Maruti Dzire AMT review, test drive

The Dzire, when driven hard, can hold the gear to as high as 4,500rpm. What’s different is, in manual, it holds the gear all the way to 5,200rpm. However, in a similar scenario, the Zest upshifts on its own at around 4,200rpm. Unlike the Zest, the Dzire diesel AMT does not come with a Sport mode. What’s nice is that the car uses the engine’s powerband smoothly. Maruti is constantly improving its AMT technology as it equips more models with this gearbox, and on this car, you can tell.

When you want an instant change of pace, put your foot down hard and the Dzire drops gears quickly, but power is interrupted for a bit, which can leave you stranded while overtaking.

The AMT gearbox is available only on the top-spec ZDi trim that comes with all the features present on the manual version. Priced at Rs 8.39 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi), the Dzire AMT is considerably more expensive than the manual model. But considering the added convenience, it does seem worth it.