Battle of premium hatchbacks: Upcoming 2014 Honda Jazz Vs segment leading Maruti Suzuki Swift

The Indian auto industry is an extremely competitive market, where the car manufacturers have to work real hard to keep the customers interested in their products. The car companies have to come up with great new cars to grab attention and get constant volumes. Thus, if you thought that the Indian car market king Maruti Suzuki has an easy grip on the market, then you are wrong as the company is constantly being threatened by a number of new car launches. Recently, the Japanese premium car maker Honda is one of the most active rivals of Maruti, as Honda is directing a lot of its upcoming cars directly against some Maruti bestsellers. First, there is the Amaze compact sedan which went on to challenge the segment leader Maruti Swift Dzire, secondly Honda is soon to bring in its Mobilio MPV which will be pitched directly against the Maruti Ertiga, and then Honda will launch the new 2014 Jazz which will lock its horns with the segment ruler Maruti Swift.

In the battle arena of the Indian premium hatchbacks, we put the segment topper Maruti Suzuki Swift and the upcoming all new Honda Jazz side by side to see how competition will get fiercer.

The Indian premium segment still has its emperor in the form of the extremely popular Maruti Suzuki Swift which has been winning over the Indians for years. Maruti’s Japanese rival Honda, which has been on cloud nine recently with the astral success of the Amaze and new City, is planning to bring down the Swift’s popularity be resurrecting the Jazz in India. The all new 2014 Jazz has done away with all the flaws of its past and will immerge in its all new avatar within this fiscal to strike a new rapport with the Indians.

It is good to mention at this point that the previous Jazz was discontinued in India, owing to its high pricing, lesser fuel efficiency and lacking diesel counterpart. However, the new Jazz will be available in both petrol and diesel, likely to have class best diesel fuel efficiency, and will be certainly priced right by Honda this time around.

The new Honda Jazz will be the longest in the hatchback segment with a length of 4105mm, while the Maruti Swift is 3805mm long. The 2014 Jazz will have a wheelbase of 2500mm, while the Swift has a 2430mm wheelbase. The increased length and wheelbase will certainly make the Jazz much more spacious than the Swift. However, the Swift is a lighter car weighing just 1080kgs, while the Jazz weighs 1125 kg. This means the Swift can be swifter than the Jazz in terms of performance with its lighter weight.

Then again the, new Jazz will get the industry best 1.5 liter diesel engine and will generate 98bhp or even more power, while the Swift has the 1.3 liter diesel engine churning out a lesser 74bhp.

The Maruti Swift thus has good reasons to be aware of the upcoming 2014 Honda Jazz.