Maruti Suzuki Swift Dzire vs Tata Indigo Manza

If it’s an affordable diesel sedan you want, which satisfies more than just your transportation needs, there are two very good options the popular Swift Dzire and the new Indigo Manza. Like the Dzire, the Manza too is based on its hatchback sibling, the Indica Vista, but Tata has gone a step further and given it new design elements, new interiors and lot more features. But, is that enough to choose the Manza over the Dzire, especially in light of the long waiting period the latter commands?

Black interiors look a tad dull. The build quality and finish is better though

Not if it’s a good looking car you want. In fact neither car here will draw stares for the right reasons; not with their odd ball styling, courtesy the add-on boots. The Dzire however is the lesser of thetwo evils. It also comes across as a better built, finished and upmarket car. The Manza with its more or less straight cut figure from the A-pillar backwards comes across as tinny and a tad old school.

Inside though, the Tata is clearly more refreshing and inviting. The light colours, various design elements and the flowing dashboard add a hint of glitz to the cabin which is lacking in the drab black and more functional insides of the Dzire. The Maruti does have better levels of fit and finish, nonetheless. The plastics used don’t have rough edges as on the Manza, and the panels on the doors as well as on thedash fit properly too. It also has better front seats; these are cushier and better bolstered. The driving position is better too, with everything from the floor pedals to the gearshift lever to the indicator stalks as well as the steering-seat harmony being spot on.

The Maruti begins to lose out where rear passenger comfort is concerned. The Manza is a lot more spacious at the rear. There’s more room for the knees and shoulder. The rear seats are more comfy and accommodating too. These are larger than the ones on the Dzire and support your thigh and sides better as well.

Manza's interiors are more soothing but fi nish needed to be better

The Tata also rides better, no matter what the surface or speed. It irons everything from potholes to bumps to even speed breakers without breaking into a sweat. Road undulations are dispatched with authority too and only the most severe ones set the car oscillating.

We weren’t too impressed with the Manza’s handling however, particularly after sampling the Dzire. Now, the Dzire isn’t exactly a great handling car, but it feels better around bends. The turn in is sharper and it returns better feedback. The Suzuki is also more willing to change its stance without too much prodding when already committed into a corner.

The Tata isn’t scary, but it reaches its threshold sooner. It also can’t manage its weight as well as the Dzire. So, when pushed hard around a bend, there’s more body roll along with some wallowing. Moreover, the large steering is slower and more cumbersome to use.

Maruti Suzuki Swift Dzire

The Dzire also has a better shifting gearbox that compliments its sportier personality. The Manza’s 'box isn’t far behind; the throws are short and the operation precise, but the Tata 'box is notchier and requires relatively more effort than the Suzuki's 'box.

Enginewise though, both cars are unbelievably similar. Of course, both use Fiat’s 1.3-litre Multijet engines, but the Dzire uses a fixed geometry turbocharger and the Manza, a variable one. The latter as a result makes more power and torque.

Tata Indigo Manza

In the real world though, there’s no difference in feel or performance. Both engines are equally noisy when revved hard and post similar acceleration as well as roll times. Now, it might seem that the Manza’s extra 100kg of kerb weight is playing spoilsport here and negating its bhp advantage, but a look at the similar fuel effi ciency fi gures of the two cars suggest, the formers drivetrain might just be setup to achieve Dzire like performance and fuel economy with the higher power fi gures coming into play for marketing purposes only.

Maruti Suzuki Swift Dzire- The Dzire is selling like hot cakes for a reason. It pleases both the enthusiast as well as Mr Practical.

Tata Indigo Manza- The Manza isn't much better than the Dzire as a car, but it offers enough extras to clinch this comparison.

Scorecard

Body: The Dzire surprisingly is more spacious than the Manza at the front, offering better shoulder and head room. At the rear though, the Tata is way more roomy. It also feels more spacious thanks to the light colours used on the inside. It has a larger, more usable boot and a higher payload as well. Quality, visibility and safety equipment for both cars is at par.

Drive: We haven't had so much similarity between competing cars before. These have almost identical acceleration and driveability through the gears. Even the fuel efficiency figures differ only by around 2 per cent. The Manza does manage to post a higher top speed but again the difference is miniscule. The Dzire has a better gearbox though, and so it scores an additional point.

Comfort: Here the Manza takes back the point it lost under the previous head, thanks to its better ride quality and more comfortable rear seats. Now, the Dzire has better seats upfront, but the Tata, with its easier ingress/egress, manages to negate that advantage. With Bluetooth connectivity, it scores more for comfort equipment too.

Dynamics: The Dzire is a more involving car to drive. It has a better steering, be it response or feel. It's also more manoeuvrable even though the difference in turning circle isn't much. The Dzire's more managable dimensions help its cause here. Grip levels are near identical too.

Cost: The Manza is clearly targeted at the Dzire. The heads above indicate that, and so does the pricing of the car. There's about Rs 3,000 separating the two, with the Tata being more expensive. Naturally, it can't match the Dzire's resale value but offering better warranty levels things out.

Verdict

The Manza is our winner. It rides well, handles decently and offers good driveability and equipment. But unlike our other tests where there’s a marked difference between the winner and the rest, things are uncannily close on almost all counts. But, the Manza’s better warranty, and rear space and comfort, sees it win.