Maruti Suzuki hit the jackpot with the first-generation Swift in 2005. There was nothing like the Swift in India as it was the first premium hatchback we got. Following the success of the Swift, Maruti Suzuki decided to take a shot at the newly emerging compact sedan space with a sedan version of the Swift. Launched in 2008, it was christened the Maruti Suzuki Swift Dzire, and just like the Swift, the sales took off thanks to the added convenience of a boot to the Swift, an already established and trusted name in India.
The first-gen Dzire got many things right but the styling wasn’t one of them. The sedan was often criticized for its rear-end styling which wasn’t coherent with the overall car and looked like an afterthought. In 2012, Maruti Suzuki fixed this issue with the second-generation Swift Dzire which also included another major change to it. This time around, Maruti Suzuki decreased the overall length of the sedan to under 4m making it a sub-4m sedan that was now eligible for tax benefits thereby making it more affordable for the masses. The second generation was phased out in 2017 with the current third-generation Dzire which dropped the ‘Swift’ moniker for an individual identity.
Over the 15 years, the Dzire has been a staunch favourite of buyers in India with a Dzire being sold every two minutes in India. It is still one of the best-selling cars in India and Maruti Suzuki has sold over 20 lakh units in India with numbers still averaging around the 15,000 mark every month. So, why does India love the Dzire, and what is the reason behind its immense popularity despite various other compact sedans trying to break its dominance? Let’s find out:
Affordable All-Rounder
Maruti Suzuki has always been synonymous with affordability in India and it was the same with the Dzire. Since the first-generation Dzire, Maruti Suzuki has always got the price right without asking too much money for the sedan over the Swift. This resonated with the buyers and made the Dzire a good value-for-money proposition. Based on the Swift, the Dzire carried over all the good traits of the hatchback which made it a winner. It did everything well – the Dzire was comfortable, spacious, and, most importantly, it delivered good performance and impressive fuel economy ever since its inception making it one of those rare few cars that were a jack of all trades.
Maruti’s Sales And After Sales Support
There’s no point in waxing lyrical about Maruti’s sales and after-sales support. No other brand even comes close to Maruti’s dealer and service network in India. Even in the remotest part of India, you will be able to find a dealer/service centre and this is something that no other brand has been able to match. Maruti Suzuki being one of the oldest names in India helps this case even further. A Maruti Suzuki buyer in India is also buying into this sales and support system as it adds to the overall ownership experience.
Reliable And No-Nonsense Sedan
As with any other Maruti Suzuki car, the Dzire was a reliable and dependable sedan with little to no reliability concerns and high customer satisfaction. The engines used by Maruti Suzuki, the Fiat-sourced 1.3-litre diesel, the G13 1.3-litre petrol, and the recent 1.2-litre K12 engine, all delivered a decent performance, good fuel economy, and stellar reliability making the Dzire a de-facto choice in its segment. The Dzire is the safest option in the segment and it has built a reputation making it a no-nonsense choice that you just cannot go wrong with.
Good Resale Value
Another strong reason why India loves the Dzire is that it holds its value well over the years, unlike its competition. The Dzire, just like any other Maruti Suzuki model, is a good option in the used car market and hence has a good resale value. In a country that obsesses over ‘kitna deti hai’ a good resale value is always welcome. When cars are seen as something that depreciates over time, the Maruti Suzuki Dzire impresses buyers with its resale value.
Summary
There is no denying the fact that the Maruti Suzuki Dzire is one of the most influential cars in India for the last two decades. The Dzire came into the market when compact sedans were a novel thing and established its name and dominance leading to other carmakers venturing into the same domain. Although the Tata Indigo eCS is the first sub-4m sedan in India, it is the Maruti Suzuki Dzire that really kickstarted the popularity and made a strong case for compact sedans.
Even today, the Dzire is still unmatched when it comes to sales, despite various other cars trying to take a shot at it and recreats the same story. The biggest testament to the Maruti Suzuki Dzire is its immense customer base and we can confidently say that all of them are more than satisfied with the Dzire.
