Volkswagen Ameo vs Maruti Dzire vs Hyundai Xcent

Volkswagen India finally stepped into the compact sedan territory with the Polo-derived Ameo. Unveiled just before the Auto Expo in February, the Ameo is a derivative of the Polo and has been specifically designed and engineered for the Indian market where compact sedans are immensely popular. The competition is very tough and even competent products such as the Figo Aspire, Hyundai Xcent and Tata Zest have found it difficult to draw buyers away from the Swift Dzire. So has Volkswagen put all the time to good use and developed a car good enough to lure buyers away from the Dzire and the Xcent? Find out here in our Volkswagen Ameo vs Maruti Dzire vs Hyundai Xcent Comparison of specifications and prices.

Also See – VW Ameo vs Maruti Dzire vs Honda Amaze | Ameo vs Vento vs Polo | Ameo vs Figo Aspire vs Zest

Volkswagen Ameo vs Maruti Dzire vs Hyundai Xcent Price Comparison

Petrol Variants

Diesel Variants

Also See – Baleno vs Dzire

In terms of pricing of petrol variants, the Ameo is at par with the Maruti Dzire, which means the Xcent is the most expensive one here. Interestingly, Ameo’s donor car, the Polo, is now more expensive than the VW compact sedan! Diesel variants of the Ameo are more expensive than the Dzire and Xcent. Only the Dzire and Xcent petrol are available with an automatic transmission option. Ameo diesel gets an optionl 7-speed DSG.

Also See – Volkswagen Ameo Compact Sedan

Volkswagen Ameo vs Maruti Dzire vs Hyundai Xcent Mileage Comparison

Here’s a comparison table of the ARAI-tested fuel mileage figures of the Volkswagen Ameo and the mileage figures of the Dzire and Xcent. The updated 1.5-litre Diesel powering the Ameo is more fuel efficient. However, the Dzire is still the most fuel efficient compact sedan on sale in India followed by the Ford Aspire.

Volkswagen Ameo vs Maruti Dzire vs Hyundai Xcent Features Comparison

The Ameo boasts of segment first features including segment firsts such as cruise control and rain sensing wipers. Also, features like rear aircon vents, auto headlamps, cooled glovebox, and a touchscreen infotainment system, are offered by Volkswagen and these are not offered on the Dzire. The Hyundai Xcent and Dzire miss out on auto headlamps and rain sensing wipers. ABS and dual front airbags as standard fitment across all variants of the Volkswagen Ameo while Hyundai offers Driver side airbag and ABS as standard across all variants of the Xcent. All this ensures the Ameo stays ahead of its competitors in terms of features and safety. All this extra equipment at such an aggressive price makes the Ameo great value for money.

Also See – VW Ameo: What to Expect

Volkswagen Ameo vs Maruti Dzire vs Hyundai Xcent Specifications Comparison

Diesel

Petrol

The Volkswagen Ameo shares its powertrains with the Polo, which means it is powered by a 1.5 L TDI diesel and a 1.2 L petrol engine. However, the 1.5 L TDI diesel is an updated unit churning out more power and torque. It can be had with either a 5-speed manual or a 7-speed DSG automatic. The Fiat sourced 1.3 L Multijet powering the Swift Dzire comes mated to either a 5-speed manual or a 5-speed AMT unit.

On the other hand, the petrol Dzire powered by a 1.2 L engine is available with either a 5-speed manual or a 4-speed automatic transmission. Hyundai also offers the Xcent petrol with a 4-speed Automatic transmission apart from the 5-speed manual that does duty on the diesel version as well.

Volkswagen Ameo vs Maruti Dzire vs Hyundai Xcent Dimensions

Also See – Honda Amaze vs Ford Figo Aspire vs Maruti Swift Dzire vs Hyundai Xcent vs Tata Zest

Volkswagen Ameo vs Maruti Dzire vs Hyundai Xcent Comparison of Design

In terms of exterior design, the Ameo is no different than the current crop of compact sedans on sale right now. It has an awkward looking boot sticking out from the back. But it still manages to pull off the look better than the Dzire. Hyundai’s Xcent has a more conventional three-box shape and the boot looks more substantial than the Ameo’s and Dzire’s . The Ameo has a very squared off tail section, possibly done to maximise boot space, but could have done with softer edges. Honda recently gave the Amaze a facelift and it now looks much better than the previous model. The Dzire’s popularity suggests looks aren’t as important to customers as brand image and price as it definitely isn’t the prettiest one around. Xcent’s tail section looks a bit narrow.

The Volkswagen Ameo borrows its interiors from the Polo/Vento. The beautifully designed steering wheel is the highlight of the sedan’s dashboard that comes finished in black-beige with silver highlights . The Dzire’s cabin scores well on quality and fit and finish. However, it is the Hyundai Xcent’s cabin that sets the benchmark in terms of quality, fit and finish, and premium feel.

Volkswagen Ameo vs Maruti Swift Dzire vs Hyundai Xcent – Verdict

The compact sedan segment is immensely popular in India as evident from the monthly sales figures and every manufacturer’s eagerness to climb on to the sub-4 metre bandwagon. However, Maruti’s Swift Dzire remains the most popular of the lot and matching its sales would be a Herculean task. Realistically speaking, the Ameo would be gunning for the spots occupied by the Hyundai Xcent and Honda Amaze and Volkswagen’s aggressive pricing strategy could prove to be beneficial.

• Design – Volkswagen has done a tidy job of integrating the boot into the Polo, but it is the Hyundai Xcent that boasts of a more proportionate design. However, making a compact sedan look good isn’t an easy task as demonstrated by the cars featured in this comparison.
• Features – The Ameo comes loaded with features, some of which are segment firsts. Hyundai Xcent lags behind slightly while the Maruti Dzire is the least feature rich.
• Specifications – Powering the Ameo is the Polo’s 1.2 L petrol and an updated version of the 1.5 L diesel. Diesel Dzire gets an optional 5-speed AMT while the petrol variants of the Dzire and Xcent get an optional 4-speed automatic gearbox. Diesel Ameo gets a 7-speed DSG.
• Price – Aggressive pricing and a feature rich package make the Volkswagen Ameo a very good value for money offering.

So stay tuned to CarBlogIndia for updates on the Volkswagen Ameo vs Maruti Dzire vs Hyundai Xcent Comparison. What do you have to say about our Volkswagen Ameo vs Maruti Dzire vs Hyundai Xcent Comparison? Do share your views in the comments section below.