The sub-four-metre sedan has been the result of some rather creative engineers who used the legislated footprint to design a three-box around. As a result, somewhat ungainly-looking sedans have found their way into showrooms and people’s homes, the numbers of which are staggering.
Today, every month over 30,000 cars of this type find new homes as India’s middle-class population looks to upgrade to ‘bigger’ cars. With numbers hovering close to the half-a-million-units-a-year mark, the segment is showing no signs of slowing down, making up for nearly a seventh of all cars sold in India. And come to think of it, the segment was created just seven years ago, thanks to some brilliant engineers at Tata Motors who thought of ways to expand the Indigo’s appeal with the CS or Compact Sedan. So great is the expected volume of cars, that between now and 2020, the segment is expected to grow at a compounded annual growth (CAGR) of 11.5 per cent!
Stats alone, though, don’t make for good cars. Good, solid engineering, well-thought-out design, strong overall performance and a sales and after-sales setup to support it makes all that difference. Which is why the Ford Figo Aspire won’t have it easy. Designed and developed over a four-year cycle with its sibling, the upcoming new Figo hatch, the Aspire is up against some serious competition. The Maruti Suzuki Swift Dzire is the largest-selling car in its class — nearly two in three compact sedans sold in the country is a Dzire; it averages 18,000 units a month. The Honda Amaze is the next in line, with an average of 6000 cars a month, followed by the Hyundai Xcent at 4000 and Tata Zest at just over 2000 units a month. And Ford’s marketing men are clear — they don’t see themselves beating the Dzire on numbers, but they definitely wouldn’t mind being the second-highest selling in that segment.
So does that mean this comparison is null and void? Hardly, since the market has always had two kinds of cars — capable cars and best-sellers. They are not necessarily one and the same in most cases, so this is well and truly a battle royale. And we spent 5000 km in these cars to come out with the most definitive verdict you can ever get on them.
LOOKEY HERE!
As I mentioned before, no car here is going to win any beauty pageant. The Amaze is probably the most balanced looking, as far as integration of the boot is concerned. It’s also probably got to do with the footprint — the Brio measures just 3.61 metres in length so the Amaze has only 400 mm to accommodate a boot and make it as worthwhile as possible. The Dzire, Xcent and Zest also aren’t the prettiest thanks to their longer hatchback siblings, leaving very little room to slap boots on. That is also the case with the Figo Aspire which gives a hint of the upcoming Figo and its dimensions.
There is very little to otherwise talk about design when it is the by-product of legislation. The Zest looks rather premium especially in this shade of blue. This top-end XMT trim with its projector headlamps, honeycomb grille and LED elements for the tail-lamps does look rather smart. The Dzire’s stubby boot may not win many friends nor will the new chrome strip on the front-grille, but it manages to generate some interest. The Xcent looks a bit smaller than it actually is, which tends to work against it, but then again it does have those smoked alloy wheels which lend it some differentiation. The Amaze isn’t particularly appealing and comes off a bit short on razzmatazz. Ford’s Aspire has some interesting individual elements like the front grille and headlamps, but is let down by the way the 14-inch wheels don’t fill up the arches as much as the others do.
INNER WORKINGS
Since looks really don’t matter much in this segment, the purchase decision has to be influenced by other factors, chief of which is the interior design.
The Aspire’s B-segment-inspired dashboard (borrowed heavily from the Fiesta and EcoSport) has good quality touches. It’s an all pervasive grey and black interior, but doesn’t fall short on quality or feel. The switches and stalks feel well built and function well. The Sanyo-developed audio unit is easy to use and the phone docking unit, called MyFord is rather simple to use. You simply place your phone in the dock that’s lined by rubber to hold any kind of phone size, even a 5.5-inch phone! That doubles up as a GPS as well as a bluetooth/aux-in/USB audio device. The seats are wide but a bit too soft; what we liked was the rear seat – the backs of the front seats are scooped out to increase knee-room, there’s ample head-room and leg-room, and the seatback is perfectly raked too.
The same goes for the Dzire. Maruti somehow manage to get the rear seat pretty well shaped on the Dzire, a case that was true on the first-gen car as well. It doesn’t have the best knee-room and leg-room in its class, but it’s adequate. Where Maruti have got it right is with the dashboard — it seems of a much higher quality than most of its competition, has nice use of colours and the buttons and stalks feel premium, both in terms of feel and looks. It does have a decently-loaded audio unit and automatic climate control on the top trim, just as with the Aspire. Lots of cubbyholes abound as well and there’s storage for large bottles of water, too. We also like the instrumentation and the fact that Maruti has now adopted a start-stop button on the top-end variant.
When it comes to the Amaze, it won’t be wrong to say that it probably has the best-utilised occupant space of them all. Honda’s ‘man maximum, machine minimum’ concept has worked extremely well with the Amaze. There’s lots of leg- and knee-room at the back, while headroom is quite good, too. There’s lots of space for storage and possibly the best boot in the class, apart from the one on the Xcent. However, it feels pretty barebones on the inside. Despite boasting a touchscreen, the AVN variant of the Amaze that we had for the test felt rather sparse. The screen has a fair share of reflections, though once you work with it, it’s reasonably intuitive. But there’s very little in terms of equipment — no automatic climate control and fewer features than some of the competition. It also feels rather plasticky on the inside — the plastics, though hardy, don’t exude the wow factor that the next car does.
Tata Motors has done a more-than-exemplary job with the Zest. Yes, it lacks space to even place a tall cup of latte, let alone bottles of water, but the overall feel of everything is a marked change from usual Tatas. It feels rather premium, with the colour combination probably the second-best here. There are some panel gaps, but overall, the centre console, dials and even the touchscreen really work very well. The sound output from the audio system is pretty good, too, rivalling that of the Aspire. The front seats could’ve been more supportive and a dead pedal would have helped, but the rear seat is comfy and spacious. It’s a car that somehow manages to capture your imagination, even in a segment like this.
There’s nothing wrong with the Xcent’s interiors, either. It feels well built, well finished and no-nonsense in approach. The seats are decent, though they lack support for much XXL bodies. Like the other cars here, it gets an audio unit with all kinds of connectivity and automatic climate control, but the lack of a distance-to-zero gauge is a miss. It still gets a reverse parking camera linked to the rear-view mirror display and a rear AC vent, features that are appreciated by many. The rear seat does have decent space, but like the Dzire, it’s not good enough if you are six feet tall.
POWER HUNGRY?
None of these cars are suited for weekend track jaunts, since neither of them boast power figures in excess of 100 bhp, but they do commuting and cruising rather well. The Figo Aspire diesel, the car we tested for this shoot, has a 1.5-litre motor with 98.6 bhp of peak power. It’s essentially a carryover from the EcoSport and Fiesta, but with more power. Expect the two to get revised power ratings in some time as well.
It’s a perky and rather quick-revving motor for a diesel. Having reworked the IB5 ‘box for smoother gearshifts than the EcoSport, the Figo Aspire diesel feels the liveliest of the lot and not quite different from the Amaze’s 1.5-litre motor. There’s good torque spread from roughly 1500-1600 rpm onwards, and while the gear throws are more positive than before, they are not a patch on the outgoing Classic, whose rifle-shot shifts were among the very best on any car sold in India. What this motor has in spades is shove, and lots of it whenever you need it. There is some clatter at low revs, when the engine is cold or at idle, but it disappears once the engine gets up to temperature.
The other 98.6-bhp motor in the pack, the Amaze, feels a bit loud in comparison. With the AVN version, Honda have re-worked the NVH package and overall NVH levels have shown improvement. The gear throws are a bit long and somewhat notchy, but fall into place without much trouble. What the motor has is strong tractability and driveability; drive at 2000 rpm in fifth gear and the car pulls cleanly. Were it not for the NVH levels, this motor would definitely score higher than the rest of the pack. It runs out of breath at 140 kph (restricted), but even up to that point there is no let up.
For better NVH, you may want to give the Xcent a second look. Hyundai may have shoved in a 1.1-litre, 71-bhp three-cylinder, but the engine is relatively quiet and refined by three-pot standards. What it lacks in torque and general outright performance, it makes up with decent driveability. Drive with the engine on the boil and it gets to triple-digit speeds in decent time. The gear throws are short and precise, with just the shift from first to second a tad notchy. It’s also the most fuel-efficient of the lot, delivering over 20 kpl consistently on highway jaunts with little fuss, even when you push it hard.
Also, it’s not that the Zest is going to make you smile from ear to ear. It’s more focussed on driveability and not outright performance. The gear throws are rather rubbery, but better than earlier by Tata standards. The throws are reasonably spaced, though the clutch pedal is a tad snappy. Like the Xcent, the highlight is overall refinement and fuel efficiency. The 74-bhp, 1248cc Quadrajet motor doesn’t exactly evoke fond memories or make one sing paeans, but it does the job as long as you don’t expect the world from it.
And that is why the Swift Dzire continues to stay the surprise package of the lot. Like most others, its low kerb weight is a plus, but Maruti’s way of tuning the 1248cc Multijet motor makes it feel more powerful than it actually is. The short first and taller second gear, combined with the brilliant throws from the gearbox, make this car feel the most alive here. The clutch action, like the Hyundai, is light, and while it does have the typical Multijet clatter at mid-revs, it gets to the redline pretty quickly.
DYNAMIC FIVE
The Aspire’s dynamics are reasonably neutral. Ride quality is supple over most bumps, with only sharp ridges catching it out. There is some body roll and the steering doesn’t have the kind of on-centre feel of Fords of yore. To be honest, none of the steering setups on the cars here can be faulted for weighting, but feel isn’t their forte. The overall grip and general balance of the Ford is good, with high-speed cornering grip the best among the lot.
The Amaze isn’t the best of the lot; while handling is decent, its low-rolling-resistance tyres rob it of good cornering grip. The ride is okay as long as you deal with small bumps at low speeds. As the speeds rise and the bumps get larger it simply transmits everything through to the cabin. The steering is well weighted and probably one of the lightest of the lot, but that doesn’t hide the fact that dynamically, the Amaze could have been better.
The Xcent rides better than the other H, both at low and high speeds. It’s not segment leading, but it’s good enough. The steering lacks feedback of any sort and is a bit disconcerting if you do enthusiastic driving. Cornering grip is good, thanks in large part to the tyres, while there is not much of body roll to contend with.
For those who enjoy ride quality, both the Zest and the Swift Dzire are right up there. The Zest is so good at what it does, thanks also due to its heft and overall suspension tuning. It relies more on tyre grip than chassis grip and it also has more roll, thanks to its taller body and mass location. The steering has some feedback on offer, but the car doesn’t like to be hustled around as much as the Dzire. The upshot is, high-speed stability is rather good.
The Suzuki’s kerb weight really plays to the gallery. Sharp brakes, poise around corners and good front-end grip make the Dzire the most enjoyable here. Like the Zest, the overall ride quality borders on the brilliant. Low-speed as well as high-speed ride is supple, with the car remaining reasonably poised.
FIVE TO ONE
It’s time to announce the results and at number five is the Hyundai Xcent. It’s well-finished and rather well-loaded and does the city-commuter job well. But it isn’t the most comfortable car, thanks to its narrower cabin and runs out of breath on highway jaunts. If you want a non-fussy, efficient sedan, it’s a good pick, but the others do some things better.
The Amaze has strong driveability and tractability, space maximisation and a large boot. It does the hygiene factors well, but not well enough. The interior lacks that premium feel and is a bit too plasticky for this segment. Overall dynamics, too, aren’t up to the mark and it feels like Honda could ‘ve done more to make the Amaze stand out in the crowd, but fell short.
The difference between the top three isn’t much and that goes to show how close it is in the sub-four-metre sedan space. Tata Motors has done a commendable job with the Zest. It rides well, the motor is efficient and refined, there is good rear-seat space and the cabin feels rather well put together. But it loses out with motors that lack the kind of spunk required in a car that goes up to nearly ` 8 lakh. Some more effort on the sales and after-sales front as well as a clear marketing and communication strategy can lift it to a better position on the sales charts.
Ford has to make way for the Dzire to continue at the top, not just on the sales charts but even as a complete package. The Aspire really has a lot going for it — good looks, nicely balanced dynamics, good motors, nice interiors and good space management, too. It’s even got more features on offer than the Dzire. So why does it still not climb to the top spot?
You see, Maruti have done their hygiene factors well and backed it up with a strong sales and after-sales network, so it pips the Ford by a small but significant margin. It’s more fun to drive, rides better, feels equally premium and has motors that deliver on all counts, too. And there’s the Maruti peace-of-mind factor that weighs heavily in a segment where sales are highly important even in Tier-II and Tier-III centres, places where Maruti is a heavyweight. In a rare moment of consensus, the most capable car and the best-seller are one and
the same.
AUTODATA
Maruti Suzuki Swift Dzire
POWERTRAIN
Displacement: 1248cc, I-4, diesel
Max power: 74 bhp@4000 rpm
Max torque: 19.3 kgm@2000 rpm
Transmission: 5-speed manual
STEERING
Type: Rack and pinion with EPS
Turning radius: 4.8 m
SUSPENSION
Front: McPherson strut
Rear: Torsion beam
BRAKES
(F/R): Ventilated discs/Drums
TYRES
F/R: 185/65 R15, tubeless
DIMENSIONS
L/W/H (mm): 3995/1695/1555
Wheelbase: 2430 mm
Ground clearance: 170 mm
Trunk volume: 320 litres
Kerb weight: 1080 kg
PRICE: Rs 8.12 lakh, ex-showroom, Mumbai
AUTODATA
Tata Zest
POWERTRAIN
Displacement: 1248cc, i-4, diesel
Max power: 88 bhp@4000 rpm
Max torque: 20.4 kgm@1750-3000 rpm
Transmission: 5-speed manual
STEERING
Type: Rack and pinion with EPS
Turning radius: 5.1 m
SUSPENSION
Front: McPherson struts
Rear: Twist beam
BRAKES
(F/R): Ventilated discs/Drums
TYRES
F/R: 185/60 R15, tubeless
DIMENSIONS
L/W/H (mm): 3995/1706/1570
Wheelbase: 2470 mm
Ground clearance: 165 mm
Trunk volume: 390 litres
Kerb weight: 1155 kg
PRICE: Rs 7.66 lakh, ex-showroom, Mumbai
AUTODATA
Honda Amaze
POWERTRAIN
Displacement: 1498cc, i-4, diesel
Max power: 98.6 bhp@3600 rpm
Max torque: 20.4 kgm@1750 rpm
Transmission: 5-speed manual
STEERING
Type: Rack and pinion with EPS
Turning radius: 4.7 m
SUSPENSION
Front: McPherson struts
Rear: Torsion beam
BRAKES
(F/R): Ventilated discs/Drums
TYRES
F/R: 175/65 R14, tubeless
DIMENSIONS
L/W/H (mm): 3990/1680/1505
Wheelbase: 2405 mm
Ground clearance: 165 mm
Trunk volume: 400 litres
Kerb weight: 1060 kg
PRICE: Rs 8.66 lakh, ex-showroom, Mumbai
AUTODATA
Hyundai Xcent
POWERTRAIN
Displacement: 1120cc, i-3, diesel
Max power: 71 bhp@4000 rpm
Max torque: 18.4 kgm@1750 rpm
Transmission: 5-speed manual
STEERING
Type: Rack and pinion with EPS
Turning radius: 4.7 m
SUSPENSION
Front: McPherson struts
Rear: Torsion beam
BRAKES
(F/R): Ventilated discs/Drums
TYRES
F/R: 165/65 R14, tubeless
DIMENSIONS
L/W/H (mm): 3995/1660/1250
Wheelbase: 2425 mm
Ground clearance: 165 mm
Trunk volume: 407 litres
Kerb weight: 1048 kg
PRICE: Rs 8.1 lakh, ex-showroom, Mumbai
