Numero Uno

Let’s get one thing straight, even if the DZire comes last in this test, it’ll still be the segment bestseller by a country mile. We’re talking about Maruti Suzuki here, and no one knows our automobile market better. So, apart from being bestselling, let’s see if their latest model can also be the ‘best’ amongst equals.

- Abhishek Chaliha

Xerox – a company name that went on to become a household term for photocopying. That’s the power of a great product! When your product actually goes onto define a genre in itself you know you’re on to something. Now, before my Editor comes chasing me for going on about photocopiers, let’s get back to this magazine and cars. When it comes to the Indian automobile scenario, like Xerox, Maruti Suzuki has a ring to it.

Name plates such as the 800, Alto, Zen, Esteem, Swift, are just a few of its all-time greatest hits. So powerful are these names that they pretty much sold themselves as they flew off the showroom floor. One such product to have this effect more recently is the company’s compact sedan – the DZire. Before the arrival of the new model you see here, the second-gen Swift DZire was just five years of age. But the car was lagging behind in terms of space and equipment, as its newer rivals outclassed it by being far more comfortable and practical.

But, did the Indian customer care for any of this? Nope. The DZire was consistently India’s second highest selling car for years. It even managed to outsell the mighty Alto for a few months every year. As for its superior competitors, well, they never tasted much the same success.

So, we’ve established one thing for sure. Even if this new DZire comes dead last in this competition test, it’ll still be the segment bestseller by quite a margin.