Ford Figo vs Hyundai Grandi10 vs Tata Bolt vs Maruti Suzuki Swift: Comparison Test

The budget diesel hatchback segment has been witnessing good growth lately. But it isn’t an easy one to crack. Maruti has been ruling this segment for the longest time courtesy the popularity of the Swift. Many manufacturers have tried to break this stranglehold but only Hyundai has managed to come close with the Grand i10. However, if we look at products with potential, the Tata Bolt tops the list. It looks fine, has space and is comfortable too. But now, there’s the new Ford Figo. In its second generation, the Figo has the right firepower – at least on paper – to take on the Swift head on. But, how does it fare in the real world, and not just against the Maruti Suzuki Swift but also against other popular choices, the Hyundai Grand i10 and the Tata Bolt? We are to find out.

Like the others, the Ford Figo looks more or less the same as its compact sedan sibling the Figo Aspire. The gaping grille, the peeled back headlamps and the slim chrome bars give it a modern yet aggressive stance. Lower down, the slim air dams and the fog lamp housing accentuate the sporty look. In profile, the Figo looks balanced but to our eyes Ford could have added more elements to make it look more dynamic. The rear is simple and uncluttered but not without character thanks to the crease that runs across the boot lid and connects the wrap around tail lamps.

The Tata Bolt has more pizzazz. The front is dominated by the signature smiley grille and large swept back headlamps with projectors. The side, too, with the blackened pillars and the flared wheel arches has a dynamic look. But, the 14-inch rims on the Tata Bolt look a size too small. The rear of the Bolt looks nice too with the stylish multi-element tail lamps and – unlike the other three – the number plate is placed on the boot lid instead of the bumper.

The Maruti Suzuki Swift despite being the oldest here still looks sporty. The large headlamps, the rectangular grille and the large chiseled bumper gives it loads of presence. In profile, the large wheels, flared wheel arches and tapering roofline further enhance its visual appeal. Even the wheels are pushed right to the ends with minimal overhangs giving it the textbook super-mini look. The peel-back tail lamps, muscular boot lid and the large bumper complement the rest of the design.

If a sporty or overtly aggressive or futuristic design isn’t your calling, then, the Hyundai Grand i10 is the car for you. It’s not bad looking but it employs straighter lines and simpler detailing. So, it’s less standout and more palatable, if you please. The combination of the slim grille and the big hexagonal lower air vent makes the front appear bold and youthful. Even when viewed from the side, the car looks pleasing and modern and the rear, like the rest of the design, is simple and non-polarising.

As far as construction goes, all four cars use a monocoque chassis, independent front suspension and torsion beam suspension at the rear. The Ford Figo, Maruti Suzuki Swift and Tata Bolt are quite closely matched in terms of exterior dimensions too while the Hyundai Grand i10 is a size smaller, especially in terms of width. The Figo also has the longest wheelbase in this group at 2491mm while the Grand i10 – once again – has the shortest at 2425mm.

The one place where the new Ford Figo needs improvement is the interior. The dashboard plastics don’t have the richness of the Maruti or the Hyundai and the overall design comes across as budget. Furthermore, the audio system with the plethora of buttons and the plain dials looks old school. The Figo’s driving position though, is absolutely spot on: You sit low, the gear lever falls perfectly to hand and the dashboard is low for a good view out.

The Tata Bolt’s cabin is a bit of a mixed bag in terms of quality but what it has in spades is design finesse. The large cabin feels airy; the curvy dash with the piano black and silver inserts looks upmarket; and the chunky steering wheel is sporty to hold. What it needs though, is consistent quality levels and better fit overall.

No such problems plague the Hyundai Grand i10. It has the best cabin in this test. Be it the quality of materials, the fit and finish, or even the ergonomics and design, the Grand i10 sets the benchmark here. Seats are good too – firm yet supportive, and the leather wrapped steering feels great to hold. Overall, the Grand i10 feels like a car that belongs in a higher price bracket.

Despite being the oldest here the Swift comes in second in terms of quality, design and interior ambience. The V-shape center console looks modern, the quality and fit and finish is consistent all round, and the seats are great to be in as well.

Although these are hatchbacks with compact footprints, people expect loads of room inside. With this in mind, Ford has gone to great lengths especially with the rear space and it has worked wonders. Ford has employed slim seats, scooped out door pads to maximise the useable width, and it also has the most comfortable seats. The Bolt is inherently most spacious and it has the most accommodating seats. But, in terms of the shape and cushioning, it doesn’t work as well.

In the Hyundai Grand i10’s case, the seat cushioning is fine but the seat back angle – for the rear bench – is a tad too reclined. The Grand i10 isn’t a great package even when it comes to space. It offers generous knee and headroom – even for tall passengers, but its narrow cabin makes it a tight fit. The Swift is short on room too. In fact, it is even tighter in here compared to the Hyundai. Then be it knee, head or shoulder room. The seats however, are sufficiently wide and plush.

The latter two, however, do boast of the most practical cabins with loads of cubbyholes and cup/bottle holders. The Ford isn’t far behind either with good storage upfront. But, in the rear, it gets next to nothing. The Bolt, meanwhile, is the least practical; hardly any storage areas to talk about. In terms of boot space the Figo and i10 are closely matched with the Bolt coming in third and the Swift a distant fourth. Although Tata and Maruti have small boots they are the only cars to have 60:40 split seats for added convenience.

All four cars are well equipped. And since all get the basic amenities expected from this class, we will concentrate on the important and unique equipment in each car.

The Ford Figo gets automatic climate control, follow-me home headlamps, all-four power windows and a music system with CD, Aux-in, Bluetooth and USB compatibility. It is also the only car to get smart key (to set speed limit in case a chauffer is driving) and six airbags. What it misses out on is rear parking sensors and engine start-stop function.

The Tata Bolt, meanwhile, features a touchscreen infotainment system with Bluetooth, USB and Aux-in compatibility. It also gets projector headlamps, split folding rear seat and daytime running lamps.

But, if you want a feature-loaded car, this top-end Grand i10 diesel is the one to go for. Rear AC vents, keyless entry and go, rear parking sensors, a rear-view camera, electric folding mirrors, cooled glovebox, 1GB internal hard drive for music, Bluetooth, USB, Aux-in and a CD player, it’s all there. What it misses out on though is automatic climate control, which the others get.

Comparatively, the top-end Swift gets climate control, electric folding mirrors and a CD, USB, Bluetooth and aux-enabled audio system and keyless-go.

It’s an easy choice here. The Ford Figo has the biggest and most powerful engine – 1.5-litre, 99bhp and 216Nm of torque, and it is comfortably the fastest car even on the road. The extra displacement ensures that it gets off the line in a hurry and the flat torque curve delivers an even and steady surge up until 3,800rpm. It’s also a breeze to overtake with in the Figo. Numbers wise, 100kmph is dispatched in 10.3 seconds and the Figo diesel manages a top speed of 191 kmph.

The tried and tested 1.3-litre multijet unit powers the Tata Bolt. With 74bhp – the same as the Swift – but with the substantially heavier kerb weight, it’s not fast. The 0-100kmph run takes 16.4 seconds which is a more than six seconds off the Figo’s time.

There is a bit of lag under 2000rpm past, which there is adequate shove, which makes brisk driving quite easy, and the top speed of 154kmph isn’t exactly exciting either. And when it comes to roll-on, it’s not as strong as the Ford or the Maruti either; the Bolt requires many a gearshift to keep the engine on the boil.

The Grand i10 has the smallest engine here and it shows in the way it performs. The 1.1-litre three-cylinder motor is responsive at low revs with no turbo lag to report, making the Grand i10 perfectly suited for city driving. But, give it the stick and its lack of top-end grunt can cause irritation. The Grand i10 expectedly returned mediocre performance figures. It takes a leisurely 20 seconds to reach 100kmph and the top speed is a dismally slow 149kmph as well.

One of the reasons the Swift does so well is because it feels peppy. It also makes 74bhp from its 1.3-litre diesel and it has a fair bit of turbo lag too. But, it is the latter that make the car feel peppy. Because in the real world, according to our testing gear, the Swift takes 13.6 seconds to complete the 0-100kmph run which, given the Figo’s time, is anything but fast.

In terms of refinement the Figo and the Swift are quite closely matched with the Ford having the quieter engine and Maruti’s overall sound insulation being better. The biggest surprise is the Hyundai despite having a three-cylinder engine. Save for vibrations at idle, the engine runs smoothly and sound insulation is best among the four. The Tata Bolt is slightly lagging in this department with the engine sounding the gruffest and there is a fair bit of road noise seeping through in the cabin.

The ride and handling of all four cars is a bit of a mixed bag. The Ford Figo has the flattest ride that lends it good body control through corners. The steering is light, but not unsettlingly so, and it’s accurate. It doesn’t have the quickest rack, mind you, and it lacks the crispness of the Maruti’s unit. But, even so, it’s still fun around bends and planted in a straight line out on the highway.

The Tata Bolt has a pliant ride too. It soaks up potholes with ease; even sharp ridges – the kind that even catch the Figo out – are smoothened out without bother. However, at high speeds, there is fair amount of vertical movement and the Bolt heaves and pitches. The handling too isn’t exactly sporty and the steering is inert and inconsistent.

Not surprisingly, the Maruti Suzuki Swift is still one of the better cars to drive, dynamically. It has more predictable handling and a relatively comfier ride. In fact, on its 15-inch rims, it has a soft edge to its ride, which soaks up bumps best, especially at low speeds. It has the best steering here as well; it is quick to respond and rich in feedback.

The Hyundai Grand i10 brings up the tail here. It jiggles a fair bit over broken roads, and at high speeds, it doesn’t feel as tied down as the Figo or the Swift. The steering doesn’t inspire confidence either and it has a curious inconsistency about it.

The Ford Figo, despite having the performance centric engine here, still managed an impressive 14.8kmpl and 19.8kmpl in the city and highway runs respectively. The Swift ran close with figures of 14.2kmpl and 19.5kmpl but it was the Hyundai Grand i10 which, courtesy its smaller engine, managed to return the best fuel efficiency in the city with a figure of 15.3kmpl. The small engine meant it wasn’t as efficient as the competition and on the highway run, it returned 19.4kmpl. The Tata Bolt was the worst. It is the heaviest in this test and it doesn’t have great amounts of torque to compensate for it either. It returned a low 13.5kmpl and 17.5kmpl on the city and highway cycles, respectively.

The Ford Figo diesel in the top Titanium + variant is the most expensive with it costing Rs 8.37 lakh (on-road, Delhi). The Maruti Swift comes in a close second with an on-road, Delhi price of Rs 8.25 lakh. The Tata Bolt is quite well priced at Rs 7.96 lakh (on-road, Delhi). Despite having the most amount of equipment, the Grand i10 is the most affordable of the four here. It costs Rs 7.65 lakh on-road, Delhi.

The Bolt is spacious, it has a comfortable and quiet ride, and it is well equipped. But, it isn’t fuel-efficient; the quality still isn’t up to the mark; it isn’t fun to drive; and on top of all that, it isn’t exactly fantastically priced either.

Tata Bolt Rank – 4th

Final Score – 370/600

The Grand i10 is more likable, with a great cabin, lots of equipment and it is also easy to drive, particularly in the city. Where it loses out though, is space, overall driving dynamics and performance. But, finally, it’s down to the Figo and the Swift being better packages overall that sees the Hyundai in this position.

Hyundai Grand i10 Rank – 3rd

Final Score – 381/600

The Swift, even after so many years, is still a car to reckon with. It brings in that crucial element of fun to this segment. It’s got strong performance and handling too, making it a good driver’s car. It also gets a smart and well-finished cabin, comfortable seats, and Maruti’s hassle-free ownership experience. However, the lack of space, cramped rear seats and a near non-existent boot limits its practicality.

Maruti Swift Rank – 2nd

Final Score – 398/600

The new Ford Figo, then, is our champ when it comes to affordable diesel hatchbacks. It is practical, comfortable and well specced. It rides and handles well too giving it that much-appreciated fun-to-drive quotient. And, if that weren’t enough, it has the best engine here. It’s fast, torquey, refined and efficient too! The icing on the cake, of course, is the six airbags.

Ford Figo Rank – 1st

Final Score – 412/600

Pictures : Kapil Angane