Introduction
One of India’s most traditional pair of car rivals (now nearly 17 years of going up against each other) has now entered a new fight. The Maruti Swift got a generational update on 9 May while the Hyundai Grand i10 Nios got a major overhaul in mid-2023. How do these cars stack up against each other in these latest avatars, let’s find out!
Design
The Maruti Swift may have undergone a generational change but it looks very similar to the outgoing model. So in essence, you are looking at could be termed as a facelift for the design of the third-generation car. Of the two, the Nios looks to be the softer one with more rounded edges, flatter lines, and a lot more detailing at the rear. The Swift, on the other hand, gets a new face, wheels, and C-shaped taillamps with smoked-out elements but has a sportier stance, thanks to the high back and short overhangs.
Inside, both cars have a very similar layout in terms of overall elements, that is, if you were to drive them one after the other, getting muscle memory for usage wouldn’t be a task at all. The Swift continues to be an all-black with silver inserts affair while the Nios is more beige with black inserts.
Both cars get a large touchscreen, wireless charging, connected car technology, and height adjustment for the driver’s seat. However, over the Nios, the Swift gets a full-colour MID and LED projector headlamps. The new Swift is also marginally longer than the Nios but both have the same wheelbase and boot space.
Features
In their top-spec models (Asta vs ZXi+), both cars have a similar kit option – a touchscreen with wireless phone mirroring, steering-mounted audio controls, height adjustment for the driver’s seat, rear AC vents, reverse camera, USB fast charging ports, power windows, and power mirrors.
The Swift gets a colour MID and full LED headlamps with DRLs while the Nios gets an automatic IRVM and an emergency call button. In terms of safety, both cars receive six airbags as standard across the range, ABS with EBD, hill-hold, creep function (AT only), and ESP.
Powertrain
Maruti’s new Z-Series petrol engine made its debut with the fourth-gen Swift. This engine produces 80bhp/112Nm and can be had with a five-speed manual or a five-speed AMT. It has an officially claimed mileage of 24.8kmpl for the MT and 25.75kmpl for AMT. On the other hand, the Nios continues with the 1.2-litre Kappa petrol engine that produces 82bhp/114Nm and can be had with a five-speed MT or AMT. No official mileage has been revealed for this BS6 Phase 2-compliant engine.
The outgoing Swift came with CNG power and we expect the new car to get it a few months down the line too. The Nios’ 1.2-litre engine is CNG-compatible with the engine producing 68bhp/95Nm and is only offered with a five-speed MT.
The fight goes on
Small car sales have slowed down over the last few quarters in favour of SUV-styled models but a revival is expected within the next two years. These two cars will be the entry point for new buyers as well as those upgrading to cars for the first time. The Maruti Suzuki Swift range is priced from Rs. 6.49 lakh to Rs. 9.46 lakh, while the Nios is cheaper with a price range of Rs. 5.82 lakh to Rs. 8.56 lakh.
