Compact sedans covers around 80% of the market for the entry level sedans in India today. Keeping in mind the competition, companies considering it as an easy medium, adding boot to their already existing and successful hatches. In the league of compact sedan Maruti Suzuki was one of the earliest to apply this concept with its successful and phenomenal compact sedan, Swift Dzire. So, what would be a better competitor for Tata Zest than Maruti’s gulping sedan. So we move further towards versus section by comparing the adorable and most desirable Swift Dzire with newly launched Tata Zest. This would be a healthy clash between India’s two biggest automotive giants.
Also See : Visit Our Tata Zest FAQ section containing all small-yet-useful info altogether for your convenience
Price:
Both the companies of Indian origin understand the market of this segment and they usually price their vehicles very competitively and aggressively. Dzire is at very affordably price of around 4.85-7.32 lakhs for the five petrol and three diesel trims, but the price range ends on a bit higher side as compared to the Tata Zest’s 4.64 – 6.99 Lakhs. With this price range Tata is going to gain market position once again in full throttle. Tata Zest is a hot deal here over Dzire.
Engine and Performance:
Comparing the engines of the two cars is a whole new deal. On one side we have the tried and trusted set of Maruti’s 1.2 K-12 Series VVT petrol engine with better performance, efficiency, power and smooth acceleration and a 1.3 liter D13D DDiS diesel engine with CRiS and intercooled turbo chargers for an exotic blend of performance and mileage. On the other hand Tata is all set to dominate the market with its new and interesting 1.2 liter Revotron petrol engine and 1.3 liter Quadrajet diesel engine with company’s more focus on power inclination towards the diesel mill, the Quadrajet produces whopping class leading power of around 88.77Bhp with 200Nm of torque while the petrol engine is decent as to churn out 83.84Bhp of power with 140Nm of torque.
Maruti meanwhile, is still a class apart with petrol engine with roaring better figures of 85.81Bhp but torque remains at 114Nm and Dzire’s diesel variant with considerably low power factors of around 73.97Bhp with 190Nm of torque. Tata’s Powerful engines would perform better than the Maruti’s now-old engines.
Once again, Tata leads the competition with the newly developed F-tronic 5-speed AT for diesel variants while, the petrol variant is triggered and controlled by a 5-speed MT. On the other hand Maruti still uses an old 5-speed MT for both the engines with an optional trim of 4-speed AT in top end ZXi petrol variant.
Mileage figures in this segment are very important factor. Maruti offering a decent value for money with an average of 19.1 KPL from the petrol engines, while the diesel ones return a good 23.4 KPL. Tata Zest lacks behind in petrol trim with the figures of 17.6LKPL but somehow manages to touch 23 KPL mileage in Diesel section.
Drivability and Safety:
As far as the safety and driving comforts matter, both the cars are too close to each other with Maruti offering one of the best driving dynamics in the market as Dzire with best in class handling and driving appeal uses 14’’/15’’ discs in the front wheel with dual SRS airbags (top variants), ABS, BAS, Engine Drag System (EDC) and EBD for anti-skid and anti-roll handling every time you push around those tough corners or even when you blip the throttle on highway, the car feels totally in control with dutiful and steady McPherson Strut front and Torsion-Beam behind with coil springs and high mounting for rigidity and confident stability. Tata is also impressive with features like Dual airbags, Immobilizer, ABS with better cornering aspects and suspension system comprising of independent front and rear McPherson Strut with anti-roll bars and 3-link rear shocks. Zest with a higher ground clearance is a better feature for the Indian roads. Overall Dzire still looks better than Zest by narrowest of margin.
Also See : Visit Our Maruti Suzuki Swift Dzire FAQ section containing all small-yet-useful info altogether for your convenience
Interiors and Exteriors:
Facially, Dzire with its revolutionary and appealing looks is a car with killer instincts. With Hawk-Eye headlamps, signature front grille, rear combo-tail lamps, ORVMs, U-shape rear, assorted, sporty and aerodynamically advanced pinch spoiler and a tough and rigid structure looks ahead than Tata’s Still fresh and completely changed looks in the Zest with aggressive styling, agile body lines and structure, projector headlamps, chromed grille, body color grab handles, ORVMs, LED rear combo-lamps and large air dam etc. With an overall ‘Catch me if you can’ appeal and easy built body as compared to the beast of the segment Dzire, Zest refreshing looks is giving healthy competition to Dzire.
From inside too, both cars looks appealing and comparable with both offering a dual-tone beige black theme but the Zest’s chrome and metal finish looks cooler than the Dzire’s wood and chrome finish. Dzire with its cab styling looks cool with multi function display, steering mounted controls, comfortably cushioned seating and various kind of holders and auto climate control etc. but Zest here comes with all gun blazing, not only sporting all the features which the Dzire consists plus, It has some special and new features like 5’’ touch screen control HARMAN infotainment system, MapMyIndia SATNAV system over Dzire very common and dated system, looks sophisticated and technologically advance with enough creature comforts. Zest has enough room for 5 fully grown passengers while Dzire is a bit clumsy. Zest takes away the cherry from Dzire with its perfectly neat and quality material and styling.
Pros and Cons:
Dzire Pros:
- Fuel efficient
- Better handling
- Long Engine life
- Reliability of Maruti
- Killer looks
Dzire Cons:
- Dated interiors
- Engine performance
- Rear legroom
- Lower boot space
Zest Pros:
- Powerful engine trims
- Eye soothing Interiors
- First diesel automatic in the segment
- Compact yet Spacious
Zest Cons
- Poor cabin storage
- Tata’s infamy
- Shaky After sales service
- Questionable engine life
Final Verdict:
Dzire with its decent and peppy engine looks and class is still a rock star. But Zest with its brutal engines and interior freshness packed into a compact yet comfortable body could be a problem for Maruti’s envious legacy.
