What a Budget-conscious buyer looks for in a car
A budget-conscious buyer prioritizes affordability, fuel economy, and overall value. They seek a vehicle with a reasonable purchase price, low running and maintenance costs, and high fuel efficiency. Essential safety features like ABS and airbags are non-negotiable, offering peace of mind for safe travels. Basic convenience features, such as power steering and power windows, add value to the overall driving experience.
This buyer also values reliability and a proven track record. Maruti Suzuki Swift and Hyundai i10 Grand NiOS are among the best budget cars in India, and resonate well with this segment of buyers due to their successful balance of these attributes.
Why Maruti Suzuki Swift and Hyundai i10 Grand NiOS are popular among Budget-conscious buyers
The Maruti Suzuki Swift and Hyundai i10 Grand NiOS are popular among budget-conscious buyers for several reasons. As affordable car options in India, both models offer excellent value for money, combining competitive pricing, high fuel efficiency, reliable performance, and essential safety features.
The Maruti Suzuki Swift is known for its petrol engine, delivering a remarkable fuel efficiency and performance. Its lower maintenance costs and the trust in the Maruti brand add to its appeal for budget-conscious buyers.
Hyundai i10 Grand NiOS, on the other hand, provides a comprehensive package of features at a competitive price. With its high fuel efficiency and additional safety features like four airbags, it offers a solid value proposition. The Hyundai brand’s reputation for quality and reliability further adds to the car’s appeal.
As some of the best budget hatchbacks, both models offer different variants, allowing buyers to choose based on their budget and requirements, and both cars deliver reliable performance and low running costs. This combination of features and affordability is what makes the Maruti Suzuki Swift and Hyundai i10 Grand NiOS popular among budget-conscious buyers. We have also compared Maruti Swift with Hyundai Grand i10 Nios for family-focused buyers.
Our variants shortlist for Maruti Suzuki Swift and Hyundai i10 Grand NiOS
Considering the variants and their prices, here’s our shortlist:
| Variant | Price (INR) |
| Maruti Suzuki Swift LXI | 599,450 |
| Maruti Suzuki Swift VXI | 690,000 |
| Maruti Suzuki Swift VXI AGS | 745,000 |
| Hyundai Grand i10 Nios Era | 568,500 |
| Hyundai Grand i10 Nios Magna | 661,000 |
| Hyundai Grand i10 Nios Sportz Executive | 716,000 |
The Maruti Suzuki Swift LXI variant offers ABS, 2 airbags, 20 kmpl city mileage, and power steering for safety and driving ease. However, it lacks power windows and a touchscreen infotainment system, which could be a compromise for some buyers.
The Swift VXI comes with power windows and a basic automatic transmission, enhancing the driving experience. However, it’s priced higher than the LXI variant, but the added features may justify the price for some buyers.
The Swift VXI AGS offers a higher city mileage and a touchscreen, but at a significantly higher price. This variant could be appealing to buyers willing to stretch their budget for additional features and better fuel efficiency.
The Hyundai Grand i10 Nios Era variant offers ABS, four airbags, and a good city mileage, which aligns with safety and fuel efficiency priorities. Despite not having power windows or a touchscreen, it offers great value for its price. You can also read our comparison of the Hyundai Grand i10 Nios with Tata Tiago.
The Nios Magna variant includes a touchscreen and power windows, improving convenience and making it a well-rounded option for budget-conscious buyers.
The Nios Sportz Executive variant is the most expensive but offers the same mileage as the other variants and an 8-inch touchscreen. This could be a great choice for those who prioritize in-car entertainment and are willing to extend their budget.
Best variant among Maruti Suzuki Swift and Hyundai i10 Grand NiOS for Budget-conscious buyer
The Hyundai Grand i10 Nios Magna emerges as the best variant for the budget-conscious buyer. Despite being priced slightly higher than the base model, it offers an excellent blend of safety, fuel efficiency, and convenience features. This variant provides ABS, four airbags, power steering, and power windows. It also features a touchscreen infotainment system, enhancing the overall driving experience.
Importantly, the Nios Magna variant offers high city mileage of 20.7 kmpl, significantly reducing the running costs. Also, it boasts a petrol engine known for its reliability and economical maintenance. Thus, the Hyundai Grand i10 Nios Magna, priced at INR 661,000, strikes a great balance between cost, convenience, safety, and fuel efficiency, making it an excellent choice for budget-conscious buyers.
The Top 3 choices
The top three choices for a budget-conscious buyer would be:
- Hyundai Grand i10 Nios Magna
- Maruti Suzuki Swift LXI
- Maruti Suzuki Swift VXI
| Variant | ABS | Airbags | City Mileage (kmpl) | Power Steering | Power Windows – Back | Power Windows – Front |
| Hyundai Grand i10 Nios Magna | Yes | 4 | 20.7 | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Maruti Suzuki Swift LXI | Yes | 2 | 20 | Yes | No | No |
| Maruti Suzuki Swift VXI | Yes | 2 | 21 | Yes | Yes | Yes |
The Hyundai Grand i10 Nios Magna leads the pack due to its combination of safety features, good mileage, and added convenience of power windows and touchscreen at a reasonable price.
The Maruti Suzuki Swift LXI ranks second because of its affordability, solid safety features, good fuel efficiency, and the trustworthiness of the Maruti brand.
The Maruti Suzuki Swift VXI ranks third, offering a slightly better mileage than the LXI variant and additional convenience with power windows. The price hike may seem justified to some buyers considering the added features.
All three variants cater well to budget-conscious buyers, offering high fuel efficiency, essential safety features, and excellent overall value without the need for breaking the bank. We also have our comparison of the Maruti Suzuki Swift with Hyundai Grand i10 Nios for first-time car buyers.
