5-star new Dzire will not be sold as a taxi

As the Dzire Tour S continues in third-gen format, it won’t get the updated safety kit and more fuel-efficient engine offered by the fourth-gen Dzire

Maruti Dzire is a popular choice among consumers as well as fleet and taxi operators. For the latter group who use the car for business purposes, Maruti offers the Dzire Tour S variant. The Tour S has some unique features that make it even more suitable for commercial operations.

Old Dzire continues to participate in S competition

With the launch of the new Dzire, it seems that the Dzire Tour S variant will also get an update. However, this is not the case. At least, not yet. It may take a few years for the Dzire Tour S to be updated to the fourth-generation format. Until then, the Tour S will continue in its existing third-generation format. However, Tour S buyers are unlikely to have any major concerns with this approach. As with the previous generation model, the Tour S was also updated at a later stage.

Furthermore, private consumers have very different needs compared to fleet and taxi operators. The existing Dzire Tour S is well equipped and in high demand. It is estimated that the Tour S contributes nearly 40% of Dzire’s overall sales. This number is quite large considering the sales volume in the financial year 2023-24 is over 1.65 lakh units. Monthly sales of Dzire Tour S are approximately 5,000 units. This means that monthly sales of the Tour S alone exceed those of the second-best-selling entry-level sedan, the Hyundai Aura.

Dzire Tour S – What does it offer?

Dzire Tour is designed to meet the needs and preferences of fleets and taxi operators, with speed limiting functionality. Its top speed is 80 km/h. Dzire sold to private consumers has no such restrictions. The third-generation Tour S uses a 1.2-liter petrol engine that produces 90 horsepower and 113 Nm of torque. The standard Dzire comes with an automatic gearbox option, while the Tour S only comes with a 5-speed manual gearbox.

While the new fourth-generation Dzire offers higher mileage, the third-generation Tour S isn’t too far behind. The Tour S has a rated fuel efficiency of 23.15 km/l when running on petrol. The Tour S is also available in CNG option with a mileage of 32.12 km/kg. In comparison, the mileage of the new fourth-generation Dzire is 24.79 km/l for the manual version and 25.71 km/l for the AMT version. The Dzire CNG version has a driving range of 33.73 km/kg.

While the new Dzire offers a more comprehensive safety suite, the Tour S variant is also well-equipped. Tour S comes with ESP, dual airbags, ABS with EBD and brake assist, Suzuki Heartect Body, reversing radar sensor, headlight leveling, ISOFIX child seat anchors, seat belts for all seats, with pretensioners Front seat belt, driver and front passenger seat belt reminder and door ajar warning light.

But one major safety aspect that is missing is the Global NCAP 5-star rating that the new Dzire has received. In comparison, the safety rating of the third-generation Dzire is only 2 stars. From a fleet and taxi operator perspective, the Tour S could do better with a new engine (more range) and an enhanced safety suite. Other features like sunroof, wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay and the large touchscreen available on the new Dzire may not be necessary for the Tour S variant.