Suzuki Dzire Hybrid

With this updated version, the Suzuki Dzire Hybrid has also become more elegant and luxurious than before. Like the previous-generation version, this new one also comes with a dual-tone black and beige upholstery for the cabin, with the seats having fabric finish as standard. However, the steering wheel has a leather finish in the GLX variant, with the Dzire continuing to have faux wood finish over the dashboard and contrast silver accents on the dashboard and door panel inserts. 

The new Suzuki Dzire Hybrid retains the dashboard layout from the fourth-generation Dzire sold overseas, albeit with a few minor changes. Behind the flat-bottom three spoke steering wheel, the Dzire gets a conventional instrument console with classy-looking dials and a TFT MID in between them. However, we would have loved to see a more modern full-TFT setup for the instrument console here. 

The centre console here is slightly tilted towards the driver side, and has a free-standing touchscreen infotainment system at the top, sleek trapezoidal-shaped AC vents in the middle and a trapezoidal panel for the climate control switches at the bottom. 

Pros and Cons:

Pro: Premium-looking dual-tone black and beige theme for the cabin

Con: Could have had a full-TFT setup for the instrument console

Features and Technology

With this new-generation version, Suzuki has also upped the equipment list of the Dzire, which now feels more premium and new-age on the inside. The sedan gets a tilt-adjustable steering wheel with audio, Bluetooth and cruise control switches, a 4.2-inch TFT display in the instrument console, all-four power windows, rear AC vents, touchscreen infotainment system (7-inch screen in GL and 9-inch screen in GLX variants), four speakers, a 12V accessory socket, two type-A and one type-C USB charging ports, front and rear centre armrests and driver seat height adjustment.

Besides having a larger touchscreen infotainment system, the GLX variant also has a few more added features like automatic climate control and two tweeters. However, this Philippines-spec version of the Dzire misses out on some of the features available in the global-spec version, including a sunroof and wireless charger. 

Pros and cons:

Pro: Touchscreen infotainment system offered as standard

Con: No ventilated front seats and sunroof

Boot Space and Storage

The fourth-generation Suzuki Dzire claims a boot space of 378 litres, which is non-expandable as the rear seats are fixed. The boot space is lower than what the competition offers, but is decent enough for a sedan of its size and is more than the previous-generation model.

The Suzuki Dzire Hybrid also has a lot of practical and usable storage spaces in the cabin, which further enhances its everyday practicality. The sedan gets front and rear storage pockets, cup holders in the front console and rear centre armrest, passenger’s side seatback pocket and a sizeable glovebox. 

Pros and cons:

Pro: Usable storage spaces in the cabin

Con: Short on space in the boot compartment compared to rivals

Compared to all the previous generations of the Dzire, this new fourth-generation Dzire easily is the most stylish and proportionate looking version. Suzuki has made commendable efforts to make the Dzire Hybrid a proper, premium-looking sedan for the masses, and the efforts paid well, for the Dzire Hybrid now looks one level up its direct peers. 

The front profile of the Suzuki Dzire Hybrid looks very sleek and slightly in-your-face too, with the sedan having an imposing grille with tapered lower edges and multiple chrome slats across its width from top to bottom. The upper most part of the grille is finished in black and also has a thicker chrome garnish strip, which seamlessly blends with the LED DRLs that are placed within the all-LED headlamp housings on the sides. 

Besides LED DRLs, the headlamps housings also have halogen turn indicators in the outer lower edges. The front bumper of the Dzire has C-shaped housings for the LED fog lamps, which along with the LED DRLs, are available only in the GLX variant. Compared to before, the contours over the bonnet and fenders of the new Suzuki Dzire Hybrid feels smoother. 

The side profile of the Suzuki Dzire Hybrid has 14-inch steel wheels with wheel caps in the GL variant and stylish-looking 15-inch machined alloy wheels in the GLX variant. The outside rearview mirrors here are both electrically adjustable and foldable, with the GLX variant also having auto-foldable function for the mirrors. The GLX variant also has chrome finish for the window waistline.

The rear profile of the Suzuki Dzire Hybrid also looks more stylish and elegant than before, with dynamic clear lens tail lamps with blacked-out finish and LED inserts for the combination tail lamps. Between the tail lamps, the boot lid of the Dzire Hybrid also has a chrome garnish strip, adding more premium appeal to its look.

Pros and cons:

Pro: Fancy-looking headlamps and tail lamps

Cons: 14-inch steel wheel caps of the GL variant look basic

As the name suggests, the Suzuki Dzire Hybrid comes with a mild-hybrid system for its Z-series engine, which gives the sedan some additional measures like idle start-stop system, brake energy regeneration and torque assist. Thanks to idle start-stop system and a lighter engine, the Suzuki Dzire Hybrid is more fuel efficient than before.

Suzuki claims a fuel efficiency of 25.71 kmpl for the India=spec Dzire, which misses out on the Hybrid technology and gets a 5-speed manual transmission or a 5-speed AMT instead of CVT. The Philippines-spec Dzire is also expected to have the same fuel efficiency figure, making it the most fuel-efficient sedan in the market right now. 

Pros: Excellent fuel efficiency in both ideal city and highway driving conditions

Con: Nothing much actually

The fourth-generation Suzuki Dzire is based on a modified Heartect platform, which also served as the base of its predecessor. It has retained the Macpherson struts at the front and torsion beam at the rear from the previous-generation Dzire, which delivers a supple ride quality and composed feel at higher speeds. The light steering setup further enhances the urban driving appeal of the Dzire, though we would have loved to see a heftier steering feel at higher speeds. 

Pros and Cons:

Pro: Very comfortable ride quality 

Con: Steering feels too light at higher speeds 

The fourth-generation Suzuki Dzire Hybrid is radically different under the hood, when compared to all of its predecessors. Unlike the four-cylinder petrol engines powering the previous versions of the Dzire, this new version gets a 1.2-litre three-cylinder naturally-aspirated petrol engine.

Dubbed as Z12E, this new-generation engine claims to produce 81.58 PS of maximum power and 11.7 Nm of maximum torque. These performance outputs are significantly lower than the K-Series four-cylinder engine which was offered in the last-generation Dzire. A CVT is the standard gearbox choice in both the variants. 

Pros and cons:

Pro: Smooth and reliable petrol engine

Con: Power and torque outputs lower than previous-gen Dzire

Unlike many new-generation cars in the compact car category, the Suzuki Dzire doesn’t get ADAS, which could have positioned it as a more modern offering over its rivals. Nevertheless, it gets many other standard safety features like ABS with EBD and brake assist, electronic stability program, hill hold control, rear parking sensors, rear camera, six airbags and ISOFIX mounts for child seats. 

Pros and cons:

Pro: Six airbags as standard

Con: No ADAS and 360-degree parking camera

Competitor Comparison

With this update, the Suzuki Dzire has become more expensive compared to its traditional subcompact sedans like Kia Soluto, Mitsubishi Mirage G4, Changan Alswin, MG 5 and Volkswagen Santana, with its premium equipment list justifying its premium positioning. Besides these subcompact sedans, the Dzire Hybrid now also takes on the entry and mid-level variants of slightly larger and more powerful sedans like Toyota Vios, Nissan Almera, Geely Emgrand, and Honda City.

Conclusion and Final Verdict

In this new-generation version, the Suzuki Dzire has become significantly more expensive than before. However, the updates, too, are significant – the exterior looks flashier, the cabin feels more elegant and premium, the additional features make it trendier, and it is now more fuel-efficient than ever before. All these updates do make the Dzire Hybrid a very compelling and practical option for urban usage.