Exterior The Hyundai
Xcent is based on the Grand i10 hatchback platform and retains the
same front profile as the hatchback. The bonnet has a downward
sloping design with the A-pillars flowing onto the corners. The car
has swept back headlamps and sleek single slat chrome grille. The
front bumper of the Xcent has a hexagonal air dam that now gets a
chrome lining on the sedan while the angular fog lamps recess are the
same as those on the hatch. The side profile too remains identical
right up to the C-pillar that has been blended into the boot line
well indeed. A sharp shoulder line stands out as it runs from over
the centre section of the front wheel arch, along the door handles,
all the way to the tail light. The slight kink in the lower section
of the doors is fitted with thick black plastic beading just like the
hatchback. The dual tone diamond cut alloy wheels look pretty snazzy
too and adds to the visual appeal of the car. At the back, the
Hyundai Xcent has a trapezoid shaped license plate housing with
chrome lining on the top. The rear bumper has a protruding centre
section with a nice recess in the lower centre section housing
reflectors on either side. The bottom of the bumper has a black
centre section with the tow hook located in the centre. The Honda
Amaze like it's hatchback sibling has a very meek looking front end
with its small double slat grille and relatively small headlamps. The
bonnet of the Amaze has a V-shaped power dome to lend a nice visual
break. The front bumper with it's sharp lines comes to the rescue of
the front end of the car by lending plenty of design lines and the
subtle fog lamp housings lends a nice sharp look to the car. The side
profile of the Amaze has a sharp lines that give it a somewhat busy
look with lines flowing backwards from the headlamps, one stretching
from the front apron to the rear door and another from the rear door
to the the tail light. The lower section of the doors has a sharp
kink to keep the visual appeal of the car intact. The C-pillar of the
Honda Amaze has a sharp line flowing down from the roof, (something
that reminds you of sedans from the 90s) and onto the boot lid that
looks like it was always meant to be a part of the car.
The rear profile of the Amaze is the
best looking amongst the three cars here with nicely carved large
tail lights, a boot lid with plenty of curves and crests, and a thick
strip of chrome running between the tail lights. The large rear
bumper of the car like the rest of the car has sharp lines that give
it plenty of visual distinctions. The Maruti Suzuki Swift DZire is
the oldest car here but has aged well. While not many agree with me,
I actually feel that this second generation DZire with it's swept
back headlamps, downward sloping bonnet, long grille and large front
bumper looks nice even today. To me, it is better looking than its
predecessor. The side profile of the car has a window line that
slopes downwards to the rear and the blacked out A and B pillars do
give it a sporty look. Unlike the Amaze, the Swift DZire has mild
design cues in the form of a shoulder like running from the front
apron to the tail lights, a kink in the lower section of the doors
and flared wheel arches. The C pillar of the car sharply blends onto
the boot, that is a short one to keep the car’s length under four
meters. In the process, the short rear over hang of the Swift DZire
does give it a sporty rear end design. The example of the Maruti
Suzuki Swift DZire we have here is the mid-level VDi variant of the
car that misses out on alloy wheels. Around the back, the Swift DZire
has nice angular tail lamps, a U-shaped license plate housing and a
thick strip of chrome running between the tail lamps. The large rear
bumper has a protruding centre section and a recess in the lower
centre section of the car with a rear fog lamp housed in the centre.
Kanika Sood’s opinion: I
think that the Amaze wins my heart when it comes to looks in this
segment. Specially love how the boot is integrated. Design is a high
point of Honda. The Xcent looks a little plain and the Dzire looks
old. Honda has done a good job with the design. Bunny
Punia's opinion: I like the way the Xcent looks
apart from its unconventional tail lamps. Gorgeous alloys add to the
appeal and coming a close second, for me, is the Amaze. It looks the
most proportioned of the lot and finally, the Dzire needs a mid-life
update now.
Interior It’s here
that Hyundai has really upped the game in the compact sedan segment
with the Xcent. Everything from the quality of plastics, switchgear,
seat fabric, over all fit and finish and the appearance of the dual
tone interiors makes you feel welcome. The cabin of the Hyundai Xcent
is genuinely a nice place to be in. My previous statement has a two
fold reason as the Xcent also comes loaded with a serious amount of
equipment in this segment in the top-end SX (O) variant that comes
fitted with power steering, tilt adjustable steering, steering
mounted audio controls, power windows all around, climate control,
electrically adjustable and auto folding ORVMs, auto dimming interior
rear view mirror, a height adjustable driver’s seat, a driver
information system, front airbags, cooled glove box, keyless entry
with engine start/stop button, front fog lamps, rear defogger, rear
parking sensors and rear view camera, rear centre armrest and rear
air vents.
The stereo has 1GB of internal memory,
Bluetooth connectivity, and steering mounted audio controls. Sound
quality from the unit is the best amongst the three cars and my only
complaint here is that I tend to unintentionally switch tracks while
taking corners as my palm’s section under the thumb comes into
contact with the track change button. Apart from that ergonomic
issue, the stereo is a good package indeed.
On the grounds of space, the Hyundai
Xcent is a very accommodating car. The front seats are supportive and
the rear seat can easily seat three adults with good leg room to
offer. The Xcent furthers practicality with the biggest boot here
with 407 litres of space to offer.
After the Xcent, moving on to the
interiors of the other two cars here feels like going back in time. I
say this because both the Honda Amaze and Maruti Suzuki Swift DZire
have somewhat dated interiors. True that both cars get beige
interiors and double din stereo units but its limited to just that.
The inside of the Honda Amaze is the most basic looking here with the
dashboard being carried over from the Brio hatchback. While the dual
tone colour theme does liven things up and lends an airy ambiance to
the large cabin of the Amaze, the quality of plastics and switchgear
feel down rent. The stereo has very tacky switchgear and sound
quality is not as good as the unit in the Xcent.
On the equipment front too, the Amaze
feels spartan in comparison to the Xcent. The top end VX variant
comes fitted with power steering with tilt adjustable steering, power
windows all around, driver’s seat height adjust, front airbags, a
double din stereo with USB compatibility, steering mounted audio
controls, manual airconditioning, day/night interior rear view
mirror, electrically adjustable and folding ORVMs, remote central
locking, front fog lamps, front power outlet, rear defogger and rear
centre armrest.
The Amaze is rather spacious inside,
the rear seats offer plenty of legroom and head room while the front
seats are comfortable and have good lower back support. And with 400
litres of boot space, the Amaze is not far behind the Xcent on the
overall practicality front.
The Maruti Swift DZire has better
looking dual tone interiors than the Amaze and quality of materials,
plastic and switchgear are better as well. Although, its nowhere
close to the interiors of the Hyundai Xcent, the cabin of the Swift
DZire is a pleasant looking one. Where it falls short though is on
the practicality as rear headroom is limited for tall passengers and
rear legroom is tight even for people of average height. The front
seats are better off and offer good upper back support. I also have
to mention that with a boot space of 316 litres the Swift
DZire's space constraint is an all round issue.
The ZDi variant of the Swift DZire
comes loaded with power steering, power windows all around, day/night
interior rear view mirror, electrically adjustable and folding ORVMs,
remote central locking, climate control, a double din stereo with USB
compatibility, steering mounted audio controls, front and rear fog
lamps, rear defogger, driver’s seat height adjust, driver
information display, front power outlet and a rear centre arm rest. I
also have to mention that sound quality from the stereo is rather
poor.
Kanika’s opinion:
Xcent wins hands down in this. The quality of the cabin, the plastic,
the buttons all are far superior than competition. Feature list is
very impressive and I love the thought behind things like rear a/c
vents, cooled glove box. Off-late Hyundai have focussed a lot on
comfort and quality with their Verna and Elantra and Sonata. The
Xcent is another example of the same.
Bunny’s opinion: A typical buyer in this segment is looking for comfort, quality and features and this is something the Xcent provides easily. The Amaze could do with a better looking fascia while the Dzire lacks both passenger as well as boot space. While the Amaze wins on cabin space, the Xcent seems to cocoon passengers in a nicer way. Further, the limited under-seat space in the Amaze up front means rear passengers can’t push their feet forward as easily as in the Xcent.
Bunny’s opinion: A typical buyer in this segment is looking for comfort, quality and features and this is something the Xcent provides easily. The Amaze could do with a better looking fascia while the Dzire lacks both passenger as well as boot space. While the Amaze wins on cabin space, the Xcent seems to cocoon passengers in a nicer way. Further, the limited under-seat space in the Amaze up front means rear passengers can’t push their feet forward as easily as in the Xcent.
Engine and Gearbox
Unlike its four cylinder rivals, the Hyundai Xcent diesel is powered
by a 1.1 litre three cylinder oil burner that develops 72PS of power
@ 4,000 rpm and 180Nm of torque between 1,750 rpm and 2,500 rpm,
which is 1PS and 20Nm more than the motor produces in the Grand i10
hatchback. The engine is claimed to return a fuel efficiency figure
of 24.4 km/l as per ARAI. The engine is mated to a five-speed manual
gearbox that has very smooth shift quality and reverse is engaged by
lifting the gear lever and moving it into the first gear slot. The
clutch is light and progressive and is a joy to use under heavy
traffic conditions.
Right from the moment you fire up the
motor, it has to be said that Hyundai has done a great job at
containing noise, vibration and harshness (NVH) of the diesel engine
and has made it feel very refined for a small capacity diesel motor.
There is obviously a bit of initial turbo lag but once you hit the
1,750 rpm mark the engine pulls cleanly to 2,500 rpm with very linear
acceleration. At this point you can hear the turbo spooling and it
overrides some of the diesel engine clatter from the engine. The
surge of acceleration starts fading as the speed climbs, beyond the
110 km/h mark, the Xcent feels out of breath and you can sense that
the car is out of its comfort zone. Its also worth mentioning that
the Xcent feels underpowered under full load in traffic conditions
and sometimes will require you to shift to first gear to get going.
The Honda Amaze diesel on the other
hand packs in a much larger 1.5 litre diesel engine that generates
100PS of power @ 3,600 rpm and 200Nm of torque @ 1,750 rpm. This
makes it significantly more powerful, and right from the get up and
go you can make this out. The engine is mated to a five speed manual
gearbox that is notchy and is linked to a heavy clutch, as a result,
the Amaze does require some effort to be driven about. True, that the
surge of power is more throughout the rev band, but its poor NVH
levels mean that you are constantly aware of the rough engine note at
all times and the heavy clutch and notchy gearshift do not help.
These are the only let downs of what is otherwise a brilliant
powertrain and that is responsive to driver inputs and can get a move
on when you want it to. Pushing the Honda Amaze diesel will get you
to an indicated top speed of 145 km/h at which point it feels like
the car has been limited and could have gone a tad faster.
The Maruti Suzuki Swift DZire diesel
ofcourse comes fitted with the famed 1.3 litre multi-jet diesel
engine that develops 75PS of power @ 4,000 rpm and 190Nm of torque @
2,000 rpm. The Swift DZire has an ARAI claimed efficiency figure of
23.4 km/l. The engine is mated to a five speed manual gearbox that is
not as notchy as the unit in the Amaze but is not as light and smooth
as the Hyundai Xcent’s either. The clutch pedal is nice and
progressive but not as light as the one in the Xcent. On the
performance front, the Maruti Swift DZire is in between the Amaze and
the Xcent as it is a lively motor that is responsive once past the
2,000 rpm mark. It is closer to the Amaze in terms of power delivery
though not as punchy. The car hits the 110 km/h mark in relative ease
and is a capable highway cruiser. There is a fair amount of engine
noise inside the cabin right from the start, though not as pronounced
as the 1.5 litre i-DTEC motor in the Amaze. Kanika’s
opinion: The Amaze is my pick in this for a simple reason
that 1.5 litre i-DTEC motor is peppy and responds very well. 100 PS
of power is evident when you are in a mood to push the car beyond the
usual limits of commute. In pulls up nicely in the city and is fast
and efficient. When the speedometer shows you more than 24 km/litre
display, the happiness is amazing Bunny’s opinion:
A perfect match would have been a car with Xcent’s NVH levels
combined with performance of the Amaze. While Hyundai’s offering
impressed me with its light clutch, smooth gearshift and best in
class noise levels, I simply couldn’t ignore the power delivery of
the Amaze. Best in class fuel economy from the Amaze, inspite of such
a big engine, is the icing on the cake.
Ride and Handling All
the cars here come with a McPherson Strut type suspension up front
and a torsion beam setup at the rear. And all three cars also come
with disc brakes at the front and drums at the rear. That said all
three of them have different ride and handling traits and one of them
is more apart from the other two. The ride and handling department is
where the Hyundai Xcent falls short of its rivals. With its light
steering, gearshifts and clutch the Hyundai Xcent may very well be
tireless and comfortable to drive. But its when you begin push it
that the shortcomings of the chassis and suspension begin to show.
The Xcent just does not like to go fast around a bend and hits its
limit of balance and grip quite soon. Now, I do agree that compact
sedans are not about outright driving pleasure but my problem with
the Hyundai on the handling department is from a safety stand point.
If you enter a corner a little too fast or say, have to swerve in
order to avoid a cow on the road, the Xcent can be unsettled very
quickly. And feedback from the light steering unit should be better
as well to keep the driver aware of whats going on at all times.
For this segment, the Xcent’s ride
comfort and cushioning over broken roads is good and on par with its
rivals, there is a bit of road noise over coarse surfaces and broken
tarmac sections. Another concern with the Hyundai Xcent is braking.
While there is adequate braking force and the ABS system kicks in
nicely, there is absolutely no feedback from the pedal and the only
time you feel anything is when the anti-lock brakes intervene to stop
the wheels from locking up under hard braking.
The Honda Amaze is clearly the car with
the best handling traits here. The steering offers some amount of
feedback and the car responds well to sudden driver inputs in the
form of directional changes. The chassis and suspension give the
driver good confidence to push the car to the limit of grip at which
point you are constantly aware of how much grip all the wheels have
at all points of time. This makes it a very rewarding car to drive at
the limit. The brakes provide good feedback too for this segment and
the ABS kicks in late providing good braking performance over
different surfaces. Ride comfort is similar to the Xcent when it
comes to comfort and cushioning over poor road surfaces. And again
like the Xcent, plenty of road noise filters inside the cabin, in
fact a little more so. This combined with the high NVH levels inside
the cabin makes it fairly unpleasant to drive over coarse tarmac
surfaces.
The Maruti Suzuki Swift DZire on the
ride and handling front is a toned down version of the Amaze. The
steering unit does not provide as much feedback as the unit in the
Amaze but you have a fair idea of whats going on. Pushing it around
corners gives the driver a good idea of what the car is doing and
keeps you aware about its limit of grip, which is a little less than
what the Amaze is capable of. The brakes have good bite, a little
less so over loose surfaces. Ride comfort is good in the Swift DZire
and the suspension cushions bumps in an almost identical manner as
the other two cars here. Road noise though is less than in the Amaze
over rough roads. Kanika’s opinion: Ride quality
and handling is my only issue with the Xcent. The Dzire is good at
both but once you drive the Amaze is when you realize how mature the
car is. It is fast and yet handles great. The brake feel, the
handling of the car is superb. Plus, the base variant of the Amaze
comes with ABS too. That’s where I would want to put my money
because after all, if a car does not drive well then what’s the
point. The NVH levels are sure poor but I can make peace with that.
Bunny’s opinion: Standard ABS across all
diesel versions of the Amaze is something that has impressed us a
lot. It handles well for city (great visibility) and rides well too.
On that account, even the Dzire fares well but drive the Xcent and
you know it’s tuned so well for comfort – again something a
typical buyer would want. However, offering ABS only on the top end
model, that too as an option surprises me a lot.
Verdict Having
considered all aspects for the Hyundai Xcent, Honda Amaze and the
Maruti Suzuki Swift DZire, its now time to reach a conclusion as to
which of these cars makes for that right compact sedan purchase. The
Hyundai Xcent SX (O) unquestionably makes for a rather attractive
option in this segment with its upmarket interiors, feature packed
equipment list and value for money proposition, as it is roughly Rs
12,000 more affordable than the Honda Amaze VX. The Xcent is also
much nicer to drive with its light controls and lower NVH levels.
True that it lacks the outright punch of its rivals, but this is a
car you don’t mind driving slowly as its so much more refined than
its rivals and does the job of an urban run about well. That said,
the Honda Amaze makes a strong case for itself as a more powerful and
economical car, coupled with spacious interiors and positive drive
dynamics that indeed make it a safer and more fun to drive car. But
its spartan interiors, high NVH levels, notchy gearbox and heavy
clutch let it down, something that definitely will add to fatigue
levels over long journeys. You do have to remember though, that this
is a Honda and comes with the brand’s bullet proof reliability and
good resale value.
The Maruti Suzuki Swift DZire is
beginning to show it's age. It’s a nice car to drive, a more
balanced package between the Xcent and Amaze. It is also the most
affordable car here as the ZDi variant is around Rs 9,000 more
affordable than the SX (O) variant of the Xcent. Although, the
cramped rear seat along with a limited equipment list in relation to
the Xcent makes it fall short of its competition. The Swift DZire
though continues to and will continue to sell in high numbers due to
Maruti’s low maintenance costs, brand image and crucially,
accessibility to service centers, especially outside metro cities,
something that makes people choose a Maruti with their eyes closed.
However, I feel the time for the Swift DZire is over in wake of more
modern, powerful and economical offerings from Hyundai and Honda. It
all then boils down to a brawl between the Xcent and the Amaze. I’
am heavily inclined towards the Xcent. It’s a nicer car to drive,
albeit slowly. It packs in way more features than the Honda and is
more modern in almost every aspect. Handling and enthusiastic driving
is surely not a forte of these cars, but the nervous high speed
manners of the Xcent makes me take a step back. Nevertheless, the
Honda’s crude nature is something that can’t be overlooked -
despite its performance, efficiency and safe road manners.
As a result, the Hyundai Xcent takes
the prize here, but just about. It offers the most bang for your
buck. It’s a comfortable urban run about so long as you keep the
speeds in check, it’s more in tune with the times with respect to
refinement, interiors and creature comforts. It’s a car that will
appeal to value conscious buyers and Hyundai has to be credited for
the new Xcent, not to forget that the entry level diesel model is a
21,000 cheaper than the base diesel Dzire and Rs 40,000 less than the
base diesel Amaze! Kanika’s opinion- It’s a
difficult choice. All three of them are good and not-so-good in their
own ways. Maruti offers you the most service stations across the
country and hassle free ownership, Hyundai comes a close second in
the service accessibility front with the added advantage of offering
a lengthy equipment list, while Honda has more brand value and best
in class fuel efficiency. It is a tough call, the Xcent is new,
refreshing, feature packed and a very good overall package. Swift
DZire, though outdated still leads the segment for reasons like good
engine and the fact that it is a Maruti. But, my vote goes to the
Honda Amaze. I value safety, handling, confidence and drive/ride
quality over other things in a car. Amaze is amazing at all of the
above. For me the best value for money offering here is the Honda
Amaze. PS: I already own the current generation DZire. Bunny’s
opinion: Let me start my opinion by stating that I too own a
Dzire, the previous generation one. Its done 1.2 lac km on the odo
and is 5 years old but even today, mechanically, it’s a perfect
companion. This is one of the reasons why the DZire will always
continue to sell in big numbers – that’s a Maruti for you. That
said, Hyundai has upped the game by offering the most comfortable and
feature loaded car in the segment at a terrific price point. The
Xcent never feels built to a price, something that is apparent in the
Amaze. Talking of which, you can’t ignore the sheer space,
performance and brand value that comes attached with the Amaze. Both
these cars are winners for me here, each satisfying a different owner
completely. Photography by: Kanupriya Bhatnagar
Source: gaadi.com
Source: gaadi.com
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