HONDA BRIO VS MARUTI SWIFT 2011

HONDA BRIO VS MARUTI SWIFT 2011

Honda is all set to make a fresh entry in the Indian hatchback market and that too with the best – a small car christened Honda Brio.The Brio is the smallest car from Honda stable and though it has a Honda badge to support it , it sure faces tough competition from the pre-existing competitors like Maruti Suzuki Swift

 Brio has simply outstanding crease on its body and a stunning forward inclined stance to woo. This styling is something that is expected to drive car buyers crazy and it will also help increase its demand exponentially in the country. Honda will bring Honda Brio in striking color options.

Honda Brio will be powered by 1.2 litre engine that currently also powers Honda Jazz. This same engine is expected to get a 1 litre motor in the near future as well. The wonderful car will have a displacement of 1198 cc which is one of the best in terms of engine in the hatchback segment. The engine used in Honda Brio runs will run on petrol and is expected to give a peak power of 90 PS at 6000 rpm and beating torque of 110 Nm at 4800 rpm.

The interior style of Honda Brio is designed such a way which make you to sense relax. Compare to other similar hatchbacks in India, Honda Brio will be at top as per as comfort is concerned. The features like power steering, elegant Dashing board, armrests, gear Knob, body colored mirrors, inbuilt Audio System including USB, Air condition adds much more comfort even in the long journeys with good fuel efficiency.

The Honda Brio features contemporary beige color interiors that most Indians will love although beige is a bitch to maintain especially in the dusty Indian conditions. This color endows the Brio’s cabin with a airy appeal that in typical Honda standards, feels high quality.

Honda Brio comes with three variants and even the base version of the Brio gets ABS as standard piece of kit. Talking of which, the Brio will be available E, S and V variants where E is the base variant.

Pros : Honda refinement, Power, Design, all variants get ABS and airbags

Cons : No Diesel option yet

Pricing :

HondaBrioE –Rs 3.95 lakh
Honda Brio S – Rs 4.35 lakh
Honda Brio S Option – Rs 4.9 lakh
Honda Brio V – Rs 5.1 lakh

new maruti suzuki swift

The new Swift looks so much like the old Swift that it takes only a well-versed eye to spot the differences. Suzuki thought not to fiddle around much with a winning formula and sought only to take care of the most glaring drawbacks that came through user and buyer feedback.

Thus the essential style of the car remains the same but there are a few crucial changes. Both the headlamps and the tail cluster are much larger, with both being wrap-around and the headlamps upswept design giving the Swift an even more distinctive look.

Where the engines of the new petrol and diesel versions are concerned, the new Swift retains the engines from the outgoing Swift model. However with Variable Valve Timing now on the 1197cc petrol engine, it manages to generate 87PS @ 6000 rpm and a decent torque of 114Nm at 4000 rpm.

The 1248cc DDiS diesel mill remains the same and offers a stellar 75PS @ 4000 rpm and a more than decent torque of 190Nm @ 2000 rpm. Both versions are mated to 5 speed gearboxes

Though it doesnt have a very drastic change compared to its predecessor has longer frame and the new headlights and taillights that flutter a stretched look, but also its interiors have received a applause worthy upgrade with features that include a CD player, USB port connectivity, steering mounted controls and an in dash multi information display (MID), all of which presents itself with a far more upmarket feel.

Pros : Bit short on Space compared to Liva, Fuel efficient, Comfort

Cons : Less Boot Space, Priced a bit high for the top end variant.

Pricing :

Lxi – 4.22 lakhs

Vxi - 4.76 lakhs

Zxi – 5.53 lakhs

Ldi – 5.17 lakhs

Vdi - 5.61 lakhs

Zdi - 6.38 lakhs

* All prices are ex-showroom Delhi

Honda Brio body is a mix of smart and intelligent craftsmanship with beautiful aerodynamic styling. Front fascia boasts of pearl shaped head lamps, chromed grill having company’s logo neatly tucked and large lower grill carrying fog lamps bestow the little car with head turning looks. Body coloured bumpers, side mirrors and door handles along with rear spoiler contribute to the overall next generation styling of this brilliant Brio.

Maruti Suzuki Swift 2011 carries most of looks from its predecessor model but now it’s more refreshing with bigger head and tail lamps. The wheelbase has been increased which has imparted amazing style to this sporty car. Refined front and rear bumpers bless this new Swift with alluring looks. This new hatchback has reduced height but is wider and lengthier than its predecessor model.

On the looks front, it is quite difficult to choose which one since both cars has their own identity with Swift having more road presence while Brio being a head turner. It’s a tie.

Interiors

 Brio’s interiors are expected to be perfect for five occupants with exotic interior trims employed. The refinements are sure to evoke your inner instinct to drive with pleasure. However the compact body design indicates that the car will have limited space. Interior features like power steering, graceful dashing board, armrests, gear Knob, body coloured mirrors, integrated audio system including USB and powerful AC sets aside its competitors.

Contrarily, Maruti Suzuki Swift 2011 is one of the most spacious cars in its segment with enough head and leg room for all passengers. Multifunctional new steering wheel and instrument cluster is now more refreshing than the 2010 Swift with black and silver finish, both contributing to the plushness of the cabin. Comfortable leather seats with foldable rear seat option, AC with climate control, power windows, etc are some of the features of this new scintillating car.

Maruti Suzuki Swift’s Interiors are a far cry from Honda Brio.

Engine, Specification and Performance

Honda Brio will be fitted with 1198 cc, i-VTEC, petrol engine that will have efficiency to churn maximum power of 89 bhp at 6200 rpm and peak torque of 110 Nm at 4800 rpm. The engine of the car would be mated with a 5 speed manual transmission. Honda Brio is expected to cross the speed slot of 0 to 100 kmph in mere 16 seconds with the top speed being 158 kmph. The car offers decent mileage 14 kmpl in city conditions while 19 kmpl on highways.

Mesmerizing Maruti Suzuki Swift 2011 is powered by 1298cc, 4 Cylinder, 16 valves petrol engine. This powerful engine is capable of producing maximum power of 87 bhp at 4000 rpm and a peak torque of 113 Nm at 4500 rpm. Linked with 5-speed manual gears, Swift races from 0 to 100 kmph in just 10 seconds and has a top speed of 160 kmph. As far as fuel efficiency is concerned, it delivers around 15 Kmpl in city while 18.5 Kmpl on highways.

Both the cars have almost similar engine performance with Brio getting slight edge but Swift soon catches it.

Bottom Line : Maruti Suzuki Swift is one amazing car and now it faces competition from the new stallion from Honda the Brio in terms of power and specs these two cars are neck to neck both the company’s have proven reliability to support them as well as the loyal customer base.Only time will tell who would be thee winner amongst thee two