New Maruti Dzire vs rivals: Spec sheet shootout

The third-gen Dzire will be launched in India on May 16. This car is built on the same platform as the Baleno, Ignis and the yet-to-be-launched new-gen Swift. The new Dzire is lighter than the current car by 85kg and 105kg in the petrol and diesel variants, respectively. The wheelbase is longer so expect a lot more space at the back. The car will feature the same engines - the 1.2-litre K-series petrol and 1.3-litre DDis (diesel). You can expect a slight bump in performance thanks to the car’s lighter kerb weight. Both engines get single-clutch AMTs as well as manual gearboxes. This car comes with a fair bit of kit, with rear air con vents, SmartPlay infotainment system with smartphone integration, LED daytime running lamps, LED projector headlamps, auto climate control, keyless entry and go, all being part of the feature list.

The Dzire will be sold in eight variants – LXi/LDi, VXi/VDi, ZXi/ZDi and ZXi+/ZDi+.

On the measuring tape
The car has grown, and while its length still ducks under the four metre mark, it is certainly wider than before - the Dzire is now the widest car in its class. Also, its wheelbase has increased by 20mm to 2,450mm, making it longer than the Amaze and Xcent, but shorter than the Ameo’s and Aspire’s 2,470mm and 2,491mm, respectively. At 1515mm tall, the car is shorter by 40mm. The Dzire’s boot is 376 litres, which is larger, by 60 litres, than before. Compared to cars like the Tigor (419 litre), Xcent (407 litre) and Amaze (400 litre) the Dzire’s boot is still small, but it is bigger than the Ameo’s (330 litre) and Aspire’s (359 litre).

Power torque
The 1.3-litre diesel motor in the Dzire makes 75hp and 190Nm, while the petrol engine makes 83hp and 113Nm of torque. Both engines come mated to five-speed manual gearboxes. The petrol engine also gets the AMT gearbox option.

Hyundai’s Xcent features a 1.2-litre, three-cylinder diesel motor that makes 75hp and 190Nm of torque. Power and torque is similar to the Dzire’s, and even the 1.2-litre petrol motor makes similar power and torque – 83hp and 114Nm. There’s a four-speed torque converter autobox available with the Xcent petrol but the diesel only comes with a five-speed manual gearbox.

Tata’s Zest has the same Fiat-sourced 1.3-litre diesel motor under the hood as the Dzire, albeit tuned differently. The company offers this engine in two states of tune – 75hp and 190Nm, and 90hp and 200Nm. The lesser powered diesel is only available in the base XE variant though. There’s a 1.2-litre turbocharged petrol motor too that puts out 90hp and 140Nm of torque. Tata offers a five-speed manual box and an AMT gearbox on the diesel Zest.

The Tigor has the smallest diesel motor here, at 1.04-litres, and it also makes the least power, at 70hp and 140Nm. Its 1.2-litre petrol motor, however, makes 85hp and 114Nm of power, which is on par with its segment. Unlike the Zest, the Tigor is offered with only a five-speed manual gearbox.

The Amaze’s 1.5-litre diesel motor puts out 100hp and 200Nm of torque. The 1.2-litre petrol makes 88hp and 109Nm of torque. Along with a five-speed manual gearbox, there’s a 7-step CVT automatic available on the petrol Amaze. The diesel is only available with a manual gearbox though.

It is the Ameo that has the most powerful diesel engine of the lot; its 1.5-litre diesel heart puts out 105hp and 250Nm of torque. While Volkswagen has paired this motor with a five-speed manual, you can also opt for a seven-speed, dual-clutch automatic (DSG) gearbox. This car’s three-cylinder petrol motor, however, is the least powerful here at 75hp and 110Nm of torque.

Ford offers two petrol engines with its Figo Aspire – a 1.2-litre and a 1.5-litre developing 88hp and 112hp, respectively. The former is mated to a five-speed manual transmission, the latter is the only one in the range to offer a DCT (dual-clutch transmission). The Aspire’s diesel unit is a 1.5-litre TDCi engine, developing 100hp and 215Nm, respectively. It comes mated to a five-speed manual transmission only.