2018 Hyundai Santro vs Renault Kwid Comparison

2018 Hyundai Santro vs Renault Kwid Comparison

In our 2018 Hyundai Santro vs Renault Kwid 1.0 comparison review, we compare new Hyundai Santro with 1000cc Renault Kwid on aspects like price, specs, mileage, interior features & more

Hyundai Motor India Limited (HMIL) has been working on an all-new hatchback that has been internally codenamed as the AH2. This small car will reportedly be called the ‘Santro’ and will become a replacement for the slow-selling Eon. The new hatchback will become a direct rival to the Maruti Wagon R, Renault Kwid, and the base variants of the Maruti Celerio. Out of these, the Wagon R is about to get a generation change.

The new Maruti Wagon R should help Maruti face the heat from the new Korean rival. The Renault Kwid, however, recently received a minor facelift and will lock horns with the new Santro in its current form. But will it be able to stand a chance in front of the more modern hatchback from HMIL? Let’s find out in our new 2018 Hyundai Santro vs Renault Kwid 1.0 comparison review –

2018 Hyundai Santro vs Renault Kwid Price Comparison

New Hyundai Santro Rs 4 lakh (Expected)
Renault Kwid Rs 4.04 lakh (ex-showroom price of base 1000cc variant)

The Renault Kwid prices currently start at Rs 2.67 lakh. However, in most probability, it is the 1000cc variant that will have to engage in a duel with the new Hyundai Santro. The more powerful variant of the Kwid has a base price of Rs 4.04 lakh. The fully loaded variant costs Rs 4.59 lakh. While prices of the new Santro will be out only at the time of the launch, there are high chances of it having a base price of Rs 4 lakh.

This means that the two models will have similar pricing. While the Hyundai Santro will have a lot riding on it owing to the legacy of the previous version, the new Renault Kwid will try to make a dent in the sales of the new tallboy through its various SUV-ish traits. Honestly, it’s a bit early to find out a winner solely on the basis of pricing but there are good chances that there will be no clear winner of this aspect of our New Hyundai Santro vs Renault Kwid comparison.

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2018 Hyundai Santro vs Renault Kwid Mileage Comparison 

New Hyundai Santro 20.30 kmpl
Renault Kwid 23.01 kmpl

 

The Renault Kwid is the clear winner of this part of our comparison. With an ARAI-rated fuel efficiency of 23.01 kmpl, it offers much higher fuel efficiency than the new Santro, which has an ARAI-rated mileage figure of 20.30 kmpl. As fuel economy of any car plays an important role in its success in the lower-end of our market, the Santro might have to face some difficulty owing to higher mileage offered by its immediate rivals like the Renault Kwid 1000cc and the Maruti Wagon R.

2018 Hyundai Santro vs Renault Kwid Specs Comparison

The Renault Kwid has been on sale in two engine variants – 0.8-litre and 1.0-litre. Out of these, it will be the more powerful version that will become a direct rival to the new Hyundai Santro. The 1000cc Renault Kwid is powered by a 999cc, three-cylinder, petrol engine that outputs a maximum power of 67 bhp along with a peak torque of 91 Nm. It comes mated to a five-speed manual transmission as standard and a five-speed AMT automatic as optional.

In comparison, the new Hyundai Santro will use an updated version of the earlier i10’s 1.1-litre, four-cylinder, petrol engine that offers 69 PS and 99 Nm earlier. For its second sting, this engine will be thoroughly updated to become BSVI compliant and offer revised outputs. The four-cylinder architecture should make it a tad bit more refined than the three-cylinder unit of the Kwid, Also, it has a higher torque output.

2018 Hyundai Santro Dimensions

Plus, the Hyundai AH2 will become the first car from HMIL to offer an optional automated manual transmission. This should help it rival the AMT variants of the Kwid. With an optional AMT and a slightly bigger engine, the upcoming model should win this part of our new Hyundai Santro vs Renault Kwid comparison.

2018 Hyundai Santro vs Renault Kwid Comparison of Features

The Renault Kwid recently received a minor facelift. The updated model of the Kwid comes with the crawl feature for the AMT variant, which was surprisingly omitted from the pre-facelift version, a reverse camera, front power windows, remote central locking, and a rear 12V charging socket.

These feature additions help the car become better value for money. The Kwid also offers a touchscreen infotainment unit and a driver’s side airbag. With the introduction of stricter safety norms, the Kwid is also likely to soon start offering ABS, reverse parking sensors, speed-sensing automatic door lock, manual override for the central locking, and ISOFIX child seat mounts as standard features.

While the features list of the new Hyundai Santro isn’t out yet, our exclusive details of the new model help us draw a fair comparison with the entry-level hatchback from the French car maker. The 2018 Hyundai Santro will offer all the aforementioned safety features to be in compliance with the stricter safety norms. It will also offer a touchscreen infotainment unit on the top-end variants along with usual features like front power windows, central locking, and the likes.

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It will also offer a push button start but alloy wheels won’t be available. Hence, in terms of features, the new Santro will be at par with the Renault Kwid, which means, in all likelihood, there it will be the clear winner of this aspect of the new Hyundai Santro vs Renault Kwid comparison.

2018 Hyundai Santro vs Renault Kwid Comparison of Design and Interior

The Renault Kwid is one of the most spacious models in its segment. Its SUV-ish design translates into a fairly airy cabin with good leg-space for the front passengers. The hatchback also offers a bootspace of 300-litres, which is the best in the segment. The legroom for the rear passengers, however, is at a premium. That said, the SUVish design does help the car look sufficiently rugged and quite muscular for an entry-level hatchback. The mini-me Duster looks are one of the biggest USPs of this hatchback.

Various spy images have revealed that the new Hyundai Santro will look somewhat like the last generation i10, which isn’t surprising if you consider it gets an updated version and a revised platform of the discontinued hatchback. The tallboy architecture should lead to a very airy cabin. Also, spy images have revealed a spacious cabin with enough leg-space for the rear passengers.

This is one area where the new Santro will have a clear advantage over the Kwid. Also, going by all the recent cars from the Korean auto major, the cabin will feel sufficiently premium. The more space for the rear occupants and a more premium cabin should help the new hatchback win this part of our new Hyundai Santro vs Renault kwid comparison.

2018 Hyundai Santro vs Renault Kwid Comparison of Dimensions

New Hyundai Santro Renault Kwid
Length 3,610 mm 3,679 mm
Width 1,645 mm 1,579 mm
Height 1,560 mm 1,478 mm
Boot Space 235-litres 300-litres
Ground Clearance 14-inch 13-inch

With an overall length of 3,610 mm, width of 1,645 mm, and height of 1,560 mm, the 2018 Hyundai Santro is clearly a bigger vehicle. The only areas where the Kwid has an upper hand is a higher overall length and a much bigger boot space. Compared to 235-litres of boot space of the Santro, the Kwid offers a best-in-segment boot space of 300-litres.

2018 Hyundai Santro vs Renault Kwid Comparison Verdict

Price – While the prices of the new Hyundai Santro aren’t out yet, we are pretty sure there will be no clear winner between the upcoming model and the Renault Kwid if you compare the two on pricing alone.

Specifications – Both the models will offer an optional AMT but the new Hyundai Santro is likely to hold a slight edge owing to a larger engine. Also, the updated version of the earlier i10’s platform should lead to a great ride quality.

Mileage – The Renault Kwid is a clear winner in this part of our comparison. With an ARAI-rated mileage of 23.01 kmpl, it is much more fuel efficient than the new Santro’s 20.3 kmpl.

Features – With features like push button start and multi-function steering wheel, it is the 2018 Hyundai Santro that becomes the clear winner of this part of our comparison. Features like a 7-inch infotainment unit with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto will give it a very premium touch.

Design and Interior – Design is highly subjective and many car buyers have liked the SUV-ish design of the Kwid, which looks like a miniature Renault Kwid. However, the new Santro will feature several elements from Hyundai’s latest design language, which should make it look sufficiently modern. Also, the interior will have a larger cabin space than that of the Kwid, which will give the new Santro a clear advantage.

From the above points, it becomes clear that the upcoming Korean small car just about manages to win this 2018 Hyundai Santro vs Renault Kwid comparison.