Introduction
When Maruti Suzuki introduced the Swift in the India back in 2005, it revolutionised the hatchback segment. The Japanese manufacturer had combined refinement, efficiency and value-for-money in an irresistibly good looking package. The auto industry sat up and took notice of the car, responding with the Tata Indica Vista and the Hyundai i10, though they never managed to come close to the sales numbers the Swift managed.
While the Swift was given a facelift in 2010, Hyundai launched the Grand i10 in 2013. The Grand i10 is bigger, more refined, more feature-loaded and much better looking than its predecessor and currently offers the highest VFM in the segment.
Though the Tata Indica Vista offered much in terms of space, it was poorly equipped, both mechanically as well as in terms of features. Things will be quite different with the new Bolt though. Despite being based on the same platform, Tata has put in a lot of effort to ensure that the Bolt isn’t confused with the Vista. These efforts have paid off and the result is that the difference will be large enough to convince a majority of the customers that the Bolt is a new car altogether.
Exterior
The Tata Bolt has the same overall silhouette as the Vista, though the fresh design looks much more pleasant than its predecessors. The front fascia gets a fresh design with a well-sculpted hood and front bumper with a big air dam, honeycomb-patterned grille and projector headlamps (only in higher-spec variants). The side profile has been spruced up with creases on the doors, new alloy wheels, blacked out C-pillar, and two-tone OVRMs which integrate side indicators. The rear also gets a spoiler on the hatch with a reflector in the middle and a fresh design for the tail lamp assembly.
The Hyundai Grand i10 has been designed along the Korean manufacturer’s ‘Fluidic’ design philosophy. The front fascia is dominated by a hexagonal grille and large headlamps, which resemble those in the i20. Though the side profile of the Grand i10 looks similar to the i10, it has grown longer, taller and wider and also gets black side moldings and roof rails to set it apart from the smaller car. The rear looks like a compact version of the i20.
For the Swift facelift, Maruti Suzuki took the ‘if it ain't broke, don't fix it’ approach and the car looks very similar to the previous car. While the basic styling of the car has been retained, the headlamps and the tail lamps have been enlarged, highlighting the car’s characteristic looks. The car also grew in proportions, adding a few centimeters to the much needed space inside the cabin as well as the boot space.
Interior
While the interiors of the Tata Bolt have also been given a major makeover, the car has managed to retain the Vista’s biggest USP, i.e. the cabin space. The interiors get a funky two-tone design and the overall quality has improved. The car gets a new steering wheel with mounted controls, the centre console is garnished with silver accents and a new instrument cluster, which has been moved back to the conventional position. It will be equipped with a few first-in-class features like drive-by-wire and a five-inch touch screen infotainment system with voice recognition and navigation.
When it comes to the features list, the Hyundai Grand i10 is the reigning champion and is the most feature loaded car in the segment. It is stuffed with creature comforts like climate control, rear AC vents, rear parking sensors, steering mounted audio controls and integrated music system with 1GB internal memory. Interiors get a new design with beige and black plastics and brushed-metallic dials. Seats are comfortable with enough space at the rear for three passengers and loads of legroom.
The interiors of the new Swift have been completely revised, borrowing cues from the bigger Kizashi sedan. The quality of plastics has improved and the silver accents lend a more premium feel. Unlike the other two cars, the Swift has always had a bad reputation for interior space, or rather for the lack of it. The extra 40mm wheelbase has increased the space at the rear, though the car still offers less legroom than the Grand i10 and the Bolt and the small rear window doesn’t help.
Engine
The Tata Bolt will be offered with the option of either the 1.3-litre MultiJet diesel engine or the new 1.2-litre Revotron engine. While the former is a tried and tested unit used by many manufacturers like Chevrolet, Maruti Suzuki and Fiat, the petrol engine is a newly developed turbocharged MPFI unit developing 85bhp and 140Nm of torque. These performance numbers might seem to be on the lower side, considering that the engine is turbocharged, but it needs to be noted that Tata has focused on improving efficiency figures for this engine, which has a considerable impact on people’s buying decisions in this segment. Both the engines power the front wheels through a five-speed manual gearbox.
The Hyundai Grand i10 is also available with two engine options, a 1.2.-litre petrol and a 1.1-litre diesel. While the former produces 79bhp and 112Nm of torque, the diesel engine produces 70bhp and 160Nm of torque. Both the engines power the front wheels through a five-speed manual gearbox, though the petrol also gets the option of a four-speed automatic.
Like Tata, Maruti Suzuki also sources the 1.3-litre MultiJet diesel engine for the Swift from Fiat. This engine produces 74bhp and 190Nm of torque, while a 1.2-litre K Series petrol engine is good for 85bhp and 114Nm of torque. Both engines send power to the front wheels through a five-speed manual gearbox.
Price and Comparison
Choosing the right Maruti Suzuki Swift variant is quite easy as the car is available in just six variants, priced between Rs 4.42 lakh for the base LXi petrol and Rs 6.71 lakh for the ZDi diesel, both ex-showroom Delhi. Hyundai however, offers the Grand i10 in no less than 12 variants, with extra optional packages for a few of them. The range starts with Era 1.2 Kappa variant priced at Rs 4.33 lakh, going all the way upto Rs 6.35 lakh for the top-end Asta 1.1 CRDi (O), both ex-showroom Delhi.
Like the Tata Vista, we expect the Bolt to be to be offered in four petrol and three diesel variants, priced in the Rs 4.6 lakh to Rs 6.6 lakh bracket. The way it looks, the equipment it offers and the price tag will make the Bolt one of the most desirable cars in the segment. With the aim of changing people's perception towards its cars, the Pune-based company has spawned off two new products with fresh identities with the ‘Project Falcon’. Whereas the Indica Vista failed to sell in decent numbers despite the frequent updates, the new monikers will help it get rid of the ‘taxi car’ tag, though it remains to be seen how well this new strategy works in favour of Tata.
