For all Car Lovers and those planned for car purchase…

A war is ‘hatch’ing!

With the B-segment flooding with offerings from various manufacturers, a war of hatchbacks to capture the market is just about to begin…

Never before in the Indian car industry have we seen such carnage in a segment. The B-segment is suddenly loaded with quality contenders which not only boast great engineering and features, but incredible pricing as well. The Swift has been ruling this segment ever since it emerged on the horizon. The car has never failed its fans, both in terms of ownership cost and the fun to drive factor. The new rivals of the car, however, pose a serious threat to its reign with their own virtues and aggressive pricing. The Fiat Grande Punto, the Volkwagen Polo and the Ford Figo are three new generation cars which pose a serious challenge to the Swift’s supremacy in the Indian market. Let’s see where each of these cars stand.

Design

It’s been about 5 years since the Swift made its appearance in India. While the radical, oddball looks have grown onto most of us Indians now, there are people who don’t like this Maruti’s unconventional lines. Owing to its distinctive style, it wouldn’t be entirely right to say that the Swift’s is an ageing design. It still looks aggressive and appealing, it’s just that it’s been around for a long time, and we would rather see something fresher. That said, the design revolution that the Swift brought about would be quite a difficult act to follow. A new Swift is on the cards, and from what we have heard, it’s not going to look much different from its current version.

The Polo, one of the most anticipated cars in India until its recent launch, boasts of a very refined and evolved exterior design. It’s got bold, muscular lines, which make it look imposing even with its diminutive B-segment dimensions. The flared wheel arches, the angular headlights, the perfectly balanced proportions – the Polo looks just right no matter whichever angle you look at it from. The beauty of its form is that it breaks convention in the most unconventional manner. It’s bold without losing out on subtlety. It’s aggressive without being offensive. As a new car, the Polo impresses with its exteriors, it’s the epitome of European excellence in designing day-to-day cars with flair.

If the Polo is an exponent of sophisticated, neat and sufficiently aggressive design, the Punto is the metallic incarnation of lust. It’s draped in clothes that are meant to arouse you. The Punto is the tightest slap a mainstream car could ever deliver on the cheeks of someone who ever disputed the Italian flamboyance for automotive design. There are hardly any creases, the whole surface is wrapped in clean, organic curves – it exemplifies that a car can look hot without any ‘flames’. If you think you’re cool and fashionable, and looks matter more to you than anything else, then reading the rest of the comparo doesn’t make sense. Go buy the Punto for its sex-appeal alone.

The Figo is a functional design. It doesn’t make any tall claims about its looks, but is out to offer a contemporary looking well-engineered car which emphasizes more on function than form.  With the longest wheelbase in the segment, the Figo does look a bit, er, long. The rear quarter glass adds to perception about the car’s length. It’s nicely proportioned though, and with that huge air dam, those flared wheel arches and that pair of sleekly designed headlamps, it tries to look a bit funky and succeeds a fair bit before being overshadowed by the sheer brilliance of the design of the three cars it is in the company of.

Engine – gearbox

The Swift’s 1.3 petrol engine was a joy to drive with its rev-happy nature, but wasn’t best suited for the stop start city traffic with its rather peakish power delivery. The new 1.2 K-series engine in the car has more grunt at the bottom end, making it more convenient to be driven in the city, but doesn’t quite like to be pushed too hard. The fuel efficiency has improved a bit and so have the emissions but the car has lost a bit of its enthusiast appeal. Mind you, it still has the best in class power for the petrol variant, but the revvy 1.3 was a different experience altogether.

Fret not though; the diesel variant of the Swift is at your service if you wish to enthral yourself.  With an addictive power surge from as low as 1200 rpm, the Swift DDiS is simply a delight to drive. The smooth and punchy engine is the best that there is in the small car segment and with its amazing fuel efficiency, has made its place in the hearts of enthusiasts and economy conscious alike. The engine options on the Swift are definitely one of the best, and address the segment brilliantly.

The Polo is a totally new entrant in the arena and comes with two engine options. A 1.2-litre petrol and a 1.4-litre turbo diesel  (to be available from May). The petrol powered Polo produces 75 horses, 10 less than the Swift’s 85, but doesn’t lack power. It pulls reassuringly from the bottom till 4000 rpm, after which the engine, once shown the highway tends to show its limitations. The three pot engine makes a lot of noise and isn’t quite as refined as its 4-pot rivals. It’s fairly punchy though, and is complemented well by a 5-speed short throw stick that slots in a rather slick fashion. The ratios are well-sorted and the appreciable low end grunt of the engine along with nicely spaced ratios allows crawling speeds in third gear. Overall, an average package – nothing that should excite you.

The petrol Figo is powered by a new 1.2 litre engine specifically designed for India. It puts out a modest 71bhp @ 6250 rpm and 102Nm @ 4000rpm. Though the power output might seem low on paper as compared to 1.2 litre mills from Maruti-Suzuki, it doesn’t feel sluggish on the move. Even though outright performance may not be as good, the drivability is certainly as good as the other engines in the segment. The gear ratios are slightly on the taller side to improve the fuel efficiency. It starts pulling satisfactorily past the 2000 rpm mark. But the real power is delivered at the top end, past 4000 rpm, upto the 6500 rpm rev limit.

The other engine option is the 1.4 litre Duratorq diesel, which has been doing duty on the Fiesta, Fusion and Ikon. With 68 bhp @ 4000rpm and 160Nm @ 2000rpm, the engine isn’t very powerful, but is much more drivable than its competitors with loads of low end twist. There is practically no turbo lag and you don’t even feel the turbo kicking-in. With its high fuel efficiency, this car is near perfect for day-to-day city commutes. We have experienced this diesel engine earlier on the Fiesta and the Ikon and can vouch for its practicality and frugality.

The Grande Punto comes with the options of three engines – 1.2 and 1.4 petrols and a 1.3 turbo diesel.  Comparing apples with apples, the 1.2 litre petrol mill of the Punto is the least powerful of the lot on paper, but makes up for its low power output with a reasonably good low and mid-range. There isn’t anything much left once you go above the 120km/h mark, making the 1.2 petrol Punto strictly a city car. The 1.4 with 90PS of power has more power, better acceleration and better top whack, but it comes for a premium. The 1.3-litre turbo diesel mill is the same engine as in the Swift DDiS albeit with a slightly different state of tune. It’s as delightful and frugal on the move as on the swift though.

Comfort and features

The Swift’s exterior may still hold its own against the competition, but the interiors of the car have started looking dated. Its time Suzuki refreshed the in-cabin appeal of this baby. The ergonomics are spot on, but the quality of materials and the overall feel of the cabin leave a lot to be desired, especially in the light of newer cars featuring better cabins. The backseat comfort is still a bit of an issue with the Swift, as neither the legspace, nor the suspension is anything great to write home about. ABS, air-bags, climate control, alloys etc. are options which are available in variants higher up the order.

The Polo’s interior, even after it being a new car seems familiar, thanks to the component sharing strategy of Volkwagen across platforms and brands (yes, a few bits are clearly Skoda). Which is not a bad thing, as most of these items are very high-quality, but having seen these materials and that layout for a long enough period, the Polo’s cabin fails to excite. Sure, everything is built to last a century, and then some, but it’s beginning to get a tad mundane now. That apart, there’s nothing to worry about – ergonomics are bang on the money, nothing ever makes as much as a squeak and the seats are pretty comfortable too. The suspension is pliant, definitely better than the slightly bouncy Swift. The backseat space, however isn’t any better here than its Japanese counterpart.

The Punto’s interior is an aberration from your usual cabin styling. The buttons on the centre console are done in silverish grey and people have mixed opinion whether they like them or not.  The instrumentation binnacle is done up in white dials with retro style font and looks really cool. The seats of the Punto aren’t the most comfortable, and could have done with a bit more back and thigh support. Long drives invariably end up hurting your backs. The suspension is well sorted out though for a good mix of driving dynamism and comfort, and backseat space too is better than the rest of the two cars discussed earlier.

The Figo takes the cake when it comes to in-cabin comfort though. There’s acres of room inside the cabin and the car feels delightfully airy and roomy thanks to the huge glasshouse. The space on the backseat too is worth a mention, allowing the occupants to stretch their legs farthest in this category. There isn’t anything fancy inside the Figo’s cabin, but the quality of plastics, the ergonomics and the comfort of the seats is typical Ford, reliable and functional. Even the suspension is very comfortable, and allows for superb ride quality. The Figo surpasses its competitors in terms of cabin space, and should by far make the most comfortable and spacious family car.

Verdict

The pricing of the Figo has been a big surprise. Ford has managed to price the car very aggressively. It has managed to undercut even the swift which has been the ultimate price warrior in the premium band of B-segment cars (Tata Indica aside). The Polo has also been priced very aggressively by Volkswagen standards, but the engines on the Polo don’t really make a very strong case for the car. The Punto is a charmer. It’ll have people smitten by virtue of its looks only. The gearshift isn’t all that great in this car and the prices too aren’t really comparable with the Swift, but the diesel variant really makes for a good buy. The Swift still makes a fabulous case for itself owing to its very competitive pricing, Maruti reliable service network and low-cost maintenance and good resale value. The space and the backseat comfort may be a hassle for some, but there is no denying that the Swift, especially the diesel variant is still the most fun car to drive.

All in all, it seems like the Figo has the ingredients to make a dent in the Swift’s sales. Nice looking, robustly built, capacious and very well priced – we think the Figo is the car of the moment