Maruti Suzuki Dzire long-term review - A fuss-free 7,000 km comes to an end

I've now spent over six months with the Maruti Suzuki Dzire, and it's been a pleasant surprise. I knew this was going to be an easy experience, which is why I chose to daily this in the first place, but the Dzire has exceeded expectations.

I'd go so far as to say that the 6,852 km I have done in this time has been some of the more peaceful ones that I have encountered for as long as I have had these long-term test cars. You have the bullet-proof reliability that is a given with a Maruti Suzuki. The Dzire just seems to go about its business without fuss day after day. You get used to the comfort of not having to worry about the car adding to your to-do list, which is quite a luxury in the fast-paced life of an auto journalist. The brakes starting to squeal towards the end of my tenure seems regular wear. I have had my share of heavy driving with the Dzire, and is the only bit that has had me slightly concerned.

This time in the Dzire has firmly put me in the Z-Series camp. Our test data previously confirmed that this engine is no slower than the K-Series and notably more efficient, but the effect of these traits multiplies over a long ownership period. The efficiency is truly astonishing, especially on the many Mumbai-Pune runs and Sealink office commutes. My fuel stops have dropped significantly, and you can expect over 550 km on a full tank. The convenience of not having to plan fuel stops into your day very often is quite the luxury. I am especially grateful for this, having come to the Dzire from living with an EV without a home charger.

As the Dzire racked up the miles, the engine seemed to come into its own too. It seems to have smoothed out over my usage cycle and its tractability is genuinely handy. It's happy to be responsive in the ghats when I want to make way through traffic without drama and still give me consistent torque in slow traffic to not have me keep shifting often. But it has taken me a while to fully master the slightly vague bite point of the clutch from a standstill.

You also have to remember to be generous with the revs if you find yourself stopped on an incline, and even be at the ready to turn off the AC. This motor seems to fully wake up only past 1,300 rpm, which catches you out in certain situations.

Now for some other bits that I thought could have been better. The AC is effective as is expected of a Maruti Suzuki but a deodorizer function is needed. The cabin gets musty when you run it on re-circulation over long durations. The windscreen washers too could have had a stronger spray, especially noticeable now as the monsoons start to set in. These have been known weak points for Maruti Suzukis in our past experiences which we think should be taken care of. Another such oddity is the fuel gauge that can be unreliable at times, especially right after you fill up from reserve or once the fuel has been sloshed around in the tank, say, while you drive with some enthusiasm in a ghat section.

Finally, I've found the Dzire to be one of the more mature Maruti cars I've driven. It could be more stable at a triple digit cruise but shows great confidence over bad roads. It doesn't just feel tough over these sections but also cocoons you from it in a way that is new for this brand. Not to mention that it goes with the generally convenient nature of this car.

The Dzire is a great example of what a functional family car should be like. It's fuss-free to live with and does everything you need from a car unpretentiously at a good price.