Clash Of Segments: Maruti Swift vs Maruti Dzire - Which Car To Buy?

Agencies Updated at: 10 Aug 2018 03:30 PM (IST)

Planning to stay within the Maruti family but cannot decide whether it’s the Swift or the Dzire that suits your needs better? We’re here to help

With an annual sales figure well over a million units, it’s no doubt that owners of Maruti Suzuki vehicles in the country outnumbers the entire population of Iceland! If you are not one of the million but are eyeing a new car within the Rs 10 lakh price bracket, the Swift and Dzire must surely be ranking high on your list. However, which of the two suits your needs better? We’ve got all the answers to your questions.

Both cars not only rule the sales charts in their respective segments, they also share the same platform, a lot of features and engine options. The prices of several of their variants overlap each other too. So here’s a look at some of the major differences between the two.

Maruti Dzire	Maruti Swift
Compact Sedan: The Dzire is a three-box car, which means it gets a separate luggage compartment. The sedan’s front end is similar to the Swift. But the two can be easily distinguished as the sedan gets chrome detailing on the grille and a different front bumper design.	5-door Hatchback: The Swift is a hatchback and doesn’t get a separate compartment for your luggage. It’s based on the same platform as the Dzire but is shorter in length. That should make it slightly easier to manoeuvre and park in the city but its luggage carrying capacity is lower
Soft Ride: The Dzire’s suspension setup is optimised to offer a comfortable ride rather than sporty handling.	Firm Ride: The Swift's suspension is stiff and tuned towards sporty handling. While the ride isn't uncomfortable, sharp undulations tend to filter a lot more into the cabin when compared to the Dzire.
Spacious: The Dzire is not only longer than the Swift but is also more spacious. It offers more knee room at the front as well as the rear. The Dzire’s cabin is also wider on the inside.	Compact but not cramped: The Swift is certainly not as spacious as the Dzire but the third-gen hatchback has a lot more space than its predecessor.
Competition: The Dzire is the highest selling sedan in its segment. It competes against the Honda Amaze, Ford Aspire, Volkswagen Ameo, Hyundai Xcent and Tata Tigor	Competition: It rivals the likes of Hyundai Grand i10 and Ford Figo. Like the Dzire, the hatchback sits on top of its segment in terms of sales figures.

Features comparison of closely priced variants

Maruti Dzire L vs Swift V

	Petrol	Diesel
Maruti Dzire	Rs 5.56 lakh	Rs 6.56 lakh
Maruti Swift	Rs 5.87 lakh	Rs 6.87 lakh
Difference	Rs 31,000 (Swift is more expensive)	31,000 (Swift is more expensive)

Common features: Both cars come with a basic safety kit which includes ISOFIX child seat mounts, ABS with EBD, dual airbags and seatbelts with pretensioners. Apart from these, both share a dual-tone interior, a tilt adjustable steering, a gear shift indicator, a front accessory socket and an antenna.

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Additional features in the Dzire over Swift: Bottle holders in the doors

Additional Features in Swift Over Dzire: Body-coloured and electrically adjustable outside mirrors with turn indicators, wheel covers, electromagnetic trunk opener, remote keyless entry, central locking, all four power windows with auto down for driver side, height adjustable driver seat with adjustable front headrests, front door armrest, sun visors on both the sides, speed-sensing door locks, day/night IRVM, security alarm system, tachometer, audio player with Bluetooth, AUX and USB, four door speakers and steering-mounted controls.

Takeaway: Since we have cherry-picked the Dzire’s base variant against the V variant of the Swift, the feature deficit is monumental. The Swift outscores the Dzire in terms of useful features and is worth considering since it costs just Rs 31,000 over the sedan’s base variant.

Maruti Dzire V vs Swift Z

	Petrol	Diesel
Maruti Dzire (MT/AMT)	Rs 6.44 lakh / Rs 6.91 lakh	Rs 7.44 lakh / Rs 7.91 lakh
Maruti Swift (MT/AMT)	Rs 6.49 lakh / Rs 6.96 lakh	Rs 7.49 lakh / Rs 7.96 lakh
Difference	Rs 5,000 (Swift is more expensive)	Rs 5,000 (Swift is more expensive)

Common Features: Body-coloured bumper, door handles, ORVM integrated turn indicators, security alarm, speed-sensitive door locks, day/night IRVM, tachometer, audio remote control with four door speakers, audio unit with bluetooth, AUX and USB and steering-mounted controls, keyless entry, electromagnetic trunk, height adjustable driver’s seat, front sun visors, electromagnetic backdoor/trunk opener and driver side one-touch window down.

Additional Features in the Dzire over Swift: Chrome accents on the front grille, cabin with burl wood and chrome ornamentation, rear armrest with cupholders, rear AC vents with accessory socket and a boot lamp.

Additional Features in Swift Over Dzire: 15-inch alloy wheels, electronically retractable ORVMs, reverse parking sensors, front fog lamps, leather-wrapped steering, driver’s window pinch guard and auto up function, push start/stop button, tweeters, auto climate control and rear defogger.

Takeaway: There’s a considerable gap between the when it comes to features. For an additional sum of Rs 5,000, you can upgrade from the Dzire V variants to the Z variants of the hatchback that gets a lot more goodies that not only enhances practicality but also give it a more premium feel. The Swift is the clear value-for-money pick here for those who drive themselves.

However, if you spend most of your time in the rear bench, it’s the Dzire V that will be more welcoming as all the additional features that the Swift Z gets over the Dzire V are either cosmetic or driver-centric. And since the Dzire V packs all the basic features, it won’t disappoint you on days when you feel like getting behind the steering wheel.

Maruti Dzire Z vs Swift Z+

Variant	Petrol	Diesel
Maruti Dzire (MT/AMT)	Rs 7.06 lakh / Rs 7.53 lakh	Rs 8.06 lakh / Rs 8.53 lakh
Maruti Swift (MT/AMT)	Rs 7.29 lakh / Rs 7.76 lakh	Rs 8.29 lakh / Rs 8.76 lakh
Difference	Rs 23,000 (Swift is more expensive)	Rs 23,000 (Swift is more expensive)

Common Features over previous variants: 15-inch alloy wheels, front fog lamps, electrically retractable ORVMs, reverse parking sensors, driver’s window pinch guard and auto up function, push start/stop button, tweeters, auto climate control and rear defogger.

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Additional features in the Dzire over the Swift: Chrome window liner strip

Additional features in Swift over the Dzire: Silver accents on door trims, Auto LED projector headlamps with DRLs, reverse parking camera, 7-inch smartplay infotainment system.

Takeaway: The Swift commands a premium of Rs 23,000 but the additional features makes up for it. However, like we’ve seen in the Dzire V and Swift Z comparison, the sub-4 metre sedan remains the car of choice for those seeking a more comfortable rear seat since the additional features that the Swift gets are all driver-centric.

Maruti Dzire Z+ vs Swift Z+

	Petrol	Diesel
Maruti Dzire (MT/AMT)	Rs 7.96 lakh / Rs 8.43 lakh	Rs 8.96 lakh / Rs 9.43 lakh
Maruti Swift (MT/AMT)	Rs 7.29 lakh / Rs 7.76 lakh	Rs 8.29 lakh / Rs 8.76 lakh
Difference	Rs 67,000	Rs 67,000

Common Features (over previous variants): Auto LED projector headlights, 15-inch alloy wheels, 7-inch infotainment system with reverse parking camera, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto

Takeaway: The top variants of the Dzire and the Swift get the same set of features. However, you have to pay an extra Rs 67,000 for the sedan. So if you are looking for a feature-laden car but not worried about the space on offer, go for the Swift.

Why Buy Dzire:

Bigger Boot: The Dzire is capable of gobbling up the family’s luggage on a weekend trip much easier than the Swift
Better rear seat: It has a rear armrest, rear AC vents and a more supple ride, which will keep the Dzire’s rear occupants more comfortable

Why Buy Swift:

Compact City Car: If you are looking for a compact daily driver that's easy to zip around town, the Swift makes a strong case for itself
Fun to drive: The Swift is a driver’s delight and is more fun on a set of twisties