Renault Kwid vs Maruti Alto 800 vs Hyundai Eon vs Datsun GO

The auto manufacturers seem to be obsessed with the term ‘Compact’ in India as an individual can see this sub-category in almost every segment – be it hatchback, sedan or SUV. Moreover, the people’s penchant for less bulky and easy to drive cars in thick traffic is complimenting the automakers’ move to introduce compact cars quite well. Continuing this legacy is the French automajor Renault with its new compact hatch Kwid, which made headlines during its world premiere last month in India. Renault Kwid is an all-new small car and would be launched in the country in festive season in a price range of INR 3.5-4.5 Lakhs (On Road). It is a perfect tribute to PM Narendra Modi’s ‘Make-in-India’ initiative as it has 98% of local content. Here we compare it with its arch rivals Maruti Alto 800, Hyundai Eon and Datsun Go.

Exterior Design

Renault continuing its streak of astounding the auto aficionados, like it did with Duster in 2012, once again raised eyebrows when it unveiled the crossover-esque Kwid hatchback. It was hard to belive that a budget hatch can have such a peculiar design. It is quite clear from its tall stance, high ground clearance, big wheel arches and plastic cladding. It, indeed, provided several other automakers with some much needed tips on designing. Coming to Maruti Alto 800, there is nothing exciting about it. It has a rather orthodox design and as inexpressive as Arjun Rampal’s acts (pun intended). However, it doesn’t hamper its popularity among masses as around 20k+ cars are sold every month. Talking about Hyundai Eon, it seems to be almost the perfect car for this segment. The exterior styling is impressive with Hyundai’s fluidic design philosophy which include elements like larger headlamps, contemporary front grille and bigger tail-lamp cluster. Last but by no means the least, the Datsun GO, is an eye-candy, albeit from rear view only. The front fascia seems to have effed up and hence, it hasn’t been able to cash in the buzz that was created during its launch. We find exterior styling quite an intense topic and contradiction in opinion certainly happen while chossing one single car amidst the lot. So, we leave it to you to decide which hatch’s designing entices you!

Interior Cabin

Nice, breezy and spacious interiors can do wonders for you, ask Hyundai and they would whole-heartedly agree to you. Hyundai Eon’s interiors are ages ahead of its Maruti and Datsun counterpart in terms of quality as well as appearance. However, an individual can feel congested at the rear seat with lesser leg room. Renault Kwid can turn out to be the revolutionary product in this aspect and can inspire others to include more features as it would come loaded with a 7-inch touch-screen infotainment system with built in GPS, AUX and USB support. Ever imagined such exorbitant equipment in a budget hatch, Nah, me neither. As far as interior spacing is concerned Datsun GO grabs the top spot with ample legroom and headroom. However, same cannot be said about the plastic quality of the cabin as it look cheap and down-market. If Maruti Alto’s interior cabin is seen, it is quite timid and dull due to the all-brown colour scheme. It doesn’t live up to the expectations and even competition. Our vote goes to the Hyundai Eon and Renault Kwid jointly as both are challenging the conventional norms of the segment quite nicely with their well carved out interior cabin and feature list.

Engine & Transmission

Renault Kwid would be powered by a newly-developed 800cc, three-cylinder petrol engine, which, apparently, would generate 57bhp of maximum power. It would be mated to both five-speed manual as well as AMT gearbox, as confirmed by Renault during the global debut. In addition, it was said to have a class-leading fuel efficiency – somewhere in excess of 23kmpl. Coming to Maruti Alto, it comes with a 796cc mill, which churns out 48bhp of top power and 69Nm of peak torque. Needless to say, it is least powerful, insipid and continues to disappoint. Hyundai Eon’s impressive streak continues with 814cc powerplant as it belts out 55bhp, while the more powerful 1.0-litre engine is also on offer with the range-topping variant, producing 68bhp of maximum power. Datsun Go, the dark-horse, win the race in this segment with its 1.2-litre engine which makes a healthy power output of 67bhp. It is quite clear from the aforementioned power figures that without a doubt, Datsun GO is the most powerful car in the segment. However, AMT factor may benefit the Renault Kwid and help it rake in good sales numbers. Just so you know, Maruti Alto K10 is available with an AMT variant.

Price, After-sales & Verdict

This is one aspect where Maruti Alto destroys its foes almost nonchalantly. It has over 500 dealerships and service centres across the nation and with so much of localization, it is the cheapest as well, like in various other aspects discussed above. Hyundai Eon is priced aggressively too and the South Korean automajor also has a wide network of dealerships and service centres nationwide. Datsun GO is priced well, but suffers due to lack of Nissan dealerships and negative word of mouth after failing the recent crash tests. Renault Kwid, if priced somewhere between INR 3-4 Lakhs (on-road), can dominate the segment quite comfortably. But, it ain’t as simple as it sounds to beat the invincible Maruti Alto and versatile Hyundai Eon. It would need some really special efforts from Renault to claim for glory with the Kwid. As an official launch of Kwid is impending, it would be too early to declare it a winner.