Suzuki Auto South Africa has just introduced an new Suzuki Dzire into the local market. It is quite a niche product that has few rivals. Among these are the Honda Amaze and Kia Pegas. The Dzire is, in essence, a booted version of the Swift, although the siblings don’t share a familiar face.

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New Inside and Out

The new Suzuki Dzire has a completely revised external appearance. This is most evident on the front-end where there are part of wide horizontal headlamps. The frontal aspect is complemented by a set of neat taillamps. Base, GA, versions have steel wheels while the higher-spec GL+ are fitted with alloys as standard. The basic, three-box, sedan shape provides a massive boot. Suzuki SA quotes a total volume of 378 litres, about 100 more than the hatch.

The facia is reminiscent of that found in the Swift. GL+ versions are fitted with Suzuki’s latest infotainment system that has a 7,0-inch touchscreen interface. In addition it has wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay – handy. Other than that the new Suzuki Dzire is pretty standard fare. We’d have preferred a darker shade for the cloth interior as opposed to the cashew colour that is standard.

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Two Trim Levels

As alluded to, there are two trim levels of the Dzire, namely GA and GL+ variants. Digital air conditioning, USB ports, rear parking sensors, hill hold assist, electric windows, height adjustable driver’s seat and central locking are standard across the range. Other standard items includes six airbags, side impact door beams, ABS brakes with EBD, brake assist and ESP. The GL+ has a few more mod-cons. These include cruise control, a multifunction steering wheel, a reverse camera, a front type-A USB port, hands-free phone control and a luggage area light.

Single Engine

The new Dzire range will be offered with a single engine. This is the same inline three-cylinder engine as found in the Swift. The naturally aspirated unit produces 60 kW and 112 N.m of torque. Suzuki says the petrol engine sips fuel at 4,4 L/100 km. We achieved some pretty impressive figures on our short excursion, but nowhere near the claim. Buyers can choose from a five-speed manual or a CVT. 

A City Drive

We spent a few kilometres driving the new Suzuki Dzire in the urban jungle that is Johannesburg on a busy Friday. The Dzire is small enough to take tiny gaps in traffic, but lacks a bit of power to really feel zippy, so plenty of gearshifts are required to keep up with traffic, especially three-up with the aircon on. We spent most of the day dealing with traffic in and around the Jo’burg CBD, so pretty much the same usage pattern as most typical drivers of this kind of car.

Summary

Suzuki Auto SA has been a regular near the top of the new-vehicle sales listings for many many months now. The company’s current line-up resonates with cash-strapped local buyers. Products such as the Fronx, Baleno, Jimny and Swift are a regular sight on our roads. The new Dzire is likely to become a common sight as well, although we are willing to bet that most will be bought by shuttle services and e-hailing drivers as the trend of private buying leans heavily towards crossovers/SUVs.

Pricing

GA manual – R224 900
GL+ manual – R246 900
GL+ CVT – R266 900