The Maruti Suzuki Swift Dzire might have been based on the Swift, but it has managed to consistently outsell its host. This underscores the importance and popularity of the compact sedan segment in the Indian market. The third generation Swift Dzire was launched earlier today with a price tag of Rs 5.45 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi), which is just Rs 10,000 more than the outgoing model. The new car retains all the good bits from the old Swift Dzire while improving on areas like styling, space and creature comforts. We take a look at the Maruti Suzuki Swift Dzire’s competition.
Hyundai Xcent
Hyundai cars are known for their exhaustive features list, and the Hyundai Xcent is no different. Its biggest strength is the list of creature comforts and the comfortable ride. The Xcent was updated last month with a minor facelift and a slew of new features. This car is the second most popular sub-four metre sedan in the Indian market, after the Swift Dzire. Its range begins with the E petrol variant priced at Rs 5.38 lakh while the top-spec SX CRDi diesel costs Rs 8.42 lakh (both ex-showroom, Delhi)
Being a Honda, the Amaze demands a premium over its competitors. Nevertheless, the Amaze has proven to be very popular in India and comes very close to the Xcent as far as sales numbers go. Prices start at Rs 5.6 lakh for the base petrol 1.2 E i-Vtec, going all the way up to Rs 8.53 lakh (both ex-showroom, Delhi) for the top-spec 1.5 VX i-Dtec. The Honda Amaze, just like the Swift Dzire, has been consistently outselling the hatchback that it is based upon.
Tata Zest
Tata was the first to move when the law for excise duty cut was announced. The Indigo CS was the pioneer of the segment and had a good run in its initial days. But once the competition caught up, Tata had to give the compact sedan a major overhaul and a new moniker. The Tata Zest boasts of the most spacious cabin and comfortable seats. The base XE petrol costs Rs 4.79 lakh while the top-end XT diesel will set you back by Rs 7.43 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi). Tata’s other sub-four metre sedan, the Tigor starts at Rs 4.7 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi) making it a really good value-for-money offering.
The Ford Aspire is the closest any car manufacturer has gotten to making a proportionate looking compact sedan. The Ford Aspire also gets the most powerful engines of the lot, both diesel and petrol. It even boasts of a six-airbags system, available in the top-spec variants. Prices start at Rs 5.45 lakh for Ambiente 1.2 Ti-VCT going all the way up to Rs 8.29 lakh (both ex-showroom, Delhi) for the Titanium 1.5 Ti-VCT AT.
Volkswagen Ameo
Volkswagen took its own time developing a compact sedan. The Ameo is the first Volkswagen car to have been developed specifically for the Indian market. It gets a cracker of an engine under the hood, both diesel and petrol. And the cherry on top is the DSG gearbox. The sprightly handling and the engine makes it the compact sedan for the enthusiast. The Trendline petrol costs Rs 5.53 lakh while the Highline diesel will set you back by Rs 9.88 lakh (both ex-showroom, Delhi).
