The compact sedan category has witnessed the entry of a new entrant with the launch of the Tata Aeris.

Priced at Rs.5.29 Lakh (ex-showroom), Tata has taken on the Maruti Suzuki Dzire (Rs.6.31 Lakh, ex-showroom). Both cars are available with petrol and CNG engines with manual and AMT variants. However, the two cars differ in their approach to target the compact sedan segment.

Let’s take a detailed look at the comparison between Tata Aeris vs Maruti Dzire, to see which car is worth your money.

The difference between Tata Aeris and Maruti Dzire

Price and Variants: Aeris wins on entry price

As mentioned above, the starting price of the Tata Aeris is significantly lower than the Maruti Dzire. While the entry-level model of Tata Motors Aeris is priced at Rs.5.29 Lakh, the starting price of Maruti Suzuki Dzire is Rs.6.31 Lakh. Hence, the first impression of Tata’s entry-level sedan is a positive one, as it is the most affordable petrol-CNG sedan in India. However, as we move upwards in the variant ladder, Tata’s premium variant becomes pricier than Maruti’s top-spec model.

The Tata Aeris Accomplished iCNG AMT is priced at Rs.9.74 Lakh, while the Maruti Dzire ZXi+ iCNG AMT is priced at Rs.9.54 Lakh.

Variants on offer:

Tata Aeris Smart, Pure, Pure+, Creative, Accomplished (5 variants)

Maruti Dzire LXI, VXI, ZXi, ZXi+ (4 variants)

Engine and Performance: Closely competitive

Both cars are equipped with a 1.2-litre, 3-cylinder, naturally aspirated petrol engine. The maximum power and torque figures are almost the same for both engines with the Tata Aeris having a slight edge over the Maruti Dzire.

TATA AERIS MARUTI DZIRE Petrol 86 PS (85 bhp) 82 PS (81 bhp) 113 Nm 112 Nm Petrol 76 PS (75 bhp) 70 PS (69 bhp) 97 Nm 102 Nm

Both cars come with a 5-speed Manual and a 5-speed AMT gearbox. However, the CNG AMT gearbox of the Tata Aeris is available from the Pure+ variant while the Maruti Dzire’s CNG AMT is available only in the top-spec ZXi+ variant.

Features and Technology: Aeris has more tech but Dzire has the sunroof

This segment of the comparison is the most interesting as both cars aim to target different customer segments. While the Tata Aeris aims to position itself as the car with more features, the Maruti Dzire appeals to those who want a sunroof in their sedan. However, when it comes to technological features, it is the Tata Aeris that has an upper hand.

Tata Aeris Wins With Maruti Dzire Wins With Larger Touchscreen (10.25-inch) Ventilated Front Seats Integrated Dashcam Blind View Monitor (First in Segment) Rain-sensing wipers with auto headlights 6 Airbags Standard Rear Headrest Adjustment Electric Sunroof (Only in this Comparison) ESP and Hill Hold CNG AMT available from Pure+ Variant

Space and Practicality: Aeris has more boot space while Dzire has more width

The wheelbase and length of both cars are almost the same, with the Maruti Dzire being slightly wider at the front and the Tata Aeris being slightly taller. The boot space or luggage capacity of the Tata Aeris is also larger than the Maruti Dzire. The differences are highlighted below.

Wheelbase Length Width Height Boot Space 2450 mm 3995 mm 1735 mm 1416 mm 419 L 2450 mm 3995 mm 1684 mm 1419 mm 382 L

 

Safety: Tata has more standard safety features

Tata continues to position itself as a carmaker that delivers on the safety front with its cars offering more standard safety features when compared to its competitors. Safety features offered by the Maruti Dzire and Tata Aeris:

Tata Maruti 6 Airbags 6 Airbags (Top variants) Blind View Monitor (only in top variants) ESP and Hill Hold –

Although the Maruti Dzire is a 5-star Global NCAP car, the standard features in the entry-level variants of Maruti are less when compared to Tata Aeris which has standard 6 airbags, Blind View Monitor, ESP, and Hill Hold in all variants.

Who should buy the Tata Aeris and who should buy the Maruti Dzire?

Buy the Tata Aeris if:

• You are a value-conscious buyer: Tata Aeris has a lower entry price, comes with more standard equipment, and has an extensive list of safety features.

• You want more features: The Tata Aeris has features such as ventilated front seats, integrated dashcam, blind view monitor, and rain-sensing wipers with auto headlights which are not present in the Maruti Dzire.

• Safety is a priority: Tata Aeris has standard 6 airbags, ESP, and Blind View Monitor across all variants.

• You need more boot space: The Tata Aeris has a boot space of 419 litres which is more than the Maruti Dzire’s 382 litres.

• You want a CNG AMT variant but do not want to spend too much: The CNG AMT variant of the Tata Aeris is available from the Pure+ variant (Rs.7.59 Lakh), while the CNG AMT option in the Maruti Dzire starts from the top ZXi+ variant (Rs.9.54 Lakh).

Buy the Maruti Dzire if:

• You want a sunroof: The Maruti Dzire is the only car in this comparison that offers a sunroof.

• You value the brand name and want to enjoy the perks associated with it: Although the Tata Aeris is more feature-packed, Maruti still enjoys the brand premium that comes with its name.

• You want more shoulder room: The Maruti Dzire is wider at the front (1735 mm) when compared to the Tata Aeris (1684 mm).

• You like the torque figures of the Maruti Dzire: Especially in the CNG variant, the Maruti Dzire has slightly higher torque than the Tata Aeris.

It is hard to say which car is better between the Tata Aeris vs Maruti Dzire. If value-for-money and feature-packed is what you are looking for, the Tata Aeris will deliver. On the other hand, if you want a prestigious brand name and a sunroof in your car, the Maruti Dzire is the best choice.