Comparative analysis: Volkswagen Ameo Vs Dzire, Amaze, Figo, Zest, Aspire, Xcent

VW India fields what is touted to be its primary volume spinner from now on.The VW Ameo is the latest entrant of the sub-4 m sedan segment which is dominated by the Maruti Dzire. Players like the Honda Amaze and Hyundai Xcent have a decent market share in the space while contenders like the Tata Zest and Ford Figo Aspire are not really meeting the sales expectations.

The VW Ameo is positioned as the most premium compact sedan and here is how it fares against its rivals.

The Ameo is only available with a petrol engine as of now but the 1.5-litre diesel motor will be introduced in the coming months. Given that the engine displacement is controlled by the sub-4 norm, all the compact sedans mentioned in this comparo have 1.2-litre petrol engines. The VW is the only model to use 3-cylinder unit whereas the rest employ 4-cylinder engines. The Ford is also available with a 1.5-litre petrol engine which produces best in class power of 112 PS.

With 90 PS on tap, both Zest and Amaze (CVT) emerge as the most powerful models of this lot. The Ameo puts out the least amount of power at 75 PS. A 5-speed manual transmission is standard across the range. The Dzire and Xcent offer 4-speed AT, Amaze gets CVT and Figo 1.5 gets 6-speed dual-clutch AT options.

VW Ameo Maruti Dzire Honda Amaze Hyundai Xcent Ford Figo Aspire Tata Zest
Engine 1.2L 1.2L 1.2L 1.2L 1.2L/1.5L 1.2L
Transmission 5MT 5MT/4AT 5MT/CVT 5MT/4AT 5MT/6AT 5 MT
Power 75 PS @ 5400 rpm 84.3 PS @ 6000 rpm 88 PS @ 6000 rpm 83 PS @ 6000 rpm 88 PS @ 6300/112 PS @ 6300 rpm 90 PS @ 5000 rpm
Torque 110 Nm @ 3750 rpm 115 Nm @ 4,000 rpm 109 Nm @ 4500 rpm 114 Nm @ 4000 rpm 112 @ 4000/136 Nm @ 4250 rpm 140 Nm @ 1750 rpm
L x W x H (mm) 3995 x 1682 x 1483 3995 x 1695 x 1555 3990 x 1680 x 1505 3995 x 1660 x 1520 3995 x 1695 x 1525 3995 c 1706 x 1570
Wheelbase (mm) 2470 2430 2405 2425 2491 2470
Tyres 185/60 R15 185/65 R15 175/65 R14 175/60 R15 175/65 R14 185/65 R15
Fuel Tank Capacity (litres) 45 42 35 43 42 44
Boot Capacity (litres) 330 315 400 390 359 390
Mileage (kmpl) 17.83 20.85/18.5 17.8/18.1 19.1 18.16/17 17.6
Kerb Wt (kgs) 1044 965 965 NA NA 1115
Price (INR Lakhs, Ex-Delhi) 5.14 – 6.91 5.23 – 7.02 5.41 – 8.31 5.36 – 7.85 5.21 – 7.38/8.12 5.07 – 6.52
All the sedans are equipped more or less at par with each other but the Ameo clearly leads the segment when it comes to equipment. Coming to prices, The Tata Zest has the lowest starting price of INR 5.08 lakhs. The newly updated Honda Amaze with new interior has the highest starting price at INR 5.41 lakhs. The VW Ameo starts at INR 5.14 lakhs (all prices are ex-showroom, New Delhi).

This article has first appeared in Rushlane.com