Battle Of The 1-Litre Segment: Kwid 1-Litre vs Alto K10 vs Eon vs Tiago

Renault has launched the Kwid 1-litre model and has stirred the hornet's nest of the 1,000cc segment cars in India. Will the Kwid 1-litre model be as successful as its 800cc sibling?

Let us take the comparison route to find out which suits the best.

Design

The Renault Kwid is bold and stylish with its SUV characteristics and by far the best looking car in the segment. With its high ground clearance to the best-in-class cabin space, the Kwid looks stunning along with practicality.

Maruti Alto K10 is sharp and smart with its raised eyebrow headlamps, the design overall is well proportionate. The new Alto K10 is slightly roomier compared to the older generation.

Hyundai's approach to Eon with the practicality of a small budget, small and easy to maneuver did not take the design in terms of looks as the best. Not the great looking car in the segment; however, it has decent cabin space.

As for the Tata Tiago, the best-selling car for Tata Motors right is doing all things right. As for the design, the Tiago is clean and the straight line design is a far cry from other Tata Motors cars. Easily the best-looking car from the homegrown auto manufacturer.

Overall Design Rating

• Renault Kwid 1-litre 8.5/10
• Maruti Alto K10 8/10
• Hyundai Eon 7/10
• Tata Tiago 8/10

Engine Specifications And Gearbox

The Renault Kwid is powered by a three-cylinder 1.0-litre SCe petrol engine which churns out 67bhp of power and 91Nm of torque which is mated to a 5-speed manual gearbox. The AMT variant should be launched during the festive period of 2016.

Maruti has powered the Alto K10 with 1.0-litre three-cylinder petrol engine K10 petrol engine which produces 67bhp and 90Nm of torque. The engine is mated to a 5speed manual gearbox or you can opt for the automatic gear shift (AGS).

Hyundai Eon comes equipped with 1.0-litre Kappa petrol engine which develops 68bhp of power and 94Nm of torque and mated to a 5-speed manual gearbox.

Tata Tiago is the most powerful of the lot equipped with a 1.2-litre Revotron petrol engine that produces 84bhp and 114Nm of torque and comes mated to a 5-speed manual gearbox.

As for the mileage of the cars, Renault Kwid comes out in flying colours with 23.01kmpl and is superior compared to the other rivals.

Overall Engine Ratings

• Renault Kwid 1-litre 8.5/10
• Maruti Alto K10 8/10
• Hyundai Eon 8/10
• Tata Tiago 8.5/10

Features

Renault has equipped with some of the first-in-segment features like the 7-inch MEDIANAV infotainment system, seat belts with pre-tensioners and load limiters, digital instrument panel and central locking.

As for the Maruti Alto K10 boasts of keyless entry, 2-din audio system with Bluetooth, USB and Aux-in features and gear shift indicator.

The Hyundai Eon is equipped with iPod and USB connectivity to the 2-din music system, keyless entry, and central locking, along with power windows, internally adjustable ORVMs.

Tata Tiago does not fall behind with its cool Harman music system with eight speakers, turn by turn navigation, steering mounted audio controls, electrically adjustable ORVMs, power windows for both front and rear doors, dual airbags, and lots more.

Overall Features Ratings

• Renault Kwid 1-litre 8/10
• Maruti Alto K10 7.5/10
• Hyundai Eon 7.5/10
• Tata Tiago 8.5/10

Safety

Renault offers driver side airbag, first-in-segment seatbelts with pre-tensioner and load limiters, and central locking.

Maruti offers driver side airbag, engine immobiliser, child locks for the rear doors, and more. Hyundai Eon comes with driver side airbag, reinforced structure and more.

As for Tata Tiago, it features dual airbags, speed sensing lock, immobilizer, central locking with remote and day and night IRVM.

Overall Safety Ratings

• Renault Kwid 1-litre 8/10
• Maruti Alto K10 7.5/10
• Hyundai Eon 7.5/10
• Tata Tiago 8.5/10

Pricing

• Renault Kwid 1-litre - Rs. 3.96 lakh
• Maruti Alto K10 - Rs. 3.78 lakh
• Hyundai Eon - Rs. 4.55 lakh
• Tata Tiago - Rs. 4.82 lakh

*Prices are ex-showroom (Delhi) and of the top variant model.

Verdict

The Renault Kwid takes the cake and eats it too, the French carmaker has made a lasting impact in the Indian market for the Kwid 800cc. Now with the 1-litre model, Renault will make inroads in terms of market share.

From the features to the mileage the Renault Kwid is the winner in this comparison. Not to mention the Tata Tiago, for another one lakh you get a host of features with a powerful engine as well.

Maruti and Hyundai are the leaders when it comes to dealership network and post sales service, also, the resale value of the two brands is commendable.