2023 Hyundai AURA v/s Maruti Suzuki Dzire: Which is better?
What's the story
Hyundai has taken the wraps off the 2023 iteration of the AURA in the Indian market. It can be booked against a token amount of Rs. 11,000. The South Korean automaker is aiming to steal the champion's crown from Maruti Suzuki Dzire in the compact sedan segment on our shores. Does the facelifted challenger pack enough grunt to knock out the segment leader?
Context
Why does this story matter?
The sedan segment has been slowly perishing against the onslaught of SUVs on our shores. However, a few offerings such as the Maruti Suzuki Dzire, Hyundai AURA, and Tata Tigor have braved the odds to become popular in both personal and commercial vehicle categories. Hyundai has now updated its sedan with features such as six airbags and Electronic Stability Control to enhance its appeal.
Exteriors
Hyundai AURA is visually more appealing
The Hyundai AURA has a sloping roofline, a redesigned black grille with integrated LED DRLs, sweptback projector headlights, ORVMs, 15-inch diamond-cut alloy wheels, a shark-fin antenna, and split-type LED taillamps. The Maruti Suzuki Dzire gets a muscular hood, a chrome-lined grille, a wide air dam, blacked-out projector headlights, bumper-mounted fog lights, black B-pillars, 15-inch alloy wheels, and wrap-around LED taillamps.
Performance
Maruti Suzuki Dzire packs a more powerful engine
The Hyundai AURA is offered with a 1.2-liter, Kappa, inline-four engine that develops 82hp/113.8Nm in petrol form and 68hp/95.2Nm in CNG avatar. The Maruti Suzuki Dzire draws power from a 1.2-liter DualJet, four-cylinder, K-series motor that churns out 89hp/113Nm in petrol guise and 77hp/98Nm when using CNG. Both mills are linked to either a 5-speed manual or a 5-speed AMT gearbox.
Interiors
Both sedans feature a leather-wrapped steering wheel and keyless entry
The Hyundai AURA has a spacious five-seater cabin with a dual-tone dashboard, premium upholstery, keyless entry, automatic climate control, a wireless charger, an 8.0-inch touchscreen infotainment console, six airbags, and ESC. The Maruti Suzuki Dzire has a spacious dual-tone cabin, featuring keyless entry, an engine start/stop button, automatic climate control, a 7.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system, dual airbags, and ABS.
Our verdict
Which one should you buy?
In India, the Maruti Suzuki Dzire ranges between Rs. 6.24 lakh and Rs. 9.18 lakh, while the Hyundai AURA is expected to start at around Rs. 6.5 lakh (all prices, ex-showroom). In our opinion, the Hyundai AURA makes more sense now with the addition of six airbags and ESC, along with its overall appealing design, making it a value-for-money proposition.