Diesel engines in hatchbacks are like a savior from ever inflating petrol prices. Volkswagen's Polo and Maruti Suzuki's Swift have been two popular picks in the Indian market. Both the cars have always been strong competitors against each other, but the availability of diesel engine alternatives, the competition hits a new high.
The new diesel version of Volkswagen Polo gets a new 1.5-litre diesel power-train that is meant to perform as an upgraded replacement for the older engine. The 1.5 litre, four cylinder diesel mill offers varied power and torque output of about 90 PS and 230 Nm of torque and 105 PS and 250 Nm of torque from another respectively.
Inside the cabin, the new Volkswagen Polo is equipped with new 3-spoke steering wheel, silver inserts could be seen on the center console and new font types for the instrument. On the exterior front changes can be seen in the form of reworked bumpers, chrome fog light enclosures, dual slat chrome grille has been replaced the newly designed single slat chrome grille. A new vivid orange color has also been added to the Polo range.
Maruti Suzuki Swift has been in the market for quite a while now and features in the top seller list for hatchback cars in India. The car is powered by a 1.3 Liter diesel engine that has been mated to a five speed manual gearbox. Based on reports, Swift's cabin space has been stated to be noise-free. Interiors of the new Swift feature more-or-less a similar pattern. The interiors are fairly decent with a black theme. The rear-seat legroom has been increased in comparison to the older model. Seats have also undergone changes with a good thigh and back support. A well designed chassis and improved suspension delivers a smoother ride in our unpredictable local road conditions. Handling has never been a problem with Swift since its launch in early days.
As per recent updates, the Swift hatchback is due to be launched in face-lifted avatar sometime soon this year. Major technical changes are not expected this time around, the changes would probably be cosmetic in nature. A detailed report may only be received post an official announcement made by the company in this regard.
