Fiat Grande Punto vs Maruti Suzuki Swift vs Toyota Etios Liva

The new Swift clearly has swept everyone off their feet. It won The Golden Steering Wheel as well as the ICOTY. Then, the petrol one charmed our testers and the Scorecard enough to win the hatchback fight a few issues back. And we are not the only ones because the sales of the new Swift are soaring too, which clearly means, you, the buyer, are lapping it up as well. Now, the petrol Swift is clearly very good. The question is - can the same be said about the diesel version? To find out we have brought along two relatively new cars. The Etios Liva diesel launched in September last year is selling decently well itself and carries the badge most Indians would love to show off – Toyota. As for the Grande Punto; Fiat has only just introduced the 2012 edition. It gets higher ground clearance, mild alteration to the interiors, improved quality and even a proper rear split seat. So, can one of the latter two be a better find than the Swift?

Insides of the Punto look attractive and quality has improved too. But, it still needs improvement. It's the best equipped car here, nonetheless

If car dynamics is what drives you, in this trio it is the Fiat Grande Punto that tops most aspects related to fun. Yes, it could do with a spunkier engine, but otherwise, it’s spot on. The steering is by far the best here. It’s quick, precise and the richest when it comes to returning feedback. So, the involvement level is automatically higher compared to the other two.

It’s also got a good setup for handling, making it a hoot to drive around twisty roads, the increased ground clearance notwithstanding. There’s body roll, no doubt, but it rarely gets in the way. One can point and place the car exactly where one wants in a corner and expect the car to toe that line without question. The Punto reacts to the slightest of steering inputs and even if erratic inputs from the driver does overwhelm the car’s grip, the little Fiat is quite forgiving and hence easy to correct. What’s more, the Punto also has the best ride in this bunch. Slow speed or high, bad bumps or mild ones, undulations or road joints, it handles these with finesse missing on both the Swift and the Liva.

Good looking, well put together and reasonably well equipped, the Swift's insides are the best compromise here and a big improvement from before

Mass market appeal The fairytale for the Fiat, sadly, ends here. It might be great to drive, but for all practical purposes, it’s lost in this group. Space for occupants, particularly for those at the back is seriously limited. It’s ergonomically quite poor too, especially in this company. The pedals and seats in particular for the driver are very difficult to get used to, leave apart getting comfortable with.

The Liva in comparison has more mass market appeal. To begin with, it has a lot more room at the back. In fact, it’s also more spacious than the Swift. The ride, at slow speeds is absorbent too, but the Liva does tend to struggle at higher speeds. There's quite a bit of Pictures: Suresh Narayanan suspension vibration that seeps in, and the road holding too takes a beating with the car feeling nervous over an undulated road. Having a steering that's vague not just in this company, but otherwise as well, doesn't help either.

Easily the most drab interiors among the three, the Liva also doesn't come with much equipment. Quality, both in terms of look and feel aren't good either

But, we do appreciate the amount of stowage that’s on offer. The Liva has the largest glovebox here, door pockets that are handy and these can hold bottles too. There’s some storage even on the central tunnel. It’s also easy to get comfortable with the Liva from the word go. The seats are reasonably comfortable; these aren’t as comfortable as the Swift's, but the overall ergonomics – the position of the steering wheel, the controls, the pedals as well as the placement of the gear shifter are nicely thought out. It’s also easy to see out of, making it less harrowing to drive in claustrophobic city traffic. Then of course, it comes with the Toyota badge, which a lot of buyers find appealing. Not that everything is up to that sort of standard inside the car. The plastics – both the look and feel of it are the tackiest in this test. Also, there’s hardly any equipment that comes as standard .

The Swift then, even with the diesel engine is the best bet. Yes, it’s not as well equipped as the Punto, or as spacious as the Liva. And it doesn’t carry a snob badge either. But, if you are looking for a good diesel runabout, the Swift does have all the bases covered.

Fiat Grande Punto -Punto's engine is the same as the Swift's and boasts more power on paper

First, the engine. It is the sweetest in this group. It might be the same as the Punto’s with more power available in the latter on paper, but in the real world, it helps the Swift accelerate quicker, post better roll-on times (an indication of how quickly the car accelerates in a particular gear), get to a higher top speed and best of all... it helps the Maruti return better fuel economy as well. In fact, why just the Punto, the Swift manages to eclipse the Liva in these aspects as well.

Maruti Suzuki Swift -Swift's 1.3-litre diesel is the best here, be it performance or fuel economy

The Liva, which gets the diesel engine from its elder sibling, the Corolla Altis, does perform better than the Fiat, nonetheless. For those interested, the Liva's engine might be from the Corolla, but it's not in the same state of tune. So, even with lesser weight, the hatch isn't as quick as the D-segment sedan. Of course, the gearing also plays its part.

Toyota Etios Liva -Same engine as the Corolla, the 1.4-litre is tuned for returning better economy

Getting back to the Swift, its interiors, again, are class leading. Like the Liva, the ergonomics are great. And like the Punto, there’s good equipment too from steering mounted controls to a digital climate control system to a trip computer. But additionally, the Swift interiors feel the most upmarket. The quality of plastics is perceivably better, so are the design and operability of switches all round. It’s also the most comfortable when it comes to front seating, but yes, space can be an issue at the rear, as can getting in and out for some.