Maruti DZire AMT vs Tata Zest AMT is one of the hottest comparison as these are the only two compact sedans that have an AMT on the diesel engine. The Zest and DZire are the only two sedans that are offering a diesel engine with AMT. The DZire is the best selling sedan in India and the Zest has been around for a while with a diesel AMT engine. Which one is the best diesel AMT compact sedan for you? We tell you in our detailed comparison.

Maruti DZire AMT vs Tata Zest AMT Design

Maruti DZire AMT vs Tata Zest AMT side

Maruti DZire AMT vs Tata Zest AMT rear

These two sedans are quite different in their styling. Lengthwise, with cars are the same at 3995mm, however the Zest is slightly wider and taller than the DZire. The Zest has more of a rounded design with a smiling grille whereas the DZire has more straight lines with pulled-back headlamps. The Zest has a bigger boot with 390 litres of space as compared to the DZires’s 320 litres. Both cars have modern and well-laid out interiors, however the DZire feels a tad more premium, with soft feel materials on the dashboard, door trims and steering wheel. The Zest on the other hand is a more spacious car inside.

Maruti DZire AMT vs Tata Zest AMT Equipment

Maruti DZire AMT_10
Maruti Dzire interior

 

Tata Zest AMT_2
Tata Zest AMT interior

The DZire as well as the Zest come feature laden in their top-end trims – ZDi and XTA respectively.  Both have dual airbags, ABS, automatic climate control, driver seat height adjustment, power windows, central locking with remote and multi-function display, audio stem with bluetooth and steering mounted controls. In addition, the DZire gets a push button start, while the Zest has projector headlamps and LED lamps. Featurewise, both cars are evenly balanced and have a lot of the essential things that people want. The Zest we tested was an XMA variant, which also comes with AMT.

Maruti DZire AMT_3
Maruti DZire rear seats
Tata Zest AMT_7
Tata Zest rear seats

Another thing I must mention is that the Harman music system in the Zest is very good and sets a benchmark in its category. We actually loved the way it reproduces music and makes listening a great experience.

Maruti DZire AMT vs Tata Zest AMT Engine

Maruti DZire AMT_9Maruti DZire AMT

Tata Zest AMT_9Tata Zest AMT

The Maruti DZire and the Tata Zest are fitted with the same 1.3-litre diesel engine which is sourced from Fiat. Maruti have termed it ‘DDis’ while Tata call it ‘Quadrajet’. The Zest comes in a higher state of tune with a variable geometry turbocharger that churns our 89bhp and 200Nm of torque, while the DZire has a fixed geometry turbocharger and delivers 74bhp of power and 190Nm of torque. These engines are mated to a five-speed AMT transmission (sourced from Magneti Marelli of Fiat). Tata calls it ‘F-Tronic’ while Maruti has named it as ‘Auto Gear Shift’ (AGS).

Maruti DZire AMT_6

Maruti DZire AMT_2
Maruti Dzire AMT

Tata Zest AMT_1

Tata Zest AMT_3
Tata Zest AMT

The DZire comes with a creep function that makes driving easier, especially in bumper to bumper traffic and on inclined roads. A creep function is one that holds the car from rolling in the opposite direction of the gear selected. This feature is sorely missed in the Zest and one needs to often use the handbrake to avoid the car from rolling off. However, we do hear that Tata will soon introduce this feature in the Zest, as it is already available in the Nano. The Zest has a Sport mode that delays the upshifts to offer better performance, however it doesn’t make much of a difference.

The DZire also feels slightly peppier compared to the Zest and that could be due to the lower kerb weight (DZire is around 100kgs lighter than Zest). Also, in the DZire there is a sudden rush of power once the turbo kicks in around 2000 rpm. In the Zest the power delivery is a linear one. If you are looking for spirited driving, the manual mode is a great option that allows you to select the gear manually and comes across  as much more fun, in both cars.

Maruti DZire AMT vs Tata Zest AMT Mileage

The Maruti DZire and the Tata Zest both have a similar engine and their fuel efficiency is similar. The DZire returns about 17km/l in the city, while the Zest returns 16km/l; while on the highway both return about 20km/l.

Maruti DZire AMT vs Tata Zest AMT Ride and Handling

Maruti Dzire AMT shot_3

Tata Zest AMT shot_1

This is one area where the Zest is a clear winner. The way the car soaks up bad roads is something the Maruti DZire felt wanting to match up to. The handling too is quite sure-footed and the steering returns a positive feedback and has progressive firming as the speeds built up, while being light at parking speeds. The steering of the DZire lacks that feel and is stiff at slow speeds. It also does not centre automatically.

Which one should you buy?

Maruti Dzire AMT shot_2

The Maruti Swift Dzire has proven itself and is amongst the highest selling cars in India. Well-equipped, rich cabin and ease of driving are its virtues, not to forget the brilliant after sales service network of Maruti-Suzuki. These factors make the DZire AMT a sensible car to buy. However, if you are looking for a more spacious car, that rides and handles well, has similar performance and a stronger build, the Zest AMT is the preferred one.

Tata Zest AMT shot_3

The DZire ZDi AMT costs INR 9.57 lakhs (on-road, Mumbai), while the Tata Zest XTA AMT costs INR 9.35 lakhs (on-road, Mumbai). The Tata Zest is priced slightly lower, has equivalent features, is more spacious and rides and handles better than the Swift Dzire. Now, if only Tata introduces the creep feature, the Zest AMT would become an unbeatable proposition.

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