The compact sedan segment has always been a considerable contributor to overall sales figures for most manufacturers. Top three car manufacturers – Maruti Suzuki, Volkswagen and Ford currently sell the Dzire, Ameo and Aspire respectively in India. Here below is a spec comparison between the top spec automatic versions of each of these cars.
Volkswagen Ameo Highline Plus is the newest top-spec offering from the German car manufacturer. Its seven-speed DSG transmission is limited to a 1.5-litre four-cylinder TDI engine that generates 108bhp at 4000 rpm and 250Nm of peak torque between 1500-3000 rpm. Speaking of features, the vehicle gets climate control, touch-screen infotainment system with voice command, electrically adjustable mirrors, rear parking camera and steering mounted control. In terms of safety, the vehicle comes loaded with dual front airbags, ABS, ESP and hill-hold control. Interestingly, the Highline Plus gets 16-inch alloys as standard. The top-spec Ameo Highline Plus diesel is available at Rs 9, 99,900 (ex-showroom, Delhi).
Maruti Suzuki Dzire has always been a considerable contributor to overall sales for the India’s largest carmaker. Interestingly, the five-speed AMT is available in petrol ZXI Plus as well as diesel ZDI Plus variants. The petrol version is powered by a 1.2-litre engine that generates 82bhp of power at 6000rpm and 113Nm of torque at 4200rpm. The diesel variant, on the other hand, is powered by a 1.3-litre engine that generates 74bhp of power at 4000rpm and 190Nm of torque at 2,000rpm. Speaking of features, it gets climate control, reverse camera, tilt steering, electrically adjustable mirrors and a touchscreen infotainment system. In terms of safety, the Dzire ZXI Plus and ZDI Plus both get ABS, ESP and hill hold control as standard. The petrol top-spec automatic is priced at Rs 6,73,158 and the diesel version is priced at Rs 9,39,084 (Both ex-showroom, Delhi).
The recently introduced Ford Aspire is one of the most popular choices in the compact sedan space. However, Aspire Titanium petrol variant is the only one to be offered with a six-speed automatic transmission. The petrol variant is powered by a 1.5-litre engine that generates 110bhp of power at 6300rpm and 136Nm of torque 4250rpm. Speaking of features, the top-spec Aspire Titanium is offered with climate control, electrically adjustable mirrors and steering mounted controls. The Aspire however misses on the touchscreen infotainment system. As for safety, the vehicle gets six airbags, ABS with EBD, ESP and traction control system. The petrol top-spec Ford Aspire is available at Rs 8,15,900 (ex-showroom, Delhi).
Market leader Maruti Suzuki continues to impress with its decent pricing and features as compared to the rest. However, the Aspire scores better on the safety aspect. The Volkswagen, on the other hand, is purely for those who like that premium driving feel and larger wheels.
