Used Honda Amaze vs Maruti Suzuki Dzire vs Tata Tigor: Best Second Hand Compact Sedan to Buy

The Honda Amaze, Maruti Suzuki Dzire and Tata Tigor are the three most popular compact sedans in India. Each of these compact sedans have their unique characteristics and strengths. This guide should help you make the right choice in case you are planning to buy a used compact sedan and are confused between the three.

The Honda Amaze was first launched in 2013 and has since undergone two generational updates. The Maruti Suzuki Dzire meanwhile debuted in 2008 and since then has undergone three generational updates. Lastly, Tata launched the Tigor in 2017 and has only received cosmetic changes, and powertrain improvements and refinement. Today, these used compact sedans are available for under ₹ 5 lakh, here’s how.

Current Resale Value: Used Honda Amaze vs Maruti Suzuki Dzire vs Tata Tigor

The Tata Tigor has the highest average resale value despite its new buying price being lower than the Amaze and Dzire. The Tigor was launched in 2017 and used cars are available post that year leading to higher prices. A used Maruti Suzuki Dzire has the second highest resale thanks to its lower running costs while the Amaze has the lowest resale value as it is the most expensive to maintain here. 

Honda Amaze:

At ₹ 3.73 lakh the Honda Amaze has the lowest average resale value of the three despite being the most expensive sedan here. This mainly boils down to the sedan’s high maintenance costs which keep most budget sedan buyers away. That said the sedan impresses in other areas like space, reliability, ride quality and strong petrol and diesel engines. 

Maruti Suzuki Dzire:

A second hand Maruti Suzuki Dzire has a higher average resale value of ₹ 4.04 lakh than the Honda Amaze despite the new car being significantly cheaper. The sedan has a high resale value owing to its low running and maintenance costs, good cabin space, fuel efficient petrol and diesel engines. The Dzire is also more widely available which makes it the fourth best selling used car in India in 2024.

Tata Tigor:

A pre owned Tata Tigor has the highest average resale value of ₹ 4.10 lakh despite being the cheapest sedan in this list. This is due to the fact that it was launched in 2017 so used cars are newer models and hence fetch a higher resale value. The sedan is popular thanks to its sporty looks and low pricing.

Note: The used car prices shown are calculated for vehicles MY 2014 and above and with mileage under 1 lakh kilometres. 

While the Tata Tigor has the highest average used selling price here, it is imprudent to conclude that it has a higher resale value than the Amaze and Dzire. The high average price is due to the fact that new and used Tata Tigor cars are available 2017 onwards as opposed to the Amaze and Dzire which are much older. 

The Maruti Suzuki Dzire commands a higher resale price mainly due to its low maintenance costs and efficient petrol and diesel engines which make it the fourth highest selling used car in India. A used Honda Amaze’s high maintenance costs hold it back.

Yearly Rate of Depreciation: Used Honda Amaze vs Maruti Suzuki Dzire vs Tata Tigor

The Honda Amaze and Maruti Suzuki Dzire have a similar rate of depreciation which is close to most popular hatchbacks. The Tigor meanwhile has a higher rate of depreciation than its competitors. Here’s a quick look at the Year On Year depreciation of all three sedans over the last five years. 

Honda Amaze:

The Honda Amaze has earned a reputation for its solid build and reliability. While its resale value is lower than the Dzire, the Amaze has a slightly better rate of depreciation. It lost 26.37% of its resale value in the first year and 37% of its resale value in the third year. The sedan ages well and its strong engines and fantastic ride quality have owners upgrading less frequently leading to a lower depreciation rate. 

Maruti Suzuki Dzire:

The Maruti Suzuki Dzire is quite popular owing to its low running and maintenance costs and its frugal engines. This popularity also helps it have a lower rate of depreciation. The Dzire loses 36.73% of its resale value in the first year and 37.37% of its resale value in the second year. The Dzire and Amaze show an identical depreciation in resale value of 44.73% in the fifth year. 

Tata Tigor:

The Tigor has a higher depreciation than the other two sedans here. The sedan is known to have fit and finish issues especially in older models which affects its rate of depreciation. It loses 27% of its resale value in the first year and 39% of its resale value in the third year. This increases to a substantial resale value drop of 46% in the fifth year. 

In terms of depreciation, it is a close call between a Honda Amaze and Maruti Suzuki Dzire with the former inching ahead. The Amaze’s bulletproof reliability and build quality help endear buyers making it a favourite among sedan buyers. The Dzire’s popularity stems from its low running and maintenance costs, factors which increase its desirability. 

Engine and Transmission Options: Used Honda Amaze vs Maruti Suzuki Dzire vs Tata Tigor

The Amaze came with a 1.5 litre diesel engine, which was discontinued in 2023. Maruti Suzuki offered a 1.3 litre diesel with the Dzire until 2020, while Tata axed the Tigor 1.0 litre diesel in 2020. 

Both the Dzire and Tigor come with a 1.2 litre CNG bi fuel engine option. While the Amaze is exclusively a petrol only model, from 2023.

Honda Amaze Engine and Transmission Options

• 1.2 litre petrol - 5 speed manual / CVT automatic 
• 1.5 litre diesel - 5 speed manual / CVT automatic 

Maruti Suzuki Dzire Engine and Transmission Options

• 1.3 litre petrol -  5 speed manual
• 1.2 litre petrol - 5 speed manual / 5 speed AMT
• 1.3 litre diesel - 5 speed manual / 4 speed torque convertor / 5 speed AMT

Tata Tigor Engine and Transmission Options

• 1.2 litre petrol - 5 speed manual / 5 speed AMT
• 1.0 litre diesel - 5 speed manual

Both the Honda Amaze diesel and petrol engines impress with their performance. The Dzire meanwhile is popular for its fuel efficient engines. A used Dzire has the highest number of engine and gearbox options while the Amaze is the only car here to offer a CVT transmission option. 

Maintenance Cost Comparison: Used Honda Amaze vs Maruti Suzuki Dzire vs Tata Tigor

Honda Amaze:

While a second hand Honda Amaze is a reliable car, it has high maintenance costs. The service costs are not just high, they are spaced at just 6 months compared to the usual 1 year for other cars. This means the Amaze has to be serviced twice a year, making costs quite high. A scheduled service costs ₹ 5,000 on average and ₹ 10,000 in a year. 

Maruti Suzuki Dzire:

Maruti Suzuki cars are known for their low running and maintenance costs and the Dzire is no different. The Dzire impresses with its low maintenance costs, with scheduled service costing between ₹ 1,100 and ₹  2,900. Coupled with fuel efficient engines, the Dzire is quite the affordable sedan to live with. 

Tata Tigor:

Compared to the other two sedans, the Tigor has a higher kilometre service interval. If you cover longer distances in your car, maintenance for sedans like the Tigor is affordable. Service costs for the Tigor average around ₹ 4,500. 

In terms of service costs, the Honda Amaze is the most expensive to maintain due to the high price and short service intervals. The Maruti Suzuki Dzire is the cheapest to maintain thanks to low service costs and affordable part prices. While the Tata Tigor impresses with its longer kilometre intervals, its service costs are on the higher side. 

Of the three sedans, the Honda Amaze and Maruti Suzuki Dzire stand out for their Japanese levels of reliability. 

Conclusion

The used car prices of the Honda Amaze, Maruti Suzuki Dzire and Tata Tigor throw up interesting observations in the compact sedan buyer trends. Compact sedan buyers prioritise low running costs and low maintenance, followed by interior space, reliability and fuel efficient engines. The Maruti Suzuki Dzire fulfils these criteria the most, making it the most practical choice of the three. 

The Honda Amaze impresses with its reliability, build quality and plush ride quality. The Tata Tigor impresses with its sporty styling, frugal engines and is the only CNG sedan available with an automatic transmission. 

In terms of warranty, the Honda Amaze impresses with its standard 3 year / unlimited km warranty. Both the Tata Tigor and Maruti Suzuki Dzire get a standard 3 year / 1 lakh km warranty. However, the older generation Dzire models came with a 2 year / 40,000 km standard warranty. 

Used cars brought from CARS24 come with an additional warranty. This includes a standard 3 month warranty and a 1 year extended warranty available at a nominal cost.