Maruti Dzire vs Volkswagen Ameo – Segment Leader Faces The Newbie

Fear not, we won’t drone on about how competitive the compact sedan space is, but we’d like to offer a little perspective. Put the Maruti Dzire, Hyundai Xcent, Honda Amaze, Ford Figo Aspire and Tata Zest together and you’re looking at monthly sales of around 27,000 units. However, the Dzire outsells its rivals by a very large margin, with the brand name enjoying a great deal of popularity among private car owners and fleet operators (Dzire Tour) alike.

Now, Volkswagen has entered this segment with the Ameo in the hopes of bolstering its sales in India. Taking on one of the best-selling models of India’s largest carmaker is evidently not an easy task. However, VW has given the Ameo a host of segment first features, while offering premium German quality as well. So how does it fare against the Dzire? Here’s a bit-by-bit comparison:

Features:

Both cars come with today’s must have features i.e. steering mounted audio and telephony controls, power windows, keyless entry, automatic climate control, electrically adjustable and foldable wing mirrors, height-adjustable driver seats etc. However, a major selling point for the Ameo is its expansive feature list, which includes many segment firsts.

The Polo-based sedan gets a touchscreen infotainment system, folding rear backrest, cruise control, rain-sensing windshield wipers, a cooled glovebox and the auto up/down function for all the power windows along with anti-pinch. You also get the global up/down function (rolls the windows down or up through the remote key), while the steering column can be adjusted not only for rake, but reach as well. A push button start/stop system, 2 tweeters and a smart-key are features unique to the Dzire, but compared to the Ameo, the segment king’s kitty falls short. 

Interiors:

In terms of interior space, neither one of them offers anything praiseworthy. The Polo and Swift weren’t benchmarks to begin with and adding a boot to them didn’t improve things much. Both compact sedans are 4 seaters at best, but the Volkswagen offers slightly more room. The Ameo also offers more premium interiors, since the upholstery and plastic quality is of a noticeably better grade.

Get latest updates on
the automobile community

Login Now

Powertrain, Ride and Handling:

Volkswagen will be launching the Ameo with a 1.5-litre diesel soon and the engine will be available with a DSG automatic gearbox as well. The Dzire diesel gets the tried and tested 1.3-litre DDiS motor which can be paired with a 5-speed automated manual transmission (AMT). Since we haven’t driven the Ameo diesel, we’ll save our impressions on it for later. We can however tell you how the petrols fare.

Both cars get 1.2-litre engines, but the Ameo makes do with a 3-cylinder unit, while the Dzire’s K-Series motor has 4. Typical of most 3-cylinder motors, the Ameo’s MPI engine is quite noisy and sounds unrefined. It makes 75PS of power and 110Nm of torque vs the Dzire’s 84PS and 115Nm. On paper, the difference in output figures isn’t much, but the Maruti is noticeably better to drive.

The Dzire offers better throttle response, gets a more refined engine and is more engaging to use whether you’re crawling in the city or out on the highway. It also has a lighter clutch and at least on paper, the fuel efficiency is better (Ameo = 17.83kmpl / Dzire = 20.85kmpl).

Both offer decent dynamics for the segment, but the Ameo’s ride quality is slightly stiffer. It is certainly comfortable, but the Dzire is slightly better over the rough stuff. On the handling front, the Ameo gets an upper hand and the chassis is slightly more enthusiast-friendly, but the Dzire isn’t far behind. Given the Ameo’s average engine, the Dzire’s overall driving package gets an upper hand. 

Design:

Aesthetically, they’re as different as, well, the Germans and the Japanese. Both cars suffer from the stubby boot syndrome and look very similar to the hatchbacks they’re based on. The Ameo is the classier looking of the duo and sports small headlights, a slim radiator grille, a tasteful touch of chrome in the air-dam and clean body panels bereft of excessive edgy lines. One improvement would be a slightly curvy rear fender leading into the boot, but otherwise, it’s a cohesive and well-styled car.

The Dzire was a little hard to digest at first, but the design has grown on us over time. There are a lot more contours along the body and the chrome front grille and chrome applique at the rear are a bit of an acquired taste. The alloy wheel design is better on the Ameo as well, and while the Maruti won’t offend anyone, we have to admit, the Ameo looks more upmarket and stately.   

Safety:

The Ameo offers better safety kit and gets dual front airbags and ABS as standard across all variants. The Dzire on the other hand gets them as standard only with the range topping ZDi/ZXi grade. You can however have these features added as optional extras with the lower variants.

Price:

The Ameo is Volkswagen’s first India-specific model and the German automaker has priced the car very competitively. Prices currently range between Rs 5.24 lakh to Rs 7.06 lakh. The Dzire petrol on the other hand, starts at Rs 5.24 lakh and goes up to Rs 7.03 lakh (Both prices ex-showroom, Delhi). Evidently, Volkswagen is looking to carve out a niche for itself and given its proximity to the Dzire’s price, you get a more premium offering with more features as well. 

However, Volkswagen cannot match Maruti’s sales/service network and brand reputation, and the Dzire has a noticeably better engine too. To sum it up, the Vento is a premium car at an affordable price, while the Dzire is a safe bet that may not offer the same feel-good factor, but is a ‘can’t go wrong’ option for everyday usage.