Tata Aeris vs Maruti Dzire: price, features and safety compared
The new Tata Aeris undercuts the Maruti Dzire on price and boot space, but the Dzire still leads on crash-test ratings and mileage data.
Buyers considering a compact sedan now have a new option. Tata Motors has launched the new Tata Aeris in place of the Tata Tigor, and its starting price is lower than the Maruti Dzire. But price alone should not decide the purchase; engine, mileage, features, safety and boot space also need to be checked. Both cars offer petrol and CNG options, and both come with a choice of manual or AMT gearbox.
On price, the Tata Aeris has an ex-showroom price starting at Rs 5.29 lakh and going up to Rs 9.74 lakh for the top variant. The Maruti Suzuki Dzire, by contrast, starts at Rs 6.31 lakh and goes up to about Rs 9.54 lakh. This means the Aeris is about Rs 1.02 lakh cheaper than the Dzire at the base level, but the Dzire is slightly cheaper than the Aeris in the top variant.
On engines, the Tata Aeris gets a 1.2 litre petrol engine that produces about 86 PS of power and 113 Nm of torque. Its CNG version produces about 76 PS and 97 Nm of torque. The Maruti Dzire also has a 1.2 litre, three-cylinder petrol engine producing about 82 PS and 112 Nm of torque. The Dzire's CNG version produces about 70 PS and 102 Nm of torque. Both cars offer a 5-speed manual and a 5-speed AMT gearbox.
On mileage, only official figures for the Maruti Dzire are currently available. The Dzire's petrol manual version claims mileage of 25.15 kmpl and the AMT version claims up to 26.13 kmpl. The Dzire's CNG model is said to deliver mileage of 35.63 km/kg to 36.47 km/kg. Tata has not yet announced official mileage figures for the Aeris's petrol and CNG versions, so on the figures currently available, the Dzire leads.
Both cars have the same length of 3,995 mm and the same wheelbase of 2,450 mm. However, the Dzire is wider than the Aeris, while the Aeris is slightly taller. In boot space, the Aeris leads with 419 litres against 382 litres in the Dzire, meaning the Aeris offers relatively more room for luggage when travelling with family.
On features, the Tata Aeris has a 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment system, while the Dzire has a 9-inch screen. The Aeris comes with front ventilated seats, a built-in dashcam, rain-sensing wipers, a blind-spot monitor and a cooled glovebox. The Dzire offers an electric sunroof and headrests that adjust forward and back.
On safety, both cars get 6 airbags, electronic stability control, hill hold assist and a 360-degree camera. The Aeris additionally has a built-in dashcam and a blind-spot monitor. The Maruti Dzire has received a 5-star rating in Bharat NCAP and Global NCAP crash tests, while the new Tata Aeris has not yet been crash tested, so an independent crash safety result for it is not currently available.
On CNG, the Tata Aeris has a 70 litre tank, while the Maruti Dzire has a 55 litre CNG tank. The Aeris uses a dual-cylinder setup, which leaves some boot space even with CNG fitted.
Overall, the Tata Aeris has a lower starting price, a bigger screen, ventilated seats, a built-in dashcam, rain-sensing wipers and a blind-spot monitor, and more boot space than the Dzire. The Maruti Dzire, on the other hand, offers an electric sunroof, a relatively wider body and a longer market presence, and it leads on the official mileage figures currently available. Most importantly, the Dzire has received a 5-star rating in Bharat NCAP and Global NCAP crash tests, while the Aeris has not yet been crash tested.
