Maruti Suzuki Dzire Tour

The No-Frills Commuter Sedan

Commercial cars have a wide range of applications. Some purposes require only a small hatchback — like cabs that operate within the city and are best suited for two passengers — while others require large MPVs — like taking an intercity tour with your family. And then there are subcompact sedans, which fulfil every other purpose, from airport trips with luggage, to going around with a party of three in the city. Maruti Suzuki has been the king of all of these segments, with cars like the Tour H3 (WagonR Tour), Tour M (Ertiga Tour), and Tour S (Dzire Tour). But what makes these cars better than their rivals, and what is special about the Tour S?

Maruti Suzuki Tour S (Dzire Tour) Pros and Cons 

Maruti Suzuki Tour S (Dzire Tour) Exterior Design 

Save for a few badges, the Tour S is identical to the base variants of the Dzire. The entire front end is borrowed from the Swift, up until the B-pillar, with minor changes to the grille and front bumper, which only a keen eye could spot. Behind the B-pillar is where the Tour S (and the Dzire) differentiates itself from the Swift. The rear doors get regular pull-lever style door handles, instead of the hidden ones the Swift gets. The silhouette is sedan-like, and the body is bulbous and curvy, somewhat like the Ambassador. But being a sub-4-metre car, the rear overhang appears disproportionate, as if it was sawed-off as an afterthought.

Maruti Suzuki Tour S (Dzire Tour) Interiors 

Although the interiors of the Tour S have started to show their age, they have aged well, and updates over the years have ensured they don’t look outdated compared to more modern rivals. The cabin gets a beige and black finish, and while the beige makes the interiors appear airy and spacious, it will be a tedious job to keep it clean. The seats are finished in good quality fabric, a wise choice considering how hot faux leather gets during Indian summers. The 378 litre boot — while smaller than some rivals — can hold enough luggage for airport runs, thanks to its adequate shape. However, most of it is occupied by the cylinder in the CNG variant, leaving space for a medium suitcase and a couple of soft bags.

Maruti Suzuki Tour S (Dzire Tour) Comfort 

The front seats in the Tour S are well contoured and make you feel snug, but not cramped. The rear bench also has plenty of room considering this is a subcompact car, and can host two adults over day-long journeys in comfort. Three abreast could be a squeeze though, given that the car is not wide. All seats also have soft cushioning, which in-turn deliver great comfort. The suspension soaks up bumps and potholes well, but the ride does get a bit floaty at high speeds.

Maruti Suzuki Tour S (Dzire Tour) Performance and handling

With Maruti Suzuki stopping the production of diesel vehicles in India as BS6 norms kicked in, the Tour S has been left with only one engine option which can be had with either petrol or petrol + CNG configurations. The engine in question is the same 1.2-litre K-series engine that powers the Swift, and dishes out 89 bhp and 113 Nm torque while running on petrol. The engine is peppy and free revving, and is well refined too. At idle speeds, you can barely hear the DualJet engine, and there’s plenty of low-end torque to ponder around at low speeds in higher gears. Floor the throttle, and the engine will spool all the way up to 6,400 RPM, delivering plenty of power for quick urban overtakes.

Maruti Suzuki Tour S (Dzire Tour) Key specifications 

Maruti Suzuki Tour S (Dzire Tour) Safety Features

The Maruti Suzuki Tour S has very lightweight construction, weighing less than one ton even in its CNG guise. The same doesn’t exude a feeling of safety when you are in the car. While there is no NCAP rating for the Tour S yet, its hatchback cousin — the Swift — received a poor one star crash test rating from Global NCAP, setting expectations from the Tour S rather low. Some basic safety features are a part of the Tour S’s feature list, including dual-airbags, ABS, EBD, brake assist, ESP, ISOFIX child seat mounts, and front seat-belt pre-tensioners. 

Maruti Suzuki Tour S (Dzire Tour) Technology and Infotainment

Being a commercial car, the Tour S isn’t equipped with any infotainment system onboard, and if you wish to have any entertainment systems in the car, you will have to turn to aftermarket options. 

Is the Maruti Suzuki Tour S (Dzire Tour) for you?

When it comes to commercial sedans, the Tour S is the market king. And there are many reasons that contribute to its success. The K-series engine has proved itself to be very reliable over lakhs of kilometres, and adding the low maintenance costs and high fuel economy to the mix makes it a very commercial-friendly vehicle. The main problem that plagues the Dzire, which is a stark lack of features, also doesn’t apply to the Tour S given that you wouldn’t expect many features in a commercial car anyway. And on top of that, you get the Maruti badge, which commands high resale value even after years of use, making it a clear pick of the segment.