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| New Swift Dzire |
Although the model will qualify for the excise duty of 10 per cent enjoyed by small cars, the company said it is unlikely that the new version of DZire will be priced lesser than the existing one, which ranges between Rs 4.94 lakh and Rs 7.29 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi).
"We have invested a lot on the new DZire. It is on a brand new platform. There are at least 150 new features compared to the existing DZire and it is unlikely that the new one will be priced lesser," Maruti Suzuki India Managing Executive Officer (Marketing and Sales) Mayank Pareek said.
The new car will come with both diesel and petrol powerplants, again identical to the ones on the new shift. It now tucks in at just 3,995mm, just under the 4m mark, which allows the car fall into the 10 per cent excise bracket, rather than the 22 per cent imposed on vehicles bigger than 4m in length. This will enable Maruti to fight pressures of the strengthening yen and competition from other existing and future players.
The front of the car looks very much like its sibling and shares an identical wheelbase of 2,430mm, which makes interior packaging a challenge. Legroom up front is fine, but the rear struggles, even with 60mm more than its predecessor.
The boot has been given a nip and tuck to slot into the required length, which reduces boot space from 440 litres to 316 litres, a huge loss of 124 litres - this could make the difference between loading your NRI brother-in-law's large suitcase into the boot, besides packing in two large golf bags if you feel so inclined.
The rear gets a smooth treatment with organic-shaped tail lamp clusters connected by a large chrome applique. The front benefits from a new egg crate- style grille, which probably draws inspiration from Range Rover's Evoque. Smart-looking alloy wheels complement the overall muscular look of the car.
Maruti has really spruced up the interiors. A new two-tone beige and black dominates the interior colour scheme, appeasing loyalists belonging to both tonal camps. So while the upper section of the dashboard is finished in sombre black, the lower part is done in cheerful beige.
The top model, ZXi/ ZDi, comes with gizmos like climate control and an upended sound system, which even has two tweeters; the VXi/ VDi has an amber display and manually regulated air-conditioning. You can play your iPod/ iPhone through USB ports on both variants.
The car is more like the Swift to drive than the previous Dzire and offers a good mix of ride and handling.
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