Review and testdrive of new SWIFT DZIRE

We first broke the news about the sub-four-metre new Swift Dzire on our website on December 31, 2010. We also brought you the first pictures of the car on our website on April 26, 2010 and in our May 2011 issue. As you can tell, we have been tracking the evolution of this car very closely and that’s because a saloon car for potential hatchback money is not easy to ignore.

The second-generation Dzire is quite different from the car it replaces. For starters, it’s only 3995mm long so it is a whole 165mm shorter than its predecessor. To keep length under the crucial four-metre mark, the new Dzire sports an extremely short boot. As a result, the new Dzire looks more a notchback than a proper saloon.

The good thing is that the tail section is well integrated with the rest of the body and the whole look is more cohesive than the older car. Rear styling is neatly executed but the squarish profile of the bootlid links the new car with the older Dzire. Boot space, at 316 litres is a whole size down on the old car, but is large enough to hold a weekend’s luggage.

Maruti has tweaked styling to differentiate the Dzire from the new Swift on which it is based. The front gets a slatted grille while the bumper features a wider air dam and larger enclosures for the fog lights. It’s only aft of the B-pillar that the two cars really look different. The rear quarter glass has a more conventional fall to it and the rear door is marginally larger as well.

Cabin design is identical to the Swift’s though the use of beige plastics on the lower portion of the dashboard and door pads, and the light seat fabrics really enhance the ambience inside. The front seats, also from the Swift, are very comfortable, while existing Dzire owners will notice the increased space in the back courtesy the new Swift platform’s 40mm longer wheelbase. Rear-seat comfort is decent but the backrest is a tad too reclined. Adjustable headrests and a rear centre armrest do enhance comfort here.

As before, Maruti will sell the Dzire with two engine options – an 86bhp, 1.2-litre petrol and 74bhp, 1.3-litre diesel. Both engines are identical to those on the new Swift, as is the gearing. The K-Series petrol engine benefits from Variable Valve Timing and this has resulted in a 2bhp power bump compared to the older car. Driving the car at the media launch at the Buddh International Circuit, we were reacquainted with the engine’s good low-speed response, slight lack of mid-range punch and impressive top end.

Surprisingly, it was the diesel that was more enjoyable at the track. With the turbo on song past 1800rpm, the engine’s healthy mid-range performance allowed us to power out of the slowest corners with ease. In real-world conditions, that should translate to good driveability.

Gearshifts on the five-speed gearbox were smooth and light in operation too. This brings us to the big surprise – the new Dzire will also be sold with a four-speed automatic transmission on the petrol model. The gearbox complements the petrol engine quite well and shifts are smooth too. Moreover, it adapts well to changes in throttle inputs. It’s only when you floor the throttle that the build of power is slightly jerky. Maruti will offer the automatic in only the middle-level VXi trim so you don’t get many goodies like climate control, steering-mounted audio controls, rear defogger or essentials like a driver seat height adjust and seatbelt height adjuster. A fully loaded version would have simply priced the automatic out of contention.

The Dzire shares suspension hardware with the Swift, though the rear has been tuned for comfort. While it was not possible to pass judgement on ride quality given the smooth tarmac at the circuit, we expect the softened setup should rid the Dzire of some of the Swift’s low-speed firmness. The flipside is that the Dzire also tends to roll a fair bit more than the Swift. What we did like though was the feedback at the steering wheel and good body control even when driving the car at its very limit.

On the whole, the new Dzire makes a compelling case for itself. It is smart to look at, comes decently specced and is good fun to drive too. The engines are refined and also score on the fuel economy front with ARAI-tested figures of 19.1kpl for the manual petrol and 23.4kpl for the diesel. Automatic transmission only adds convenience to the package.

Whille Maruti will announce prichttp://carzera.blogspot.com/2011/12/maruti-announces-auto-expo-plans.htmling on February 1 at the car’s launch, we hear the new Dzire will cost as much as the model it replaces which will continue to sell in taxi avatar.

If that’s the case, Maruti has yet another winner on its hands.

Autocar India Awards 2012

                                                                                                  Car of the Year – Maruti Suzuki Swift

The Swift won our Car of the Year in 2005. And it wins it yet again this time. Though the new Swift looks exactly like the old model, this car is a grounds-up new generation of the Swift. This model is based on an all-new platform and is now both longer and wider. The Swift’s interior styling, which is heavily borrowed from its Kizashi sibling, is now plusher.

The car is now sportier to drive and the 1.2 K-series petrol gets variable valve timing (VVT) to bump up power to 86bhp. The 74bhp 1.3 diesel Multi-jet engine remains largely unchanged but the carmaker’s effort to make the cabin a quieter place is evident. Maruti Suzuki has taken an already good car and made it even better by ironing out the flaws in the older car. Despite stiff competition this year from among nearly all the world’s majors, Maruti Suzuki’s new Swift shows the competition a clean pair of heels to pick up the prestigious award of the Bloomberg-UTV Autocar Car of the Year 2012.

Bike of the Year – Honda CBR250R

The Honda CBR250R came like a breath of fresh air for Indian motorcycle enthusiasts long stuck between underpowered city commuters and horrendously expensive imported superbikes. Here was a motorcycle that offered great styling, zippy performance, street-friendly handling with a price tag that did not need you to mortgage your house. The CBR250R has all the big bike visual cues with its VFR 1200 inspired headlamp and CBR1000RR fairing. It ticks all the right boxes in the design and styling department. For its combination of style, performance, streetfriendly handling as well as advanced technology at a decent price, the Honda CBR250R is the Bike of the Year.

Compact Car of the Year – Maruti Suzuki Swift

The Swift was already a favourite in the competitive compact car market. And the new Swift promises to continue Maruti Suzuki’s winning streak. Though the new Swift looks the same as the old car, it is a completely new model built on a new platform. Ride and handling have been tweaked and they are even better now. The new Swift is larger, more spacious, delivers better performance, has better driver dynamics and gives you enhanced fuel economy. The Swift, always a great car, is now even better and is quite definitely the Best Compact Car of the Year.

Mid-size Saloon of the Year – Skoda Rapid

Under the skin the Skoda Rapid is a VW Vento. However, dig deeper and the Rapid proves to be much more than a Volkswagen clone. Skoda has ironed out many of the Vento’s shortcomings. The diesel engine is more linear but just as punchy, the shorter geared petrol now works much better and ride and handling are much improved as well. Spacious, fast, frugal, reasonably well-built and good value, the Rapid has a lot going for it. In fact, it actually beats its twin to win the crown of the mid-size saloon Car of the Year.

SUV of the Year – Mahindra XUV500

The XUV500, designed and developed completely in-house, is a quantum leap forward by Mahindra & Mahindra – it’s the company’s first serious attempt at developing a global product. The price at which Mahindra has launched the SUV makes it shattering value-for money. You get a lot of car for the price. You get a fantastic-looking SUV that dominates the road with its presence. An excellent package makes the XUV500 a worthy winner.

Winners for the rest of the categories are as follows:

Best Styling & Design – Hyundai Verna

Best Value for Money – Mahindra XUV500

Best Variant of the Year – Chevrolet Beat Diesel

Best Driver's car – Ford Fiesta

Manufacturer of the Year – Toyota

Technology and Innovation award –  Audi A8

Sub-compact car of the Year – Honda Brio

Best Compact car of the Year – Maruti Suzuki Swift

Best Saloon car of the Year –  Skoda Rapid

Best Executive Saloon of the Year – VW Jetta

Luxury Saloon of the Year – Audi A6

SUV of the Year – Mahindra XUV500

Luxury SUV of the Year – BMW X3

Best Automobile Ad of the Year – Volkswagen Jetta 'Flyboy'

Bike of the Year 2012 – Honda CBR250R

Premium Bike of the Year – Kawasaki Ninja 650R

Import Bike of the Year – BMW K 1600 GTL

Green Car Award – VW Passat for BlueMotion technology

Man of the Year – Pawan Goenka

Viewer's choice award - CAR – Mahindra XUV500

Viewer's choice award - BIKE – Honda CBR250R

Maruti Ertiga unveiled at Auto Expo

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Maruti has unveiled its new Ertiga compact MPV at the 2012 Auto Expo in New Delhi. The Ertiga, which is due to go on sale by late-March 2012, is Maruti’s first crack at the MPV segment. Based on an extended Swift platform, the Ertiga carries the Maruti family look with the front resembling the Ritz hatchback while the peeled-back headlights that stretch to the pronounced wheel arches are reminiscent of the new Swift. The front bumper styling is quite sporty with a large air inlet and neat enclosures for the fog lights. Tail styling looks rather generic though. The overall length is 4265mm so the Ertiga does not qualify for excise benefits available to sub four-metre cars.

Maruti has extended the Swift wheelbase to 2740mm and this has allowed the inclusion of a third row of seats – the Ertiga can seat seven passengers in a 2+3+2 layout. Flexible seating also allows you to reconfigure the seats to free up luggage space by folding the last row and also individual seats on the middle row. The cabin features a combination of black and beige plastics and this gives it an upmarket look. However, the dashboard design is identical to the Swift. The Ertiga will be offered in three trim levels on both petrol and diesel versions, and though climate control will not be offered on any model, a twin AC system will be part of standard kit.

Maruti will debut the new K14B petrol engine on the Ertiga. The latest addition to the K-Series engine family produces 93.87bhp at 6000rpm and 13.25kgm at 4000rpm. If the 16.02kpl ARAI-tested figure is anything to go by, real-world fuel economy from this motor should be good too. The Ertiga uses the same gearbox as the Swift though the gear ratios have been tweaked to compensate for the heavier loads the engine will be subject to. Also on offer will be the 89bhp, 1.3-litre DDiS diesel engine from the SX4.

Maruti has worked to make the Ertiga as car-like as possible and that is sure to be a major draw for buyers. If priced right, the Ertiga has the makings of yet another winner for Maruti.

Hyundai Eon vs Maruti Alto

The Maruti Alto is India’s best-selling car by far. An affordable price tag is just one of many reasons why, but the fact is the Alto gets the basics right. It’s fuel efficient, easy to use and requires minimal maintenance – with the comfort of knowing if anything does go wrong, a Maruti service station is never too far away. Last year’s K10 model only added cubic capacity and horsepower to the Alto’s cheap, cheerful and hassle-free charm.

However, just one glance at the new Hyundai Eon will have even die-hard Alto fans raising an eyebrow. After all, the Eon is priced close to the Alto K10, with a similar promise of low running costs and service backup second only to Maruti’s. But does the Eon deliver where the Alto excels?

It’s all in the look

The Maruti Alto K10 is the longer car, but the Eon is taller and its wheelbase is 20mm bigger too. But where the two cars really differ is in styling. The extroverted Eon looks designed for tomorrow with beautifully sculpted creases and cuts. The large rear wheel arches do make the wheels appear small but that’s about it. There’s little to find fault with in the design. Even the crescent-shaped tail lamps look great. The best part is that the Eon is distinctive without looking too radical.

Standing next to the Eon, the Alto looks several generations older. That’s because it is. Not much has been changed since the car was launched in 2000 except for a nip and tuck with the introduction of the K10 model in 2010. However, the basic shape is the same, and the thick C-pillars and smart creases over the rear wheels are the only talking points really. The Alto anonymously blends into the crowd while the Eon stands out, even in the company of larger, more expensive cars.

Inner strength

Fit and finish of the Eon’s cabin is midsize-saloon-car good and there are only a few bits that remind you of its small price. Dashboard styling is neat and the chunky AC controls are particularly nice to use, but the small central vents are fiddly and have limited spread. Frontal visibility is slightly hampered by the thick A-pillar and the small glass area at the rear doesn’t help either. The Alto, in contrast, affords better all-round visibility. The Eon’s front door pockets are large enough for bottles and the glovebox is big too.

Switching to the Alto is like going back in time. Plastic quality is a grade down on the Eon’s and panel gaps mean the Alto looks every bit the budget car it is. The front door pockets are narrow and shallow and items tend to slide around the dash-top recess. The glovebox is also small but you do get two cupholders, and the boot is a full size down on the Eon’s generous 215 litres.

The Eon’s rear seat has more kneeroom than the Alto’s and more space under the front seat to move your feet. The Alto’s shorter backrest equals insufficient support, while its protruding, fixed headrests are uncomfortable. The Alto does have slightly more headroom. Build quality is somewhat flimsy compared to what you get on the Eon.

Each CC Counts

The Eon is powered by a 3cyl version of the Santro’s 1.1-litre iRDE engine, reducing engine displacement to 814cc and power output to 55bhp. Expectedly, engine refinement isn’t great and vibrations shake the gear lever a fair bit. The Eon isn’t particularly quick off the blocks and only pulls well towards the top-end. There is adequate power for keeping up with typical city traffic but overtaking manoeuvres need some planning. Flooring the throttle doesn’t help as the engine simply doesn’t make power quick enough.

In contrast, the Alto K10’s 996cc, 67bhp twin-cam engine shows just how good a three-cylinder can be. There are some vibrations at idle but these fade as you accelerate. Both engines get quite loud when revved but the Alto’s precise-shifting gearbox feels a whole lot nicer to use than the Eon’s notchy unit. The two cars are neck-to-neck upto 60kph, but the Alto reaches 100kph nearly 2sec before the Eon.

But the numbers most buyers will be interested in are for fuel economy. The Eon’s narrower powerband means you change gears more often than on the Alto and that reflects in its slightly lower city economy figures. The Eon managed 13.7kpl while the Alto returned a 14kpl. Out on the highway, the Eon’s taller fifth gear allows the better fuel economy of 17.2kpl to the Alto’s 17kpl figure.

Rock and Roll

Their dinky dimensions, small turning radii and light controls make both cars very easy in the city. Suspension hardware is similar and both cars ride on 13-inch wheels. The Eon is softer-sprung and does the better job of shielding passengers from low-speed bumps. Go any faster and it is the Alto that feels far nicer, with less body movement and a much flatter ride. However, rear seat passengers do get thrown about a fair bit in the Alto.

Feature creature

The Alto VXi retails for Rs 3.2 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi) and comes with power steering, front power windows, central locking and internally adjustable outside rear-view mirrors. For Rs 20,000 more, you can get the Eon Magna variant that comes with all of the above and also a steering tilt adjust. This model, however, does without a parcel tray or tachometer, both of which are available on the Alto. At Rs 3.71 lakh, the Eon Sportz variant featured here is quite expensive but comes with a lot of kit. You get a driver-side airbag, keyless entry and also a CD player with Aux and USB functions.

Decision time

We really scratched our heads over this one. The thing is, the Alto is unquestionably the better car to drive. It has the more consistent ride, nimbler handling and zestier engine. If the engine’s ability holds more weight for you than the plush ambience in the driver’s seat, then the Alto is the car for you. It has a certain raw appeal that the Eon just can’t hope
to match.

No, the Eon’s performance won’t get your heart racing and engine refinement is rather mediocre too but for most buyers these are secondary considerations. The Eon delivers on more visible criteria. It looks futuristic, its better-finished interiors look and feel classier and it is that wee bit more spacious too. Fuel economy is really good as well.

In the final analysis, you do pay more for an Eon but in return get more bang for your buck. It’s just too hard to argue against its value quotient and it is for this the Eon is our choice.

Maruti announces Auto Expo plans

Maruti Suzuki has revealed its plans for the upcoming 2012 Auto Expo.The big news for
 the small-car giant will be its aggressive entry into the UV segment with two models – both of which will be showcased at the Expo in New Delhi.
First up will be the global unveiling of Maruti’s first compact MPV, the Ertiga. As originally seen in our spy images, the Ertiga looks similar to the Swift from the front, with peeled-back headlights that stretch to the pronounced wheel arches. The rear treatment looks well proportioned, if rather generic in comparison. The Ertiga will seat seven and will come with petrol and diesel engine options.Along with the Ertiga, Maruti will also showcase a comp
act SUV concept.  Both these new models are the result of a joint effort between Maruti Suzuki in India and Suzuki Motor Corporation, Japan.  According to Maruti, the compact SUV concept has been designed in a record time of just nine months.
“As the market gets more competitive, we have to gear up for the new dynamics. We are thus showing the best we can offer. The new models like the SUV, MPV and MUV will prove to the world that we are future-ready. We need to get first-hand feedback for this,” says Maruti Suzuki managing executive officer marketing and sales, Mayank Pareek.
Maruti will also add another engine to its popular K-series family - the K14.  As the name suggests, the K14 is a 1.4-litre petrol motor that is equipped with variable-valve timing (VVT).  It will displace 1372cc and deliver a decent 95bhp. The Ertiga will debut this new engine, but will also be available with a 1.3-litre DDiS ‘Super Turbo’ diesel engine.
Some of parent company Suzuki’s international compact cars – like the Solio, Palette and MR Wagon – will also be on display at Maruti’s Auto Expo stand, which Pareek says are intended to “study consumer feedback."