• Two new colours – Caffeine Brown and Glistening Grey
• New beige tone to the interiors
• 50:50 rear split seat
• New front head restraints
• ABS and airbags (optional)

No changes have been made to the technical specifications.

The new A-Star is launched in the price bracket 3.67 to Rs 4.47 lakh (ex-Delhi). Each variant is about Rs 1,000 more than it previously was. ABS and airbags will set you back by Rs 18,000.

Will these updates make you give a second look to the A-Star?

The Maruti Suzuki Alto outpaced the likes of VW Gol and Fiat Uno to become the bestselling car of the world for the second time in a row. The Alto sold over 300,000 units followed by VW Gol in Brazil at 293,454 units, Fiat Uno (Brazil) at 273,537 units and VW Golf in Germany at 258,059 units. Another gem from Suzuki’s stable – Wagon R completed the top 5 best selling cars of the world.

However, there is a twist in this story. Although Alto bagged the best selling title, its growth rate is losing steam as time progresses. The fastest growth rate was demonstrated by Fiat Uno in Brazil.

There could be various factors that have taken a toll of the growth rate such as market slowdown, rising petrol prices, launch of the Hyundai EON, etc. With the entry of new players in the small car segment such as Nissan and Fiat, the situation is not going to improve for Maruti.

Do you think the Alto can sustain the growth for the third time in the row this year?

[Source: HindustanTimes.com]

Maruti Suzuki’s concept cars need not be taken very seriously. The A-Star concept and R3 concept shown at the previous two editions of the Delhi Expo have shaken off most of their signature touches by the time they arrived at a production line.

The primary reason behind this is cost. Maruti products have to be high value for money and their game has been in the sub-10 lakh rupee category. The cost constraints have somewhat made Maruti divert attention to features and technology from expensive designs. Over the last thirty years, Maruti has not offered outlandish designs. They prefer designs that are silent and functional. This maybe a reason why their cars age quickly.

Our wish is the production model of the XA Alpha concept needs to defy this ideology. We predict Maruti will redo the Ertiga – Pick out parts from the Swift’s bin and this time build a sub 4-meter model. They need not look beyond Gypsy for branding. This car is a perfect gap filler between the Dzire and SX4. Remember that Maruti has signed an agreement with Tata-Fiat for three lakh diesel engines over the next three years. This could have been prompted by the demand predicted for current and future compact vehicles.

The XA Alpha may not be on time considering 2012 is the beginning of the mini SUV era in India. The good side of the situation is that Maruti can find out what’s missing on the Duster and Ecosport and offer them on the 2014 Gypsy.

1) The ZXi and ZDi trims get 15 inch alloys as opposed to 14 inchers on the old edition.
2) The diesel variants are powered by the same 1.3-liter engine producing 190 Nm @ 2,000 rpm and 75 PS @ 4,000 rpm.
3) The K12 petrol engine lives on delivering 87 PS @ 6,000 rpm and peak torque of 114Nm @ 4,000 rpm.
4) Due to a better power-to-weight ratio, fuel economy numbers have scaled up. The petrol engine at 19.1 kmpl is 6.7% more fuel efficient, and the diesel at 23.4kmpl up from the earlier 21.7kmpl. These are ARAI certified numbers
5) Maruti offers AT on the petrol models – A drop of just 2kmpl is expected.

The chopped-boot Dzire will be launched in the first week of February.

[Information reference TheHindu.com; Image sourced from Facebook.com/IndianGP]