The new Maruti Suzuki Dzire, launching on 11th November, isn’t the car that shouts for attention. No, it’s a quiet, sensible car—a compact saloon designed to get you from point A to B with minimum fuss. But this time, Maruti’s gone all out on one crucial factor: fuel efficiency.
Let’s start under the bonnet. Maruti has given the new Dzire the same Z12E 1.2-litre, three-cylinder petrol engine as the Swift. It produces just over 80 brake horsepower and 112Nm of torque—not what you’d call thrilling, but perfectly sufficient for a car of this sort. There are two transmission options: a 5-speed manual for those who like to feel connected to the drive and a 5-speed AMT for anyone who prefers an easy life.
Now, onto the impressive bit. The manual variant manages 24.79 km per litre, while the AMT squeezes more at 25.71 km per litre. Remarkably, these figures are nearly identical to the Swift's, even though the Dzire has a larger boot to lug around. This minor difference in fuel efficiency is likely due to the Dzire’s kerb weight, which sits between 920kg and 960kg depending on the variant—a tad heavier than the Swift but still lean enough to achieve top-notch fuel economy.
Notably, the Dzire aims to be the most efficient compact saloon in its segment, outclassing rivals like the Honda Amaze and Hyundai Aura, which come in at around 18 and 17 km per litre, respectively. There’s even a CNG variant for the particularly frugal, delivering an astonishing 33.73 km per kg.
