Think about it, unless you intend to use the boot of your Dzire as a mobile store room you’re paying 70 grand for the privilege of carting around an additional 112 litres of plain - free! - air than the guy in the Swift next to you. And so my question - why are you in queue to buy a compact sedan, specifically the new Swift Dzire?
Lets back up a bit. As you will read in our cover story there are three reasons why Indians prefer sedans: more space for larger families (and their luggage), better performance and the status associated with a three-box parked in your driveway. I’m Indian and I completely understand the prestige issue but for the life of me I can’t see how a Dzire and its stubby boot ups your status.
Now if I were looking for an entry-level sedan the Etios would be at the top of my short list. Why? Cause it looks like a traditional sedan (better looking the Dzire definitely is but the boot is still a cut-paste job), has the cabin and boot space you want from a sedan and (at least as far as the petrol goes) has better performance than its hatchback sibling. Out of curiosity I’d also take a cursory glance at the rivals in the field, specifically the new Dzire, sit in it and - as you will read in afore mentioned cover story - immediately cancel the Etios booking. Forget the engine or driving pleasure or any of the road test parameters we talk so much about, as far as the cabin goes the Dzire’s is a million miles ahead of the Etios’. I’ll then sit in the back of the Dzire and grumble about the lack of space, I’ll look at the boot and grumble about the lack of space, I’ll look at it in profile and grumble about the styling yet I’d still settle for the Dzire; I’ll find it in myself to compromise on all those parameters that made me want to buy a sedan in the first place. And thus another Dzire customer is created.
Except said Dzire customer is not thinking with his/her head. Lets compare it to the Swift - our reigning Car of the Year. The Swift is more stylish and definitely more cohesive, has the same (excellent) engines, has better dynamics (the Dzire’s rear suspension has been softened a bit) and equipment levels are identical. What you get in the Dzire is the two-tone black-beige cabin (nice) and 112 litres of additional boot space. That’s it. 112 litres. Unless you want to hide away a CNG cylinder how is 112 litres worth seventy thousand rupees?
I’m constantly asked this question - hatch or sedan, and in the case of the old Swift versus Dzire the 440-litre boot made a strong case for the latter. Now? Despite being the best compact sedan in the market there is no reason to buy a Dzire over the thoroughly capable and quite frankly excellent Swift! Heck the Dzire has a smaller boot than the Jazz!
That’s perverse. The Jazz has 68 more litres of boot space. Because of its shape you can fit in odd sized suitcases. For those airport runs you can fold and tumble the rear seats to increase luggage space by a whopping 1320 litres (you can’t replicate the trick in the Dzire). The Jazz has a low loading lip so you won’t throw you back. The rear seat squab folds up so you can even put in a potted palms standing upright. And if you read our Swift versus Jazz comparo last October you will also know that the Jazz has more space (head, leg, shoulder, everything) than the Swift (and consequently the Dzire too). Honestly, if you want space and are okay with a petrol you want a Jazz. Plus with the recent price correction it is slightly cheaper than the Dzire and, to me eye at least, the Jazz looks nicer, is more exclusive and is that wee bit posher.
Or you can do the smart thing, pocket the 70 grand - that’s petrol for a year, with enough left over to call for a cool cab whenever you need a big boot - and be very happy with a Swift.
Do you still want that compact sedan?
Lets back up a bit. As you will read in our cover story there are three reasons why Indians prefer sedans: more space for larger families (and their luggage), better performance and the status associated with a three-box parked in your driveway. I’m Indian and I completely understand the prestige issue but for the life of me I can’t see how a Dzire and its stubby boot ups your status.
Now if I were looking for an entry-level sedan the Etios would be at the top of my short list. Why? Cause it looks like a traditional sedan (better looking the Dzire definitely is but the boot is still a cut-paste job), has the cabin and boot space you want from a sedan and (at least as far as the petrol goes) has better performance than its hatchback sibling. Out of curiosity I’d also take a cursory glance at the rivals in the field, specifically the new Dzire, sit in it and - as you will read in afore mentioned cover story - immediately cancel the Etios booking. Forget the engine or driving pleasure or any of the road test parameters we talk so much about, as far as the cabin goes the Dzire’s is a million miles ahead of the Etios’. I’ll then sit in the back of the Dzire and grumble about the lack of space, I’ll look at the boot and grumble about the lack of space, I’ll look at it in profile and grumble about the styling yet I’d still settle for the Dzire; I’ll find it in myself to compromise on all those parameters that made me want to buy a sedan in the first place. And thus another Dzire customer is created.
Except said Dzire customer is not thinking with his/her head. Lets compare it to the Swift - our reigning Car of the Year. The Swift is more stylish and definitely more cohesive, has the same (excellent) engines, has better dynamics (the Dzire’s rear suspension has been softened a bit) and equipment levels are identical. What you get in the Dzire is the two-tone black-beige cabin (nice) and 112 litres of additional boot space. That’s it. 112 litres. Unless you want to hide away a CNG cylinder how is 112 litres worth seventy thousand rupees?
I’m constantly asked this question - hatch or sedan, and in the case of the old Swift versus Dzire the 440-litre boot made a strong case for the latter. Now? Despite being the best compact sedan in the market there is no reason to buy a Dzire over the thoroughly capable and quite frankly excellent Swift! Heck the Dzire has a smaller boot than the Jazz!
That’s perverse. The Jazz has 68 more litres of boot space. Because of its shape you can fit in odd sized suitcases. For those airport runs you can fold and tumble the rear seats to increase luggage space by a whopping 1320 litres (you can’t replicate the trick in the Dzire). The Jazz has a low loading lip so you won’t throw you back. The rear seat squab folds up so you can even put in a potted palms standing upright. And if you read our Swift versus Jazz comparo last October you will also know that the Jazz has more space (head, leg, shoulder, everything) than the Swift (and consequently the Dzire too). Honestly, if you want space and are okay with a petrol you want a Jazz. Plus with the recent price correction it is slightly cheaper than the Dzire and, to me eye at least, the Jazz looks nicer, is more exclusive and is that wee bit posher.
Or you can do the smart thing, pocket the 70 grand - that’s petrol for a year, with enough left over to call for a cool cab whenever you need a big boot - and be very happy with a Swift.
Do you still want that compact sedan?
