Suzuki's new car boasts a five-star rating for just $8,000
It's called the Dzire, and it lives up to your heart's content.
In the US, small cars are dying left and right. You can't get a brand-new Kia Rio, Ford Focus, or even a Honda Fit anymore. The Mitsubishi Mirage will follow suit soon followed by the Nissan Versa. This largely comes down to dwindling demand while the more popular trucks and SUVs have gotten bigger and heavier, raising safety concerns about buying something smaller.
Overseas, small cars have continued to thrive in Europe and Asia as space-efficient transportation in cities with streets too narrow to fit a shoebox and populated regions where there is little wiggle room for rubber to meet the road. In these instances, motorcycles and compacts reign supreme.
Cars and safety regulations look very different overseas
Since passenger vehicles are commonly smaller in these regions, there is less of a need for stringent safety regulations. The NCAP (New Car Assessment Program) safety organization allows for looser requirements in certain parts of the world, which means scoring no stars on a vehicle for sale is possible. All of this makes Suzuki's latest achievement even more incredible.
Suzuki was another household name known for small cars until it left the US market over a decade ago. However, the brand is alive and well in India as Maruti Suzuki where they recently released the latest generation of its sub-compact Dzire for 2025.
Carrying a cheeky name, it also carries a cheeky price of 679,000 rupees, which at current exchange rates, converts to just over $8,000. The company was so confident of its new Dzire passing safety tests with flying colors that it sent the new model directly to Global NCAP.
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There's NCAP and then there's Global NCAP
In the realm of safety testing, there is the Global NCAP program and regional NCAP programs such as the Bharat NCAP. The Bharat NCAP is relatively new and focuses specifically on the Indian auto market. It considers factors such as vehicle size, weight, and crash scenarios that occur within the country.
The Global NCAP broadens the scope to implement standards on an international level. This doesn’t just address vehicle safety in India but in countries all over the world. So when a small, cheap car aces Global NCAP crash tests, it’s notable news.
How well does it perform? The fourth-generation Suzuki Dzire sedan puts buyers at ease with a perfect five-star rating. This is an impressive achievement, especially considering it has four doors and measures just three inches longer than a new Miata.
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Despite its low price, Suzuki did not cheap out with the Dzire
The Dzire is by no means basic transportation either. Available features consist of toys like a 360-degree camera, automatic air conditioning, a wireless charging pad, a sunroof, and a 9-inch touchscreen that supports wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Throw in LED headlights, 15-inch two-tone wheels, and vibrant color options, and you end up at only $12,000.
The Dzire’s affordability makes it easy to forgive its performance shortcomings. It will never be a speed machine with a 1.2-liter three-cylinder engine that makes just 80 horsepower and 3 more pound-feet of torque. The transmission choice is between a five-speed manual or a five-speed automated manual called Auto Gear Shift. On the plus side, the Dzire is a featherweight, coming in at a scant 2,028 pounds for the base model. If not a fast performer, it could be a lively one. 2025 Suzuki Dzire
Final thoughts
Despite being a newcomer, the 2025 Suzuki Dzire is already making waves. Local Indian publication Car & Bike called it almost perfect. Autocar India's review is similarly positive so already, this is showing to be a promising little vehicle.
Can a superior safety rating and friendly price coax Suzuki's return to the US with a Dzire? Likely not, but it's good to know the automaker still has a solid foothold in the international markets.
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