Cartrade Comparison Test
Maruti Suzuki Swift is the country's top selling premium hatchback, thanks to its aggressive styling, fuel efficiency and high performance. Though we have seen so many cars launching in this segment, none could displace the Swift from the peak position in terms of sales. One such competitor came in the form of Etios Liva, which was introduced as Toyota's cheapest offering in the country.
Maruti Suzuki recently introduced the updated Swift that received some minor exterior and interior updates, while the engines were tweaked for better fuel efficiency. Toyota also introduced two new diesel variants - VD and VD SP (safety pack). Here's our brief comparison between the two hatchbacks to find out the better one.
Exterior and Interior Design - Toyota Etios Liva Vs Maruti Suzuki Swift
The 2014 Maruti Suzuki Swift features a re-designed front bumper, bezel fog lamps with silver finish, larger air dam, new honeycomb front grille and slightly tweaked headlamps. It also gets electrically adjustable and foldable outside rear view mirrors with integrated turn indicators and new alloy wheel design. On the other hand, the Toyota Etios Liva facelift gets new front grille, electrically adjustable wing mirrors, newly formulated 12-spoke alloy wheels and chrome door handles.
Inside the cabin, the Swift facelift has foldable rear seats with 60:40 split ratio, new seat fabrics, rear adjustable headrests, front power windows, rear parking sensors, engine start-stop buttons, and music player with Bluetooth connectivity. Talking about the Etios Liva interiors, the hatchback has new wood finish for armrest, new seat upholstery, height adjustable driver seat, cooled glove box and steering mounted audio controls. It also has new 2-DIN audio system with Bluetooth, USB, Aux-in and remote, and there are 2 new rear speakers. Adding to it, the car has powerful air conditioner with clean air filters.
Performance - Toyota Etios Liva Vs Maruti Suzuki Swift
The updated Swift hatchback's engines - 1.2-litre K-Series petrol and 1.3-litre multi-jet diesel - were tuned for better fuel efficiency. However, the power output of the petrol unit has been reduced to 83.1bhp from 85.8bhp. The company claims that the Swift petrol delivers a fuel efficiency of 20.4kmpl, which is 10 per cent more fuel efficient than the old version. The oil burner comes with a tweaked ECU and reduced friction, and is also claimed to offer 10 per cent more mileage. It is claimed to return a segment-leading fuel efficiency of 25.2kmpl. Power is transmitted to the front wheels of the hatchback via a five-speed gearbox.
The Toyota Etios Liva is also available in both petrol and diesel fuel options. While the oil burner is a 1.4-litre D-4D unit that churns out a maximum power output of 67bhp and a peak torque of 170Nm, the petrol unit is a 1.2-litre DOHC motor that is good for 79bhp of power and 104Nm of torque. Both the engines are coupled to a five-speed gearbox which sends power to the front wheels.
Conclusion
Maruti Suzuki Swift is the country's most fuel efficient hatchback in its league. The car is benefited with impressive performance, stylish and sportier exteriors and feature loaded interiors. On the other hand, the Etios Liva is known for high-end safety. Even the base variant of the car comes equipped with driver and co-driver airbags.
