Spec comparison: 2018 Maruti Suzuki Swift vs 2018 Hyundai Elite i20 vs Maruti Suzuki Ignis

The all-new Maruti Suzuki Swift was launched at the 2018 Auto Expo at Rs 4.99lakh (add link) which puts it bang in the middle of cars such as the Hyundai Elite i20 and its very own sibling, the Maruti Suzuki Ignis.

The Swift is based on Maruti Suzuki's Heartect platform that also underpins the Baleno and Ignis. What the Swift's got going for it though, is its name. For years, the Swift  has been revered as a car that offers a good mix of ride and handling, without the need of breaking the bank. The car is also a favorite in the tuner community, and there are a number of Swifts that have been modded to improve aesthetics or performance. Given its rich legacy, it's no wonder that Maruti Suzuki has priced the Swift at an interesting price point. We bring you a spec comparison that pits the new Swift against the Ignis and the Hyundai i20. Why the i20, you ask? It's because it costs about Rs 40,000 more than the Swift, which is not a lot in EMIs and also because it has just received a facelift.

Design and dimensions

The Swift's silhouette is probably among the most recognizable cars in the world. The design hence looks like an evolution of the previous car, but at the same time it looks fresh. The top-spec model gets goodies such as LED projector headlamps, LED tail lamps and diamond cut alloys that are slowly starting to become a feature on many cars in India. Hopping on to the Heartect platform has also liberated a lot of in-cabin room as well as boot space which is 268 litres.

Hyundai's i20 has just received a facelift and it certainly looks fresh, which makes it appealing. There are changes to the front bumper, air dams and fog lamps. The tail section too looks new, thanks to the new tail lamps and black plastic inserts at the bottom of the rear bumper. Overall, the car looks chic and very European.

The Ignis' design has evoked polarising views, so people either love it or hate it. That said, the design is unlike any other hatchback and it's this exclusivity that many might find appealing.

As far as dimensions are concerned, the Hyundai i20 is clearly the bigger car here. At 3,985mm, the i20 is longer than the Swift by over 140mm and the Ignis by 285mm. The Maruti Suzuki Ignis, however, is the tallest car and for those looking solely for a hatchback with good headroom, the Ignis is the one to go for. The Ignis has the shortest wheelbase, at 2435mm, while the Swift's wheelbase is a little longer, at 2,450mm. The i20 is clearly has the longest wheelbase, at 2,570mm.

All three cars here are available with a choice of petrol and diesel motors. The Maruti Suzukis have the same engines, a 1.2 litre petrol and a 1.3 litre diesel. The petrol motor puts out 83PS at 6,000rpm and 113Nm at 4,200rpm. Interestingly, the Hyundai 1.2-litre petrol also produces identical power (83PS) at 6,000rpm. Talk about benchmarking! It also produces one Nm more than the Maruti Suzuki petrols, albeit at 200rpm (at 4,000rpm) lower.

The Swift and Ignis' 1.3 litre DDiS motor makes 75PS at 4,000rpm and  a max torque of 190Nm at 2,000rpm. In this spec comparison, the Hyundai diesel engine is clearly in a different league. The 1.4 litre U2 Crdi engine makes 90PS at 4,000rpm and 220Nm of torque. The other advantage that the Hyundai i20 has is that it's diesel engine is paired to a six-speed transmission as opposed to the Maruti Suzuki diesel that's mated to a five-speed transmission.

In our experience, we've found the Hyundai diesel engine as the more refined of the two. All the three cars here are pretty much evenly matched when it comes to features. The top-trims come with projector headlamps, touchscreen infotainment system and a lot more.

See the detailed specification table below to get an idea of how these cars stack up against each other .