Tata Tigor vs. Ameo vs. Aspire vs. Dzire vs. Amaze

Overview

Tata Motors had revealed their new compact sedan for the Indian market, a vehicle codenamed the Kite 5, at the 2016 Indian Auto Expo. More details of this new car have been divulged by the company and it now has a name as well, the Tigor. In this article, we juxtapose the Tata Tigor with the Volkswagen Ameo, the Ford Figo Aspire, the Maruti Suzuki Swift Dzire and the Honda Amaze.

Engines

Under the bonnet of the Tigor can be one of two engine options; the first being the 1.2 litre, 3 cylinder, 84 bhp Revotron petrol engine and the second being the 1.05 litre, 3 cylinder, 74 bhp Revotorq diesel motor. Both will come standard with 5 speed manual transmissions, and Tata will also provide the option of choosing an AMT automatic.

The Ameo, being a Volkswagen product, is the most fun to drive car in its segment. Buyers can choose between a 74 bhp, 1.2 litre, 3 cylinder petrol motor or the significantly better 1.5 litre, 4 cylinder, turbocharged diesel engine that puts out 109 bhp. While both engines have a 5 speed manual as standard, buyers of the diesel VW Ameo can specify a segment-first 7 speed, double clutch DSG automatic. The Aspire is also a fun to drive car, thanks to its peppy engines. The diesel has a 1.5 litre, 99 bhp motor teamed with a manual gearbox. However, there are 2 petrol engines on offer: a 1.2 litre, 87 bhp unit connected to a manual gearbox and a 1.5 litre, 110 bhp unit paired with an automatic.

Maruti Suzuki also provides the buyers of its Dzire compact sedan the choice of petrol and diesel power; courtesy of a 1.2 litre, 4 cylinder, 83 bhp petrol engine or a 1.3 litre, 4 cylinder, 74 bhp diesel motor. The petrol variant can be ordered with a 5 speed manual or a 4 speed AMT automatic, while the diesel version gets the former only. The Dzire diesel boasts of returning identical fuel economy numbers of 26.59 kpl in both its manual and AMT avatars. Honda sells the Amaze with both fuel options as well. The 1.2 litre petrol engine delivers 87 bhp in its manual variant (5 speed) and 89 bhp in its CVT version. The diesel Amaze comes with a 1.5 litre, 4 cylinder motor that puts out 99 bhp, and a 5 speed manual transmission.

Features

The Tigor is the only one among these cars to offer multiple drive modes. You get to choose between Eco and City modes at the touch of a button. Apart from this, the Tigor will also be equipped with upmarket features such as a Harman audio system with a 5 inch display and 8 speakers, navigation by MapMyIndia, smartphone connectivity through the Juke car app, ABS with EBD, dual front airbags, cornering stability control and LED tail lamps.

The Ameo, in addition to being lavishly equipped with gadgetry, also boasts of the best built interior among all these cars. The list of features includes cruise control, rain sensing wipers, automatic climate control with a rear AC vent, MirrorLink, a touchscreen infotainment system, voice recognition, ESP and hill hold, dual front airbags and a reversing camera. The Figo Aspire is well built in its own right as well, and comes equipped with an auto AC, power foldable mirrors, MyFord dock, a battery saver, Ford Sync with AppLink and a 4.2 inch screen. Where the Figo Aspire really shines is in the safety department, as it includes 6 airbags, ESP, traction control, ABS with EBD, hill start assist and the Ford MyKey system.

The Dzire was the first among these compact sedans and, to keep its appeal up, Maruti has updated it a few times. The features list now has an automatic AC, bluetooth connectivity, steering mounted controls, power adjustable and foldable mirrors, dual front airbags, ABS with EBD, push button engine ignition, keyless entry, reverse parking sensors and alloy wheels. The Amaze is equipped to similar levels as the Dzire. Additional features in the Amaze include an eco lamp and a more advanced instrument binnacle with an MID. Both these cars miss out on touchscreen infotainment systems.

Dimensions

The comparison among these cars in terms of dimensions throws up some interesting combinations. In length, all of these cars are identical at 3995mm, apart from the Amaze which is a touch shorter at 3990mm. The Figo Aspire and the Swift Dzire, at 1695mm, tie for the widest of the lot and surprisingly, the Tigor will be the narrowest at only 1647mm wide. The Dzire shows up again when these cars are put side by side in terms of height, being the tallest at 1555mm, and the Honda Amaze comes up as the shortest at only 1505mm.

In compact sedans, the trick is to maximise space inside the cabin for optimal passenger comfort. The Ford Aspire comes through in this department with its wheelbase measuring 2491mm. Ground clearance is another important number that buyers look out for thanks to lousy roads in India. The Aspire, thanks to its 174mm clearance, is the best at going over road imperfections among these cars. The Ameo and Amaze might have issues coping with really bad roads, due to having only 165mm clearance. However, for the best luggage-carrying capacity, there is nothing to beat the Amaze and its 400 litre boot. It must be pointed out that we currently do not have details of the ground clearance and boot capacity of the upcoming Tata Tigor.

Verdict

From the above, it is evident that Tata Motors has thought out the Tigor rather well. This is true especially more so when you realise that the Tigor will actually be positioned below the cars in the comparison, as the real rival of the Ameo, Figo Aspire, Dzire and Amaze is the Tata Zest. However, we think the Tigor certainly has what it takes to hold its own in this competitive segment as long as Tata prices it aggressively. Keep an eye on this page for more details of the Tata Tigor as we receive them.