Simply more ‘Dzireable’
The all-new Suzuki Dzire Hybrid is the hottest commodity coming from the Japanese compact carmaker these days.
The vehicle was just launched at the 2025 Manila International Auto Show held at the World Trade Center in Pasay City last April.
Even Suzuki Philippines Incorporated (SPH) director and general manager for automobile division, Norihide Takei, was proud to have unveiled the vehicle, designed to give the local market “a stylish yet practical driving experience.”
“With advanced features, hybrid efficiency, and premium styling, it redefines what a compact sedan can be,” he said.
Takei also underscored their company’s continuing efforts to offer innovative, fuel-efficient vehicles tailored for the local market.
Recently, this all-new Suzuki Dzire Hybrid was put to the test in actual real-world driving conditions. And from it, the vehicle was impressively able to churn out 27.5 km/liter–the best fuel-efficiency record among the lot.
The challenge pitted more than 30 media participants from the Suzuki Auto dealership, in Taguig City, all the way to Bataan. The trip took about 190km in three to four hours of driving. Participants traversed the traffic gridlock in Taguig City en route to the vicinity of Newport City in Pasay before embarking on the Skyway that leads straight to Balintawak Exit and unto the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX). From there, it’s a good one hour drive going to the open roads of the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX) and another one hour and half more before reaching Dinalupihan in Bataan.
This–however–depends on how smooth and fuel-efficiently one is driving. And if one is driving fuel-efficiently, that means he is only averaging 60-70kph along the highway and 30-40kph on tight spots and inner roads.
Revs would only range from 1,000 rpm to a tad below 1,500 rpm maximum to be able to effectively save on fuel. Of course, here, everyone put their game faces on as a premium watch awaited the top winners of the fun fuel economy challenge.
During this fuel economy run, this writer was behind the wheel of the all-new Suzuki Dzire Hybrid the whole time. Although, it may only be a mild hybrid–still–I was very impressed.
Hybrids vs mild hybrids
For starters, hybrid vehicles are designed to improve fuel efficiency and reduce emissions by combining a gasoline engine with an electric motor. This allows for better fuel economy, all the while reducing reliance on fossil fuels. The purpose of a hybrid vehicle is to provide a more sustainable and environment-friendly transportation option while continuing the functionalities of the traditional internal combustion-engined vehicles.
Mild hybrid systems use a small electric motor to assist a combustion engine, primarily for efficiency gains and reduced emissions. Full hybrids, on the other hand, can run on electric power alone for short distances, offering more extensive fuel savings and lower emissions.
Now, this vehicle is powered by a 1.2-liter inline-3 gasoline engine paired with a 12-volt mild-hybrid system consisting of a .19 kW (2 hp) electric motor and a 0.072kWh lithium-ion battery. Together, it can generate up to 80 horsepower and 111.7 N-m of torque.
I was running an average speed of 60kph on the highway and I could feel the seamless flow of energy from the powertrain to the transmission, down to its wheels. Particularly, I love the continuously variable transmission (CVT), this time, compared to the Dzire models of old, which then used AGS (auto gear shift). It’s smoother and more relaxing to operate on. Plus, it’s more practical, too.
Back to normal driving
The next day, after announcing the winners of the fuel economy challenge, in which this writer and his supportive passenger were able to clinch a good formidable second place finish, it was back to normal driving.
Typically, on a day-to-day basis, when I drive on my own, doing errands and bringing my kids to and from school, my daily driver would be on ‘zen’ mode. Meaning, I drive more relaxed and smoothly as I try my best to efficiently squeeze the best possible outcome out of my P500 for a two-day budget.
Now, during media drives, knowing that vehicles here have fuel filled to the brim, it’s a different story. In short, I’m on a field day. I’m just simply free to have fun and just play.
From 60kph the day before, it was 100kph on average, this time around. It was pedal to the metal–but in a safe manner. I could feel the engine slightly roaring every time I floored it–like that of a leopard or a panther.
“It’s like a mini-Mustang,” my companion inside the car even blurted out a few times. “I love it,” he added.
Yes, indeed, we loved it. The Dzire now has better engineering and balance compared to the former. At 3,995mm long, 1,735mm wide and 1,525mm tall, it’s a true subcompact, ready to battle head-to-head with the likes of the Mitsubishi Mirage and the Toyota Vios.
It even dons refined and redesigned front fascia, chrome-accented grille, and multi-light LED headlamps. This goes along well with its sleek silhouette and sculpted body lines that flow seamlessly into its new rear combination lamps, giving it a bold and sophisticated presence on the road. For the top-tier that we used, the vehicle stands on 15-inch alloy wheels.
Inside, this panache spills over with its premium feel, paired with dual-tone interior accents, improved ergonomics, and a driver-centric dashboard layout.
The GLX variant, in particular, is equipped with a nine-inch touchscreen display audio system – compatible with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
Safety-wise, the vehicle has six airbags now standard across all variants—including front, side, and curtain airbags for comprehensive occupant protection.
It also comes equipped with an electronic stability program (ESP), anti-lock braking system (ABS) with electronic brakeforce distribution (EBD), hill hold control, and rear parking sensors with a camera.
Combined with a reinforced body structure, all these features have earned the vehicle a well-deserved world-class 5-star safety rating.
With two options: the GL CVT Hybrid, priced at P920,000 and the GLX CVT Hybrid, tagged at P998,000, all I can say is that this all-new Suzuki Dzire Hybrid is simply, hands down, smoother and way more elegantly stylish. ‘Nuff said.
