The battle of Sedan segment has just got hotter. Both Toyota and Maruti Suzuki are pioneers and respected for their products and after sales services in India. Maruti Dzire is a well-established car in the market that’s achieving high sales growth whereas Toyota Etios is known for its unmatched reliability and quirky dashboard but ride quality of the sedan is excellent. Both the cars are good in their own perspective and have good brand value and excellent after sales service. Both being entry level sedans have got the looks and pricing to survive in the Indian Market.
Toyota Platinum Etios petrol trim starts at the price of Rs. 6.94 lakh to Rs. 7.85 lakh whereas diesel Etios will cost you between Rs. 8.07-8.85 lakh. On the contrary, Maruti Suzuki Dzire Petrol ranges between Rs. 5.45-8.41 lakh and Diesel Suzuki Dzire comes at the Price between Rs. 6.45– 9.41 lakh. Comparatively, Toyota Platinum Etios is much more affordable and competitively priced than New Maruti Suzuki Dzire.
Engine:
The Etios petrol engine is a 1496cc hunk which churns out 89bhp@5600rpm and is capable of producing a maximum torque of 132Nm@3000rpm. Dzire falls behind Etios and has an engine displacement of 1197cc and maximum power capability of 85.8bhp @6200rpm and generates a torque up to 114Nm@4000rpm.
Contrary, Etios diesel trim has bigger size than Dzire but still lacks in developed power as well as torque. While the Etios gets 1364cc, 4-cylinder diesel unit developing the max power and peak torque of 67.07bhp and 170Nm respectively, the Dzire is powered by 1248cc, 4-cylinder diesel churns out the comparatively better power of 73.9bhp and 190Nm of torque.
Performance & Fuel efficiency:
There is not much difference when it comes to the cars performance’s but Dzire notches up with a slightly better performance when driven through the Indian roads whereas Etios wins the battle on the highways. The Dzire engine has turbo lags and could be easily noticed when driving through clear roads. The Dzire performs better when driving through the heavy traffic and bends. The Dzire boasts of the only entry level Sedan to sport automatic transmission. It brings in extra brownie points to the Dzire which otherwise is on par with Etios in other aspects.
Toyota claims the Etios diesel to have a fuel economy of 23.59 km/l while Dzire diesel has a fuel economy of 28.40 km/l according to the ARAI test cycles.
On the other side, Dzire offers 22.0 km/l of claimed mileage in its petrol trim while Etios petrol offers 16.78 km/l. The safety features in both the cars are almost similar and substantial for entry level sedans.
Interiors:
Taking the interiors into account, Toyota Etios scores high and has classy and splendid interiors. Coming from the Toyota family it is meant to be one of the best and delivers the promise. It has beige coloured layouts and the headrest of seats can be adjusted. Overall the interiors feel good and have a premium look. Etios comes with a large boot space and this is one of the best features of the Etios making it one of the best cars for families. The Din music system which comes with the car is stylish.
Suzuki Dzire borrows refresh styling and new features such as multi-function steering wheel with audio controls, 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system with apple car play, Android Auto and mirror link app. Automatic climate control with rear ac vents, push start button, internally adjustable mirrors, wooden inserts on dashboard etc.
Exteriors:
When it comes to exterior glance, Toyota Etios has improved a bit especially from front thanks to elements like the new V-shaped chrome-plated front grille, new bumper with secondary air dam and jewel fog lamps making things sportier for new Etios.
Whereas the 2017 Maruti Suzuki Dzire Maruti Dzire is based on next Gen Swift. The front fascia flaunts horizontally hexagonal grille, chrome accented air dam, new projector headlamps with LED daytime running lamps. The side profile is largely similar to the previous model except for the flared wheel arches and new alloy wheels. The sedan looks more proportionate thanks to C-pillar that merges into the boot. At the rear, it gets LED taillights with signature light and subtle changes on the boot.
Safety:
The New Etios has excellent suspensions and steering wheel it around the tricky turns is decent if not great. Dzire has better performance driving through the Indian roads and the steering wheel is designed to light for better and easy manoeuvrability. Both the cars are equipped with safety features like an Anti-lock braking system, central locking, driver and side airbags, seat belt warning, door ajar warning, adjustable seats, engine immobiliser, EBD and crash sensor.
The turning radius of Dzire is 4.8 meters which is slightly better than Etios’s 4.9 meters. Etios comes with a fuel tank capacity of 45 litres which is higher than Suzuki’s 42 litres. Toyota Etios has a similar ground clearance of 170mm while Dzire’s has been reduced to 163mm.
Final Verdict:
Both the cars differ barely when it comes to the performance. The Dzire is for the people who would want to own a sports Sedan with a decent styling to it while Etios has no nonsense vibrant and pep looks to it making it a perfect business and family car.
Pros and Cons-
Toyota Etios
Pros:
- Complete family sedan
- Excellent ride and handling
- Better diesel mileage
- After sales service
Cons:
- Price needs to be more competitive
- Absence of Automatic Transmission
- Feature list should be increased
- Performance could have been improved
Maruti Suzuki Dzire
Pros:
- Competitive price range
- Reliability of Maruti as a brand
- Handling is brilliant at higher speeds
- Outstanding on-road performance
Cons:
- Diesel is engine loud at high revs
