Along with the compact SUV segment, it is the compact sedan segment which is really booming. The Maruti Swift DZire is the market leader while the new entrants Honda Amaze and Hyundai Xcent are fighting it out too. Now, Tata Motors is all set to enter the compact sedan segment with its new Zest. While the Indigo CS has been here since a long time, it really doesn’t appeal to buyers as much as other modern vehicles do. There are high expectations running on the Bolt and Zest and both of them look quite promising.
The Tata Zest will be powered by the 1.3-litre Quadrajet diesel engine that current does duty on the Indica Vista, Manza as well as many other vehicles from other companies. The Zest will also get a new 1.2-litre Revotron turbocharged petrol engine that will offer quick acceleration and good overall performance. While the diesel engine gives out 90 PS of power and 200 Nm of torque, the petrol powerplant churns out 85 PS of power and 140 Nm of torque. While a manual gearbox will surely be offered, Tata Motors will also introduce an F-Tronic AMT gearbox with the Zest. The Zest will be the first affordable diesel automatic car in India.
The Tata Zest will come loaded with features. Here in the spy pictures we can see projector lamps and smoked headlights which look very sporty. The ORVMs come with integrated turn indicators and the rear carries neutral styling which will surely offend none. Tata Motors needs to work on quality, fit and finish of materials that will be used on the vehicle. The company also needs to focus on improving its after-sales service. The HORIZONEXT programme from Tata Motors is gaining a lot of confidence from buyers and good products like the Bolt and Zest will surely help increase the company’s appeal.
The Tata Zest will be competing with the Maruti Swift DZire, Honda Amaze and Hyundai Xcent. The DZire was launched in 2008 and it was an instant hit. The new model was introduced in 2011 and it continues to rule the market since it comes with Maruti’s famed after-sales service network. The DZire looks quite weird but its sales come from its reliability and good fuel efficiency. The Swift as well as the DZire are both over-hyped vehicles. We are not denying the fact they are good, but there is really nothing extraordinary about them. The DZire will be getting a facelift soon and it will come with minor cosmetic changes and some new features.
The Honda Amaze was launched in 2012 and it has always performed better than its hatchback counterpart, Brio. The Amaze also carries quirky styling that may not be favoured by everyone out there. But, powering the Amaze is a 1.5-litre diesel engine that gives out 100 PS of power, making it the most powerful car in its segment. The Honda badge also commands respect among buyers and the Japanese automaker too has good after-sales service in India. Hondas are also known for their extreme reliability and the Amaze is also quite fuel efficient.
The Hyundai Xcent was recently launched and it is a sedan version of the Grand i10. The Xcent is powered by 1.2-litre petrol and 1.1-litre diesel engines. Hyundais are known to be feature-loaded and the Xcent too doesn’t disappoint in this department. It is very feature-rich and also comes with rear AC vents which none of the other competitors provide. While Hyundai vehicles are really not known to be fun-to-drive, they come with good reliability and after-sales service.
So now it is time for the big question – Will Tata Zest Be Able To Beat Other Compact Sedans?
While DZire boasts of good after-sales and fuel efficiency, the Amaze comes with a powerful diesel engine and the famed Honda badge whereas the Xcent is loaded with features. The Tata Zest really has some tough competition and Tata Motors needs to make sure it doesn’t make a blunder out of the Zest. Each one of these sedans is good in its own right, but now it remains to be seen how the Zest is received by buyers and whether Tata Motors will be successful in changing its image. Pricing will be key as always but equally important will be how the company markets its latest sedan.
