[Aditya]

Maruti Dzire

What you'll like:

• A great looking Dzire…and an all-rounder too
• Smart packaging! Spacious, stylish & practical cabin. Boot has grown to 378 litres
• Sweet petrol & efficient diesel. AMT available with both engines for just 47k extra
• Suspension offers a compliant ride & neutral on-road behaviour
• Impressively equipped (LED headlamps + DRLs, reversing camera, Apple & Android touchscreen ICE…)
• Dual airbags, ABS & ISOFIX child seat mounts are standard across all variants
• Maruti's widespread service network, excellent after-sales support & fuss-free ownership experiences

What you won't:

• “Z” trims are pricey. The top-end diesels & automatics cost a million bucks!
• Old 1.3L diesel is nowhere as competent as the Ford & VW 1.5L diesels
• AMT, although improved, can’t match conventional ATs on smoothness & speed. Still gets jerky
• You can buy proper ATs (e.g. torque-converter or DCT) for the same $$$ as the Dzire AMT
• 163 mm of ground clearance & small 37-liter fuel tank do raise concerns
• Some misses (auto-dimming IRVM, skinny 165 mm tyres on L & V variants, smaller spare tyre on the Z trims...)
• Waiting periods have already begun. They currently stretch up to 3 months

Link to Official Review

Tata Tigor

What you’ll like:

• Great styling. A chic-looking compact sedan. Solid build too
• Tata has put in a lot of effort on quality and it shows
• Well-priced for what it offers; undercuts all the direct competitors
• High quality, nicely designed cabin. Lots of storage and a segment best 419-litre boot
• Good driveability (both engines), a compliant ride & neutral road manners
• Amazing 8-speaker Harman entertainment system. Sounds top class!
• Feature list with 2 driving modes, parking sensors, cooled glovebox, touchscreen ICE etc.

What you won't:

• Mediocre 3-cylinder engines. They lag behind the competition in performance & refinement
• Most other compact sedans have standard airbags. The Tigor doesn’t (only on top variant)
• Concerns over long-term reliability, more so of the freshly developed engines
• 6-month service interval is too frequent! A 1 year interval is the segment norm
• A rare Tata car that cannot seat 5 (best for 4 adults)
• Tata's after-sales experience remains a gamble. Service quality is far from that of Maruti & Hyundai

Link to Official Review

Hyundai Xcent

What you'll like:

• All-rounded package in a contemporary design
• Interiors have best-in-class fit, finish & quality. Accommodating 407 liter boot too
• Fuel-efficient, practical diesel & peppy petrol. Smooth gearbox
• Loaded with features (keyless start & go, reversing camera, rear air-con, cooled glovebox etc.)
• Comfortable ride quality and predictable handling
• Hyundai's fuss free ownership experience & excellent after-sales service

What you won't:

• Steering & dynamics aren't to an enthusiast's tastes
• Narrow width makes it more suited as a 4 seater, rather than 5
• Boot aside, the premium i20 is closely priced with more power, space, equipment & refinement
• Adjustable front neck restraints, seat-belt height adjustment, full MID, auto-locking doors & dead pedal missing

Link to Official Review

Honda Amaze

What you'll like:

• An all-rounded compact sedan that does most things well
• Packaging brilliance. Roomier backseat than the Dzire, and a larger 400 Liter boot
• 1.5L i-DTEC engine offers good power & performance. Excellent driveability too
• Diesel's 25.8 km/l ARAI fuel economy rating
• Light controls, slick gearshift and easy maneuverability for in-city commuting. AT gearbox available
• Honda's reliability & fuss-free ownership experience

What you won't:

• Diesel's NVH is a full level poorer than the refined Maruti Dzire
• Not as dynamically accomplished as the Toyota Etios and others
• Diesel isn't as high-rpm friendly as the 1.3L MJD
• Some practical features missing

Link to Official Review

Link to Official Review - 2016 Honda Amaze Facelift & CVT

Ford Figo Aspire

What you'll like:

• Aston Martin-esque face looks very stylish!
• Value for money price & positioning
• Powerful & efficient 1.5L diesel engine. Good driveability too
• Compliant ride quality. Suspension is tuned for comfort
• Dual airbags as standard (a segment first). Titanium+ variant gets 6 airbags!
• Well-packaged cabin offers adequate space, lots of features, comfy leather seats and a chilling air-con
• Dual-clutch Automatic with a bigger 1.5L petrol, ESP, traction control & hill start assist

What you won't:

• Commuter 1.2L petrol is unimpressive. A mediocre engine
• Drives like any other mass market sedan...but not like a Ford. Ordinary handling
• Lighter build quality isn't as solid as Fords usually are
• Cabin width makes the Aspire suited to 4 adults, not 5
• 14" rims & 175 mm tyres are too puny, especially for the fast diesel
• 359 liter boot is second smallest from the segment
• AT unavailable in the fully-loaded trim. Period

Link to Official Review

Volkswagen Ameo

What you'll like:

• A well-built, solid European sedan
• Aggressive pricing strategy; on par with the Polo
• Impressive feature list - cruise control, auto wipers, reversing camera, touchscreen ICE etc.
• Interior quality is among the segment best
• 1.2L petrol offers good city driveability. Sweet gearshift too
• Sorted ride & handling package. High speed stability is better than competition
• Dual airbags & ABS are standard across the range

What you won't:

• 3-cylinder petrol engine is weak & noisy. Vibrates as well
• Limited rear legroom & large floor hump. Competitors such as the Amaze are more spacious
• 330L boot is the smallest from this segment
• Familiar face & interiors are starting to feel old
• The Polo & Vento's long-term reliability hasn't been as strong as the Japanese / Korean cars
• VW's sub-par dealership & service experiences

Link to Official Review

Tata Zest

What you'll like:

• India's first diesel-automatic in the C1 segment. Affordable, convenient & low running costs
• Build quality, fit and finish are on par with competitors. Tata has made significant improvements
• Spacious well-designed interiors & comfortable seats. A rare compact sedan that can seat 5 adults
• 1.2L turbo-petrol has class-leading torque and impressive low-end driveability
• Balanced suspension offers compliant ride quality mated to neutral handling. Nice EPS too
• Light controls, agreeable ergonomics and good refinement. Drives like no mass market Tata car has before
• Features: 3-driving modes (petrol), LED DRLs, projector headlamps, 5" touchscreen, parking sensors, voice commands & more

What you won't:

• When driven hard, the AMT can't match the smoothness & shift-times of a conventional automatic
• Turbo-petrol lacks mid-range punch and fails to excite at higher rpms. Not to an enthusiast's tastes
• Poor in-cabin storage & missing niceties (rear seat armrest, dead pedal, seatbelt height adjustment)
• Thick A-Pillars create severe blind spots while driving
• Concerns over long-term reliability & durability. Previous Tata cars haven't fared well in this area
• Tata's sub-par after-sales service quality is far from that of Maruti, Hyundai and Honda

Link to Official Review

[Aditya]

Thread moved from the Assembly Line to the Sedans Section.

[Tapish]

I vote for the Dzire. My reasons are as follows:
1. Proper sedan looks, does not look like an afterthought
2. good engines, compared to the 3 pot Tigor & Ameo
3. Interiors may not be as great as Xcent, but right up there when compared to the barebones Amaze

[vishy76]

I would definitely choose the Ameo here. Never been a fan of compact sedans, but this Volkswagen offers a 1.5+DSG combo at a competitive price, something which even the Polo doesn't have.

I will admit though that it isn't the best looking car in its segment especially after the Dzire and Tigor, but I don't mind sacrificing aesthetics for the sake of performance. What puts the Ameo above the rest IMO:

- 1.5+DSG combination. A 100bhp diesel mated to an equally capable 7 speed gearbox

- Trademark Volkswagen build

- Feature list includes rain sensing wipers, touchscreen infotainment et all. VW has made significant improvements in this area over the years

Second preference would be the Aspire. I would have put it first if it weren't for:

- Ford's shoddy marketing and sorry state of management

- Both the Figo and aspire are a departure from the usual Ford characteristics. Build quality and handling being two of those

- No diesel+Autobox combo. The Dzire and Ameo get it

If asked to choose between petrols though, it would be the Dzire for its 1.2 K-series engine, which is the best in class.

Regards,
vishy

[OrangeCar]

Dzire -

1. You cannot go wrong with Maruti A.S.S (there are some exceptions. But number of issues reported as a percentage of total sales, is far less than any other manufacturer).

2. 1.3 D engine is a gem. Yes, better ones have arrived. But trusted engine for F.E. and reliability.

3. Cost of Ownership - low cost fuel + low cost of service. Bliss!

4. DRLs, LED headlamps, basic safety features such as ABS in place.

5. Missing things such as wider tires, etc can always be upgraded later.

Additionally, why I would not choose:

Tigor - Don't want to gamble quality of after sales service. Questionable long term product reliability (5+ years).

Xcent - Does not do anything significantly different/better than DZire. Poorer ride and handling too.

Amaze - Scores over Dzire in some areas. But then, A.S.S - cannot match Maruti. Plus, noisy engine.

Aspire - Heart might pull in this direction. But mind would take me to Dzire. Closest competitor to my choice. Not sure if resale value will be same as Dzire.

Ameo - Buying VW cars is like taking a risk. Falling for their timeless designs and interior fit and finish quality. But always being scared and hoping nothing goes wrong. Because if it does, forget VW ever helping you.

Zest -

[Leoshashi]

Voted for Dzire. Now this is coming from a die hard Dzire hater from Gen1 onwards. The only drawback I see is some missing goodies like Auto IRVM, UV cut glass etc. Other than that, its a well rounded package now.

The Dzire, has become truly 'Dzire'able now.

Regards,
Shashi

[Eddy]

I would choose Dzire if the intended ownership period is less than 5 years. Else Aspire.

None of the others will ever be in contention for a place in my garage.

[CrAzY dRiVeR]

Originally Posted by Aditya

Tata Tigor

What you won't:

• Mediocre 3-cylinder engines. They lag behind the competition in performance & refinement

Honda Amaze

What you won't:

• Diesel's NVH is a full level poorer than the refined Maruti Dzire
• Diesel isn't as high-rpm friendly as the 1.3L MJD
• Some practical features missing

Tata Zest

What you won't:

• Concerns over long-term reliability & durability. Previous Tata cars haven't fared well in this area

Easy to eliminate these three options without a second thought.

Tigor has only one variant worth buying and that top variant isn't really as value for money as it is being projected here, with possibly the worst engines of the segment. Amaze never appealed to me when it came out and it is seriously outdated among the current competition. Zest was a stop gap arrangement till the Tigor reached here, and it shows in the way TATA failed to back it up - now surviving mostly with sales from the Taxi segment.

That leaves me with 4 options.

Being a dieselhead, let me confess upfront that the below choices would be based primarily on the diesel variants. Oh wait, Ameo and Figo Aspire doesn't offer a petrol variant that I would consider anyways. Leaving only two choices when it comes to gasoline lineup - the Xcent and DZire. Being the happy owner of an Xcent SX(o) AT, I would have loved to vote for it, but Hyundai stopped offering the automatic on the higher variants. God knows why. And the new DZire is a way better package overall, no doubts. Easy to crown a winner among the petrol options then. - The DZire 1.2 K series.

Does it get my vote? No. I'm a dieselhead as per my initial confession. So again, four choices.

4. Xcent gets a refreshed new 1.2 diesel. It's a very good car for the family and you just can't go wrong with one. But the DZire does everything better in my opinion.

3. Aspire gets a brilliant diesel engine and an option with 6 airbags. However, known fact that the build quality has been compromised for the current generation. Not only in safety, but the solid feel is missing as well and even the ride and handling is more like a Maruti and not the erstwhile Ford. Why purchase a Maruti from Ford then? The brilliant motor notwithstanding, it's almost a flop and mostly for life as well.

2. The new DZire. Maruti has burned the midnight oil and it shows. I don't see a reason why the market will look anywhere else. This will trump all the others with a bigger margin than ever. A choice I will easily recommend to anyone asking for a compact sedan.

I'm hopeful Maruti has covered the safety angle this time around. Base variants get dual airbags, ISOFIX and ABS - probably hinting at a change of attitude from Maruti. Top variants is absolutely loaded with features like LED lights. Nice!

1. But for myself, I want a car which doesn't feel like a compromise. I'd choose the one with the best build quality, a very good diesel engine, a brilliant DSG gearbox, the best safety rating, the best quality interiors, very useful cruise control, European road manners etc.

My vote goes to the car I would personally buy, if I were to purchase one from the above list. - The VW Ameo TDI DSG.

[GTO]

I place a lot of importance on the engine, thus:

- If petrol, my choice would be between the Dzire & Xcent - their 1.2Ls are silky smooth, revv-happy & fun to drive.

- If diesel, my pick would be the Aspire or Ameo - both have excellent 1.5L engines.

[Aditya]

I don't see myself buying a diesel car. Therefore, one look at the table and I'd vote for the Ford Aspire 1.5 petrol. It's one of the better looking sub-4 meter sedans around and the most powerful car here. Additionally, it has enough technology to keep me happy.

That said, Maruti has made the Dzire a very appealing product now. I like the look of the car and the cabin and boot are spacious enough to keep most people happy. Then, that K12 motor is my favourite 1.2L engine available in India. Add to that the safety features, infotainment system and Maruti's service and hassle-free ownership experience and you have a winner. So, it is the Dzire petrol MT that gets my vote.

[AkMar]

If I am in the market, I would consider only petrols. So my vote is based on petrol offerings.

1. Tata Zest & Tigor: Both the Tatas have everything to pull the heart towards them, except good engines. If they had decent refined engines, my vote could have gone to one of these (Tigor perhaps).

2. Ford Aspire: Mediocre 1.2L petrol, average build quality. Frankly speaking it fails to pull the right strings for both the heart & mind. Pricing is VFM but still it won't get my vote. 1.5 petrol AT is a decent choice, but not VFM.

3. VW Ameo: Excellent build, features. Solid German engineering. However poor reliability & A.S.S of VW, and unimpressive petrol are put offs. I am not fond of the rear looks either.

4. Hyundai Xcent: There is very little to fault with this car. It is also the car I drive currently. However the driving experience is uninspiring. After spending enough time with the car, I am not happy with the ride quality. Myles Grand i10 which I had rented for a vacation had better ride quality.

5. New Dzire: This generation is a huge leap from previous generation. It irons out almost all flaws from the last generation. 1.2L K series petrol is the best 1.2 petrol for years. Being based on the Swift platform the ride & handling will be decent too. Variants are well loaded with features & AMT is offered on all variants except base. Plastic quality is not class leading, but that is a compromise I am ready to accept. The Dzire petrol gets my vote!

[drive2eternity]

Finally a poll where the winner is actually going to succeed and rule the sales charts too.
PS- I voted for the Aspire. The diesel engine is "too good to resist"

[bansal.sushant]

Since I would be considering petrol engines only, my pick will be Maruti Dzire!

The new gen is filled with goodies and tech, interiors are amazing, it looks good on the outside, built quality is good and I don't even need to mention about the A.S.S.

If this question was asked before the new gen. of Dzire was launched, I would probably have chosen Amaze or Tigor. Xcent is a good car, with much improved design but the built feels light. But since this new gen. of Dzire is released, no competition offers anything over it.

I feel the most sad for Amaze, so much potential, but no effort to improve. What's wrong with Honda recently?

[Anuruddhs]

If I pick a diesel it will be for sure aspire and dzire for petrol option, ford A.S.S. is much better in terms of cost compare to Maruti.

[Self Driven]

Originally Posted by OrangeCar

Dzire -
3. Cost of Ownership - low cost fuel + low cost of service. Bliss!

I agree when a person chooses a car for looks, equipment list, comfort, engine etc..but the cost of ownership is not a perception. and still thinking Maruti gives less cost of ownership is not valid as on date

I have owned Maruti, Hyundai and Ford. So i think i have experienced it to comment.