Maruti Suzuki’s dynamic duo — the Swift and Dzire — have long been among India’s largest-selling cars. The Swift, peppy as ever, goes around corners like a mini-MINI Cooper, while the Dzire is a quick-footed sprinter — agile, proving that sedans offer a far superior drive compared to SUVs.
On Friday, Maruti Suzuki made them easier and cheaper to drive by introducing Auto Gear Shift (AGS) in the CNG powertrain in both models, priced at Rs 7.92 lakh for the Swift and Rs 8.53 lakh for the Dzire (ex-showroom).
The driving experience
Stepping into the driver’s seat, the biggest surprise isn’t the convenience, but the power. Traditionally, factory-fitted CNG cars came with a subtle performance drop, requiring you to rev harder for good throttle response. Not here. Both cars get the 1.2-litre, three-cylinder Z-Series engine; flipping between CNG and petrol modes on the fly, you’ll be hard-pressed to tell the difference in outright performance. The calibration between the CNG fuel delivery and the 5-speed AGS unit is seamless.
The AGS — Maruti’s terminology for the automated manual gearbox — is a slow gear-shifter on highways, but in stop-and-go traffic, the CNG-AGS is a game-changer. The Swift, in particular, lives up to its moniker — it’s ‘swift’ and light on its feet. The Dzire has that same planted composure, handling corners with minimal body roll and maintaining a level of road-sticking confidence that no compact SUV can match.
Yet, for all this engineering excellence under the bonnet, Maruti seems to have missed a trick at the rear. While competitors like Tata Motors have introduced dual-cylinder CNG technology — and Maruti itself has the underbody CNG tank in cars like the Victoris — both the Swift and Dzire have the conventional single-cylinder CNG tank in the boot, eating into usable luggage space. In the Swift, this leaves virtually no space for heavy weekend luggage. In the Dzire as well, where the high loading lip and existing 382-litre boot were already a step behind rivals like the Honda Amaze, the CNG tank eats up substantial luggage space.
But minor boot-space grievance aside, the core driving experience of both the cars is good. The cabin remains familiar — the Swift’s all-black layout contrasting with the Dzire’s black-and-beige theme. Both now offer effortless two-pedal driving (no clutch, only brake and accelerator) and have lower running costs without sacrificing the fun.
