Renault Kwid vs Hyundai Eon, a fight of the modern and quality entry-level hatchbacks help you decide who is the new king
Renault has commenced the test drive of Kwid for the media and it has been off to positive reviews. The Kwid is expected to be a game-changer in the entry-level hatchback arena. Having said that, it will be going up against a slew of competitors in the country.
Hyundai Eon is one of them which happens to be one of the better looking entry-level hatchbacks will be most affected by it. Let us take a comparative look at the two of them:
Design
The Renault Kwid brings a mini-SUV design with it to the table whereas the Hyundai Eon has a very contemporary design philosophy. Some may like the lines of the fluidic design philosophy of the Eon but the Kwid with its aggressive styling takes over. As you can see from the pictures, the Kwid has a more imposing road presence and overshadows the Eon in terms of what it brings to the table.
The Kwid is 3679mm long, 1471mm wide and 1579mm tall. It has an impressive ground clearance of 180mm and a wheelbase of 2422mm. The Hyundai Eon on the other hand happens to be 3495mm long, 1550mm wide and 1500mm tall. The wheelbase on offer is 2385mm and it stands 170mm above the ground. The Eon is slightly taller but the Kwid fares well as a better overall car.
Interior
Interiors is where the two go neck-to-neck with the Kwid overtaking the Eon by a small margin. The touchscreen infotainment system is a first for an entry-level hatchback. You get all black interiors on the Kwid whereas the Eon brings beige interiors with it. The latter looks more airy and spacious because of the same.
The front seating comfort is similar for both but you sit taller in the Kwid compared to Eon. However, the Kwid puts forth a slight issue if you happen to be tall (around 6 feet) and seated at the rear. Eon has no much issues. The instrument cluster in the Kwid is digital whereas you get an analogue cluster in the Eon.
Performance
The Kwid has a 799cc engine that puts out 53.4 Bhp and 7.3 Kgm of torque. The Eon on the other hand has a 814cc engine which puts out 54 Bhp and 7.6 Kgm of torque. Both of them get mated to a 5-speed manual transmission. The fact of the matter is that the Kwid is lighter by 100 kgs than the Eon so you get a better overall engine response with the Kwid.
Technical Specifications
| Technical Comparison | Renault Kwid | Hyundai Eon |
| Engine Capacity | 799cc Petrol Engine | 799cc Petrol Engine |
| Power in Bhp/RPM | 53 BHP @ 5678 RPM | 56 BHP @ 5500 RPM |
| Torque in Nm/RPM | 72 BHP @ 4386 RPM | 74 Nm @ 4000 RPM |
| Gears | 5-MT | 5-MT |
| Length | 3679 mm | 3495 mm |
| Width | 1579 mm | 1550 mm |
| Height | 1478 mm | 1500 mm |
| Wheel base | 2422 mm | 2380 mm |
| Kerb Weight | 660 kg | 725 kg |
| Ground clearance | 180 mm | 170 mm |
Verdict
The Kwid being the new kid on the block is better equipped to take on the aging Eon and ticks more boxes than the competition. Pricing would play a key role in the same and if Renault manages to price it right, the Eon may just have a lot to worry about. Kwid’s pricing may be announced anytime this month and we’ll know which way the tide turns.
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