The Suzuki Dzire was known as Swift Dzire before Suzuki decided to make it its own model. An evolution that is quite symbolic in its nature. According to Suzuki the Dzire is the reinvention of the Swift with the added bonus of a boot. Cars.co.za reported that the Dzire makes a good contestant in the taxi and Uber market as the car offers comfortable cabins, substantial rear leg room and boot space. The Dzire characterises how a modern compact sedan should look like and how it should perform. The iconic polygonal front grille accentuated with chrome adds to its appeal and makes the Dzire look sleeker and sharper. It is designed for today’s wise and practical riders.
I had the car for a week and I was very impressed with how the car drives. The Dzire boasts a smooth and comfortable drive. The 1.2 GL petrol engine is quiet and frugal. The frugality of a car is desirable in these tough economic times where the cost of petrol is high. The average fuel consumption on Dzire is 4.9/100KM.
The Interior
The interior of the car is nothing to ride home about from a technology point of view. I found the car’s Bluetooth quite tricky to use. However, the AUX input and USB console boxes made life easier. The all electric windows and steering wheel controls are quite cool. I liked the sporty feeling of the steering wheel. In today’s world where almost everyone has a smartphone, the 12V accessories sockets in the centre and rear console come in very handy in case the need arises for anyone inside the car wants to charge their smartphones. What also stood out for inside the Dzire is the rear air-conditioning vents, which is unheard of in an entry-level sedan.
Storage
There are storage pockets on front doors offer extra storage as well as the bottle holders on all doors. For someone who is always carrying a 1 liter bottle of water I found it quite special. There is also a rear console tray providing convenience for passengers to put in their cellphones whilst charging their phones. The boot space is large enough to fit about two medium-sized travelling bags. To be precise the boot size is 378 litres.
Safety and Security
In terms of safety and security the car has two front airbags for front passengers and an immobilizer/alarm.
Pricing
The Dzire is competitively priced, starting from R161 000 for the 1.2 GA manual model. The 1.2 GL model (which is the one I had for a test) starts from R178 900 and the 1.2 Auto starts from R192 800.
In conclusion here are the Pats and Slaps of the Suzuki Desire 1.2 GL manual
Pat(s)
- The fuel consumption of the Dzire is a winner in the car.
- The car really drives smoothly
- The car had sufficient storage space especially the bottle holders on the doors and the boot space.
- The car comes with an impressive 5-year/200 000 km mechanical warranty and 2-year/30 000 km service plan.
Slap(s)
- The lack of technology features in the car e.g an infotainment and seat belt reminder is off putting especially for a modern car.
