Spec comparison: 2018 Tata Tigor vs Maruti Suzuki Dzire vs Hyundai Xcent vs Ford Aspire vs Honda Amaze

Abhishek Samuel Updated: August 16, 2019, 04:33 PM IST

Tata Motors has just launched the facelifted 2018 Tata Tigor in the country today. The sub-4m sedan has received a mild cosmetic update to bring it up to spec with the competition that includes sales heavyweights including the Maruti Suzuki Dzire and Hyundai Xcent. And even Ford has updated its Aspire sedan most recently, while Honda had launched its runner, the new Amaze earlier this year. The sub-4 metre segment has been on a growth path over the past few years due to the unique value proposition on offer. Let's find out if the new Tigor has what it takes to go head to head with its rivals.

Dimensions

All the cars come in under the 4,000mm mark to qualify for the sub-4m length benefits. The Tigor is a miniscule 3mm shorter than the 3,995mm length for the other three cars in this comparison. Thanks to its Heartect platform, the Dzire is now squarer and the widest at 1,735mm, while the Ford Aspire comes in second at 1,704mm. The Tigor, Xcent and Amaze measure 1,677mm, 1,660mm and 1,695mm, respectively.

The Tata Tigor retains its 1,537mm height and is the tallest of the five, suggesting that it may be the one with the roomiest cabin. It is followed by the Aspire (1,525mm), Xcent (1,520mm) , Dzire (1,515mm), and the Amaze (1,498mm), in that order. In terms of weight, the Dzire again benefits from its Heartect platform for an 860kg kerb weight, while the Tigor weighs the most at 1,130kg. Coming to boot space, the Tigor and Honda Amaze are close but the latter wins by a litre at 420 litres, while the Aspire has the least space at 359 litres.

Engine and performance

Again, adhering to the the sub-4m guidelines, all the cars feature petrol engines with displacement under 1,200cc. Of these, the newest engine is also the most powerful. The 1.2 Dragon petrol on the 2018 Ford Aspire produces 96PS. The Amaze comes second with 90PS, with the Dzire and Xcent both producing 83PS, while that of the Tigor producing 85 PS and sits in the middle of the range.

Note that only the Tigor has the three-cylinder engine in this line-up, while those on all the others sport four cylinders. The claimed fuel efficiency figures from the five compact sedans range from 18kmpl to 22kmpl. The Swift has the highest claimed fuel efficiency at 22, followed by 20.4kmpl for the Aspire, the Xcent (20.14), the Amaze (19.5) and the Tigor (18).

Price and Verdict

The 2018 Tigor has been launched at a price of Rs 5.20 lakh for the petrol variant in base XE trim. Prices for the market leader Maruti Suzuki Dzire start at Rs 5.60 lakh. The other recent launch among the bunch was the Aspire which has been priced at Rs 5.55 lakh, while the prices for the Xcent begin at Rs 5.63 lakh and the Amaze is priced at Rs 5.80 lakh for the base E variant (all prices ex-showroom).

The Tigor undercuts the prices of all its competitors, but we are yet to put it against them in real world tests. So we can only comment on whether that price advantage evens out once we compare these cars side by side. However, looking at its sleek styling, updated interior, and the host of new tech add-ons, we see it as a viable rival to the top-rated Dzire and Xcent. It may not be an easy task for it to crack the numbers we hear from Maruti Suzuki's finest, but it would be too early too tell how well the Tigor does.

Below is the full specification comparison: