Maruti Suzuki S-Presso vs Renault Kwid – Specification Comparison!

We compared the Maruti Suzuki S-Presso vs all-new Renault Kwid based on their engine, dimensions, design, interiors and features. Let’s see how both these cars fare against each other!

There has been two back to back new launches in the entry level hatchback segment. Maruti Suzuki launched the S-Presso yesterday and Renault has launched the all-new facelifted Kwid in India today. That’s the most action this segment has seen in a really long time. Meant to go directly against each other, we wondered how they would fare on paper. So here we have put the Maruti Suzuki S-Presso vs Renault Kwid on paper to see who fares better.

Maruti Suzuki S-Presso vs Renault Kwid – Dimensions

The S-Presso measures a significant 166 mm shorter in length than the Kwid which means it also has a wheelbase that is shorter than the Kwid by 62 mm. The Renault Kwid is also 59 mm wider than the S-Presso. Where the S-Presso has a little edge over the Kwid is with its height as it measures a considerable 74 mm taller than the Kwid and that should free a lot of headspace in the cabin of the car. That said, the Kwid has also grown in dimensions from the pre-facelift model.

As for the ground clearance, the Kwid has just 4mm more ground clearance than the S-Presso and their fuel tanks also measure almost the same, the Kwid having the capacity to hold a liter more, at 28 Liters. As for wheel sizes, both the S-Presso and the Kwid use 165/70 R14 wheels which are good enough sizes for these cars but they are steel wheels with plastic wheel covers and do not get alloys even on the top-spec trim.

Maruti Suzuki S-Presso vs Renault Kwid – Engine Specifications

Now comparing the engines of the S-Presso and the Kwid, they both are powered by 1.0-Liter, three cylinder engines which put out similar power and torque figures. They both have 68 bhp and 90-91 Nm of torque. There’s nothing separating them on that front though. Also, both cars come mated to a either a 5-speed manual gearbox or a 5-speed AMT. Where the Kwid has en edge is that it also gets a smaller 800 cc engine which makes 54 bhp and 72 Nm of torque. It only comes mated to a 5-speed manual gearbox.

Where there is some differentiation on the engines is with their fuel efficiency. The Renault Kwid is sufficiently more fuel efficient than the S-Presso, both with the manual and AMT gearbox. On the other hand, the reason why the S-Presso is a little down on fuel efficiency from the Kwid is because its BS-VI complaint while the Kwid still gets a BS-IV compliant engine. The Renault Kwid’s engines will be updated to BS-VI spec closer to the April 2020 deadline.

Exterior Design

The two cars are quite poles apart here. The Maruti Suzuki S-Presso has been designed to look like an SUV, only much smaller. The company literally calls it a ‘micro-SUV’. The design is very new from Maruti and it gets a tall nose with a flat hood for an upright stance. The bumpers are big and chunky and there’s good amount of body cladding on the sides and the rear. The grille design is all-new and gets some chrome inserts with LED DRLs on the bumpers. The rear end seems much inspired from the Brezza and has quite a neat look except for the pronounced body claddings.

The Renault Kwid on the other hand has a much conventional hatchback design. It has perfect proportions and easily looks the better of the two. The face gets a large grille that is much in line with larger Renault’s. Like many new cars, it gets split headlamps and the LEDs on either side of the grille with the main headlamp cluster on the bumper have been very tastefully designed. The Kwid also gets body claddings but it has been better executed here and seem more proportionate with the rest of the car. Also, the top-spec Climber variants gets some unique styling elements with funky colored inserts which really lift the design of the car.

Also Read : Maruti Suzuki S Presso vs Hyundai Santro – Specification Comparison

Interior Features

Here again, the two cars have a very different approach. The S-Presso has a very funky interior with its new dashboard layout. The circular motifs on the dashboard seems to inspired from Mini and even the instrument cluster is located on the center of the dashboard. The body colored inserts give it a young feel and the infotainment system has been well put on the dashboard. However, the center mounted instrument console flanked by the AC vents on either side might not work for many. The back of the steering wheel also looks awkwardly empty. Also, the power window buttons have been placed right below the infotainment screen, which again is a little awkward.

The interior design of the Kwid has only evolved from the pre-facelift model but it still looks fresh and clean. The minimalistic approach with colored inserts just like the S-Presso somehow works very well. Its a pretty conventional design and nothing quite as funky as the S-Presso but it still looks aesthetic. The steering wheel, instrument cluster and 8-inch touchscreen are all new and come directly from the Triber. There’s also large ‘Kwid’ lettering on the dashboard. In the AMT, the gear selector is a little dial on the center console like in Jaguar cars. Overall, it looks like a pretty nice cabin.

Also Read : Maruti S-Presso Launched In India – Price And Details!

Pricing

Owing to a smaller 800 cc engine, The Kwid has a much lower starting price that the S-Presso. The Kwid starts at just Rs. 2.83 lakhs with its 800 cc engine. However, with the bigger 1.0L engine, the Kwid has a much higher starting price than the S-Presso, yet both cars finish off at about the same mark for both the manual and automatic gearboxes. On paper, both these cars are very close but the Kwid seems worth some extra money considering it looks and feels much more premium than the S-Presso. The last verdict would count on how they drive. Well, for that stay tuned to CarBlog India.