S. Muralidhar
 

http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/iw/2008/03/23/stories/2008032351261700.htm

Over the last few years, there has been a sort of lull in the entry-level sedan segment. The only entrant of consequence was the Mahindra Renault Logan. The other contenders in this segment seemed to be in a state of suspended animation.

 n the case of Maruti-Suzuki, the entry-level sedan segment was slipping away and a replacement to the ageing Esteem was long overdue. No wonder Maruti decided to pull out the Esteem, a car which at one time epitomised the modern day entry-level sedan. It was also only the second model that Maruti completely scrapped.

 The replacement to the Esteem had to be an upgrade, a worthy successor that offered a step up in overall experience than what its predecessor afforded within the confines of its mandate as an entry sedan.


M aruti has been reborn as a company with a portfolio of global models with the launch of the Suzuki Swift and SX4. So, the replacement to the Esteem had to be contemporary, capable and globally relevant, even if it didn’t make it to shores overseas.

Maruti engineers worked on the replacement for the Esteem and did what they do best — reengineer an existing model and make the new one not just fit a purpose, but also desirable.

The Suzuki SX4 was conceived as a hatchback for the European market, but last year it was adopted, reengineered and launched as a premium sedan for a few markets like India.

 With the Esteem out, Maruti’s gameplan for a replacement took a similar turn, reengineer the Swift and come up with a sedan on the same platform. A plan that will help it keep costs low and develop an entry sedan that will seem like a more refined car compared to the current competition. And so, Maruti’s very competent bunch of designers and engineers came together, yet again, to design and develop the Swift DZire.

Evident Parentage

 The Swift DZire is due for roll out next week. We got to test drive the new sedan earlier this month and our first impressions, despite a few reservations, are very positive.

While developing the DZire, Maruti engineers wanted to retain the original’s overall design theme. The result is a sedan that looks very much like a replica of the small car — at least from the front, where every element, except the chrome bonnet grille is identical to the hot hatch.

In some ways the DZire’s design seems a bit awkward. The squat, chunky profile of the Swift with its rear sloping roofline seemed perfect only for a hatch. Maybe we are too used to the Swift’s five-door design that it feels not-so-perfect when redesigned as a sedan. Perhaps, over time we will get used to its looks, like we did in the case of the Fiat Palio/Siena and the Tata Indica/Indigo.
 ear profile



 


From the front three-quarter viewing angle, the boot of Swift DZire seems to be a ‘slap-on’ that doesn’t quite gel with the original design, especially since the front half of the sedan is identical to the hatch. But move fully to the rear and it becomes evident that Maruti designers and engineers have done a good job of providing the DZire with a character of its own.

 The short, stubby boot of the DZire still manages to remind us of the general design direction of the Swift hatch, like the peeled back design of the tail-lamps.

 But the DZire’s back is entirely different from the original. A raised boot lid with a lip that merges with the shoulder line of the car seems to be distantly reminiscent of Chris Bangle’s style.

A thick chrome garnish just on top of the rear number plate notch attempts to offset the heaviness of the oversized boot lid. Clear-lens rear combination lamps are new, featuring a more striking layout and only a relatively close inspection will reveal that they are very different from the Swift hatch in terms of overall design.

 or easy loading access to the large 440-litre boot, the chunky lid cuts deep into the new compact rear bumper. Reflectors and an additional stop lamp have been incorporated into the rear bumper and are available depending on the variant.

 With the addition of the boot — a big change at the rear — Maruti designers have also been able to make other changes that have added an extra dose of practicality to the new sedan.

The Swift hatch has a roof that slopes down at the rear, which, together with the thick C-pillar, makes the rear passenger area inside the car very dark. In the Swift DZire, though the wheelbase and overall height of the car remain the same, Maruti designers have managed to free some space on the side by cutting into the original’s thick C-pillar. The result is a longer rear door and a larger glass area at the rear. This in turn means easier entry and exit for rear seat passengers, better visibility for the driver and more airy and brighter interior. One change that we would have liked to see in the new DZire, particularly because it is a sedan, is a longer wheelbase. This would have enabled Maruti to offer more legroom at the rear.
 imensions carried forward



 he Swift hatch’s dimensions have been carried forward for the sedan (including the wheelbase), except the overall length, which is now 4,160mm from 3,695mm in the hatch. Ground clearance and turning radius also remain the same.

With the wheelbase remaining the same, rear legroom in the DZire will be lower than rivals such as the Logan. To offer the rear passengers a more relaxed posture compared to the Swift hatch, the DZire’s rear seat backrest is angled at 27 degrees, about five degrees more. Apart from this, there is no change in seat position.

Interior trim quality in the DZire is almost identical to the hatch version. A neat, new music system has been integrated into the dashboard that adds a lot of charm to the top-end variant of the new DZire. The steering wheel is the same unit that is offered with the Swift and SX4 too. Steering mounted controls for the music system are standard in top-end variant. The instrument cluster in the DZire has round dials with chrome surrounds and features a white backlight, in contrast to the orange-lit dials in the Swift hatch.
 imilar engine


Another carried forward feature in the DZire is, of course, the choice of the same two powertrains. Since Maruti engineers have managed to keep the higher kerb weight of the DZire low, the new sedan is only heavier by 30 kg . Thanks to this, there is effectively no impact on the car’s performance. The power-to-weight ratio remains pretty much identical. It is another matter that the big boot when loaded could affect the performance of the engines in the sedan.

The 1,298cc, 16-valve petrol mill in the DZire puts out the same peak power of 87bhp @ 6,000 rpm and the maximum torque too is the same 113 Nm @ 4,500 rpm. The fun-to-drive DDiS diesel engine in the DZire also generates the same peak power of 75 bhp @ 4,000 rpm and a maximum torque of 190 Nm @ 2,000 rpm. The all-aluminium mills are relatively refined compared to what the competition in this segment offers. Drive feel and performance are very similar to the Swift hatch.
 ome reservations



 here are three features that we would have liked Maruti to incorporate in the DZire. First, the Swift hatch has a blacked out A-pillar for lending it a floating roof effect when looked at from a distance. But, carrying it forward into the new sedan for retaining the Swift parentage isn’t quite justified. In our opinion, it doesn’t gel with the sedan’s profile.

 econd, though both the engines perform very much like in the hatch, the NVH (noise, vibration, harshness) package in the DZire could have been better than the hatch, after all the expectations of customers in this segment will be a bit higher than of small car buyers.

 nd, third, the interiors of the DZire could have been made more upmarket and a beige/two-tone colour theme would have gone well with the sedan’s image.
 ricing, the key


 Overall, Maruti has a strong replacement for the Esteem. The DZire has the potential to help Maruti come back with a bang in the entry sedan segment. Pricing will be key, particularly since competitors such as the Tata Indigo/CS and the Mahindra Renault Logan have pricing power on their side.

 We expect the Swift DZire to be priced in the Rs 4.5 lakh (for the LXi variant) to Rs 6.2 lakh (for the ZDi variant) range. Unlike the Swift hatch, the DZire gets a top-end diesel variant in the ZDi, which features dual airbags and ABS as part of standard fitment.



S. Muralidhar