Volkswagen Ameo vs Maruti Dzire

The sub-compact sedan of Volkswagen, the Ameo was unveiled today in the crowded under 4-meter segment. Maruti's Dzire is the undisputed leader in this segment and need to be seen if this will have a competitor.

Pricing

Dzire - Rs. 5,46,063 - Rs. 8,19,481 (ex-showroom Mumbai)
Ameo - Price yet to be announced.

Design

The Ameo is based on the Polo platform and takes most of the exterior cues from it. The rear if the car looks straight lined, like all the cars from Volkswagen stable.

The Dzire is more of the rounded design and again this too is borrowed from the Swift platform. It is the best selling car, this shows that people have not given too much thought to the looks of the car, the Maruti badge is the selling point of the car.

Engine & Gearbox

The Ameo is powered by 1.2 litre 3-cylinder petrol MPI and 1.5 litre 4-cylinder diesel TDI mated to a 5-speed, and 5-speed and 7-speed DSG respectively. The engine is powered by 104 bhp and 89 bhp for the petrol and diesel with a torque of 175Nm and 230Nm respectively.

The Dzire comes with 1.2 litre petrol VVT and 1.3 litre diesel DDiS both are 4-cylinders. The automatic comes with a 4-speed for the petrol and AGS (Auto Gear Shift) for the diesel and it's powered by 84bhp and 74bhp kicking in 115Nm and 190Nm torque respectively.

Features

It has 1st in segment rain sensing wipers and cruise control. AC outlet for the rear seated passengers, touchscreen infotainment, front armrest, auto dimming IRVM and a lot more.

The top end of the Dzire has the automatic climate control, height adjustment for the driver's seat, electrically adjustable and retractable ORVM.The audio system comes with AUX, Bluetooth, and USB connectivity, and fabric seat upholstery.

Safety

The Ameo is fitted with dual airbags, and ABS and EPS as standard across all variants. However, the Dzire has these options at the top end AMT (Automatic Manual Transmission) version.

All the other safety features like the central locking, engine immobilizer and speed sensing door locks comes in the top end of the Dzire, we will have to wait for this information once the Ameo is launched.

Verdict

The Ameo could be called a better looking car and has a lot of standard features across the variants, only the pricing will tell if Volkswagen has got it right and if it will challenge the Dzire.

As for the Dzire, a tried, and tested, and the most reliable manufacturer badge which has been leading the segment from the time it was launched. It is the undisputed leader even after a slew of launches by other manufacturers.

Also Read : Volkswagen Ameo Revealed In India - To Go After Maruti's Swift Dzire