With the launch of Zest, the sub-4 meter sedan segment got redefined with some all new segment-first features and competitive price tags. Though, the segment leader Swift Dzire may feel a slight low due to this new arrival, but it does seem the Maruti’s offering will not stop to soar against the competitors – all thanks to strong branding. However, the Zest offers ample of goodies. So, here we did a detailed study of Zest’s variants to sneak about how the compact sedan game will take shape into the future.
Priced at Rs 4.64 lakh for the base petrol, and Rs 5.64 for the base diesel, Zest also holds the title of segments first and only automatic diesel sedan in its category.
Under hoods, petrol powered Zest is gets the 1.2L Revtron engine delivering 90PS of power, aided with three-driving modes: Eco, City and Sport. The diesel version is driven with the existing 1.3L Quadrajet in two states of tune 74bhp – for entry-level variant, and 89bhp – for the rest of them. Petrol owners can drive only with the 5-speed manual, whereas along with the 5-speed manual diesel owners can enjoy the automated manual transmission option (AMT) too. During the launch, Tata Motors reported of making the Zest available in five trims (XE, XM, XMA, XMS and XT), where the XMA is dropped off for the petrol buyers as it holds up the AMT for diesel only.
The gimmicks that goes standard with all the variants are 15-inch alloys – no differentiation provided for any of the trims unlike others, body-colored ORVMs infused with LED indicators, body-colored door handles, bumpers matching the exterior paint, and the wraparound LED tail lamps.
Watch out base variant buyers, the XE trim is loaded only with adjustable (power) steering for tilting, AC, power windows at front, manually operated central lock and foldable key fob. Now, the options that are chopped off from the list to prove it worst are the music system – as it is of Harman from Germany so reducing it from the base will definitely help to save a lot of cost. And the safety in this trim goes only with engine immobilizer.
The next level i.e. XM, holds all the features of XE, plus the Harman infotainment system, a remote control for those who prefers chauffeur driven, standard radio, USB, iPod, aux and Bluetooth connectivity. Buyers can answer and reject calls from the buttons on steering wheel. In fact, there are rear power windows too alongside the electrically foldable side mirrors, central locking from remote, adjustable options for head rests, fog lamps for front and rear, projector headlamps, chrome strip stretched through the entire window line, and chrome garnishing on fog lamp enclosure at front. Safety is not compromised here, as it is provided with ABS and EBD.
The AMT aggregated XMA trim comes loaded with 1.3L Quadrajet diesel engine of 89bhp married to a five-speed AMT gearbox like Celerio. The other offerings on this trim are identical to the XM, but airbags are planted on customer’s demand.
The top of line XT variant delight its buyers with a SD card reader for infotainment, touchscreen with controls for setting temperature, and the same screen also function for displaying the graphical footage from rear view camera. Buyers can screen their photos using USB and SD memory cards. The crème of this Harman system is the voice recognition, which may take some for a one to get used it but that gets finer soon after. Probably, the only feature that is craved on all the trims except this is LED daytime running lights – exclusively available only with this trim. A defogger at rear, automatic climate control and parking sensors are the package concluding items.
For the last, as said the alloys are same on all variants, it was a tough job for the designers to do it despite facing the heavy lush for keeping the cost competitive, where the standard LED infused side mirrors too was standing in the same line and got standardized too.
Hence, the concluding note can be easily ended with gist: top-end variant is the one to go for if buying petrol, but the diesel automatic is a gem in its class can be bought for a competitive price tag.
