Maruti Swift vs. Hyundai i20 – A comparative shootout

We all know the humongous demand of hatchback cars especially in India and Maruti Suzuki made the average Indian's dream come true of owning a car with the Maruti 800 a small car that made history and since then there was no looking back. The Maruti Swift was yet another creation in the premium hatch segment that gave wings to the common man's fancy. And one of the competitors of Swift came from the Hyundai camp- i20 after an impressive success of i10. Well, for an average customer who is looking to invest in his dream car there are plenty of options in this segment and especially if one is choosing between i20 and Swift here is a comprehensive analysis of the two cars.

Exteriors, interiors and comfort
The Maruti Swift looks smart and sporty; especially the exterior appearance is stylish, sturdy and definitely a head turner. The curvy shape of the car is an eye-catching feature in addition to the cool body graphics and body colored mirrors, door handles and bumpers. The interiors of Swift are also pleasing; with dynamic and classy features inside the premium car is popular among all age groups, especially the youngsters love this robust vehicle. Apart from the appealing interiors the car is braced with various unique features that offer great comfort; the swift can quite comfortably accommodate five passengers with power windows at the front and rear, console box, cup holder, spacious luggage and leg room. The adjustable driver seat and the head rest offer pleasurable riding experience. The rear seat cabin though doesn't offer comfort as regards view of the road as well as the space...it does feel quite cramped and uncomfortable especially if 3 are seated.



Talking of the Hyundai i20, the exterior appearance of the car is sleeker and classy with big headlamps, round fog lamp and steep wind screen neatly merges with the tail section. The door handles and the mirrors outside match the body color while the alloy wheels add to aggressive look of the car. The i20 being a hi-end vehicle is obviously rich with advanced features that are adorned inside; the foldable rear seat, electrically adjustable ORVM's, switches for the power enable windows, rear seat head rests are adjustable, rear wiper, electric power steering, luggage lamp, dual tone interiors, tilt and telescopic steering all add to a super joyous ride in the i20.

Both Swift and the Hyundai i20 have oodles of good looks, yet the i20 seems to have better features with more space inside the cabin that gives an edge over Swift.

Engine, performance, handling and mileage
The Maruti Swift has both petrol and diesel variants; the petrol models are fitted with 1.2L, 1197cc K series engine that assures great performance and is also economical. And the K series engine delivers a power of 85PS @6000rpm and torque of 113Nm @4500 rpm. Whereas the diesel version of Swift is braced with 1.3L, 1248cc DDiS engine, which also offers super performance and is fuel efficient. The powerful engine generates 75PS @ 4000rpm and torque is around 190Nm at 2000 rpm. The Swift petrol gives a mileage of 14.4 kmpl in the city and around 18 kmpl on the highway. While the diesel version of Swift gives a much better mileage; 16-17 kmpl in the city and on highways one can expect around 19-20 kmpl.

The Hyundai i20 also comes in both diesel and petrol variants and one has three engine options that are: 1.4L Gamma AT petrol, 1.2L Kappa PL petrol and 1.4L CRDI diesel engine.

1.4L Gamma AT petrol 1396cc engine gives a power output of 100PS at 5500 rpm and torque of 13.9 kgm @ 4200 rpm. This variant will give you around 10-11 kmpl in the city and around 13 kmpl on the highway.

1.2L Kappa PL petrol 1196cc engine puffs out power of 80PS @ 5200 rpm and torque of 11.4kgm at 4000 rpm. And one can expect say around 15 kmpl in the city and 17 kmpl on the highway.

1.4L CRDI diesel engine delivers a power of 90PS at 4000rpm and torque of 22.4 kgm at 1750-2750 rpm with a mileage of 17 kmpl in the city and around 20 kmpl on the highway.

Well, in terms powerful engines both Swift and i20 have different variants to choose from and their diesel version definitely gives a better mileage though the petrol ones almost consume the same amount of fuel. But many drivers are of the opinion that Swift stands out in terms of power, performance and mileage and there are a few drivers who have complained that i20's engine is not very smooth, so personal experience will count in this regard rather a test drive will give a clear picture.

Variants, Price and Colours
Maruti Swift comes in 11 trims and in bright red, azure grey, pearl arctic white, ozone blue, copper, silver and black. The following are the variants with prices:

- Maruti Swift LXI- Rs 4,24,127
- Maruti Swift VXI- Rs 4,57,040
- Maruti Swift VXI with ABS- Rs 4,76,430
- Maruti Swift One Million Edition Vi- Rs 4,83,079
- Maruti Swift LDI BS IV- Rs 4,98,341
- Maruti Swift LDI BSIII- Rs 4,79,659
- Maruti Swift VDi BSIII - Rs 5,13,810
- Maruti Swift VDi BSIII with ABS- Rs 5,32,443
- Maruti Swift VDi BSIV- Rs 5,36,742
- Maruti Swift VDi BSIV with ABS- Rs 5,55,376
- Maruti Swift VDi ZXI- Rs 5,38,745

The Hyundai i20 comes in 14 trims and in the following colors- silky beige, blue, blue, black, white, silver, red and grey. The names of the variants with prices are listed below:

- Hyundai i20 Era petrol- Rs 4,58,599
- Hyundai i20 Magna- Rs 4,98,599
- Hyundai i20 Sportz Option- Rs 5,27,069
- Hyundai i20 Sportz Petrol- Rs 5,42,099
- Hyundai i20 Era Diesel- Rs 5,79,795
- Hyundai i20 Asta- Rs 5,83,603
- Hyundai i20 Asta (o) - Rs 5,93,965
- Hyundai i20 Magna 1.4 CRDi Diesel- Rs 6,19,756
- Hyundai i20 Sportz Option Diesel- Rs 6,48,221
- Hyundai i20 Sportz Diesel- Rs 6,63,257
- Hyundai i20 Asta 1.4 Diesel- Rs 7,05,261
- Hyundai i20 Asta (o) 1.4 CRDi Diesel- Rs 7,34,767
- Hyundai i20 1.4 Asta AT- Rs 7,59,148
- Hyundai i20 Asta with sunroof- Rs 7,86,270

Our final verdict:
We say Maruti Swift should obviously be picked against Hyundai i20; the Swift is power packed with performance and is also fuel efficient that is perfect for Indian roads. The price tag will bring smile to the economic class. Hyundai i20 is a feature packed premium hatch and although Swift lacks some features as compared to i20, i20 comes with a heavier price tag that might not go too well with prospective buyers. The poor fuel economy of the i20 will also make one reluctant to go for it. Instead they can look forward to buy an all-efficient Maruti Swift.

PS: But wait, the better is getting still better....Maruti Suzuki is planning to unveil a new Swift 2011, although you cant expect radical changes in the new Swift 2011, the company has tweaked its cosmetics powering it with K series engine which gives even better fuel economy. Although the price of the new Swift has been kept secret rumors say it would go Rs. 25-45 k uppish, still could be worth the price.