The Maruti-Suzuki Swift has been the favorite for so many and for so long, but can the new Hyundai Grand i10 change that?
People always want something different in India. But, at the same time, they’re resistant to something altogether new. The game of one-upmanship never gets old, but only with the ‘tried and trusted’. That, of course, means someone else tries and then it becomes trusted. I never did understand any of that. But that’s not the focus of the story here. The Maruti-Suzuki Swift, when it was launched almost a decade ago, was the most refreshing sight on our roads. The new palette brought a breath of fresh air and the first few examples turned more than their fair share of heads. But, more than anything, it was the first hatchback to be accepted as cool and practical.
Fast forward to the present and the Swift is one of the most popular brand-names in the industry. People aspire to own one and the demand has always been steady. Especially since the addition of the diesel model somewhere in the middle, sales and waiting periods shot up even more encouragingly. The introduction of the all-new car followed and that was again a hit. The tweaked appearance retained all of the excitement and the update simply hit the ‘refresh’ button on their success.
There have been many hatchbacks which came in, which were, and still are, superior in many respects, but none of them managed to emulate the overall package that is the Swift. And that includes user experience with the car, at the dealership and at the service station. That Maruti-Suzuki have so many dealerships across the country is a fact that just cannot be ignored.
So what happens when another extremely popular brand, reasonably close on the heels of the leader, brings in a product which not only has the looks, the feel and the gadgetry, but also shows that they have got their act together and worked under the skin as well? The Grand i10 from Hyundai, as we’ve said many times before, is a huge step in the right direction for the Korean auto-makers. It has the space, practicality, features and handling dynamics to take the company up a level. And that’s something which is always appreciated. To find out just how good it is, we put it up against the segment leader to really begin the nit-picking.
Styling
One look at the Swift and you know it’s going to be a fun car. The smiling face and the sweeping lines make its intentions very clear. The gradual slope of the roof still gives it a look which excites even today. The high shoulder-line and sharp window styling also look good, but the rear occupants may find this a bit claustrophobic. The alloy wheels on the Swift also look sporty and their forward-spoke design looks exciting indeed. On the contrary, while the Grand i10 is contemporary, it still is quite conservative. The smooth lines look pleasing and the styling accents are mainly the light clusters and side cladding. Thankfully, the rear window and panels have been heavily re-designed just for India, and help offer better visibility. The longer wheelbase, again India-specific, helps five the car a slightly lengthened profile. The diamond-cut alloy wheels, available on the top-end car, add their share of distinctiveness to the package. However, while the Grand i10 runs 165-section rubber and 14″ wheels on all variants, the top-end Swift ZDi runs a set of 185s on 15″ wheels: better grip and a larger contact patch are the plus-points; lower economy is the minus point. With both cars offering a wide palette of colors to choose from, there’s surely one for everyone. All things considered, the Swift definitely looks the sportier of the two, but the Grand i10 has the novelty factor on its side, for now.
