Overview

The Hyundai i10 and the Chevrolet Spark are great options as the family’s first car. But now Maruti has upgraded its Estilo and on paper, it looks enticing indeed. But, is it any good on the road?

The Estilo, when introduced in 2006, made for a better purchase than its sibling, the Wagon R. It looked fresher and though it shared nearly everything with the latter, some mechanical improvements meant, it proved to be a better drive than the R as well. But then the Hyundai i10 arrived and suddenly, the Estilo felt lacking in a number of areas, especially the drivetrain.

Maruti has now addressed this issue by introducing the new generation K-series engine (from the A-star) in the car. So, is the Estilo a better bet now? To find that out we have brought the all rounder i10, powered by the 1.1-litre engine, and the valuefor- money Spark, to the party.

Exterior & Interior

Beige interiors look nice but quality levels, like the Estilo, need to improve

The Estilo, even with its typically Maruti facelift including restyled headlamps and new bumpers both front and rear, isn’t the party playboy. It needed a more serious cosmetic surgery to draw glances. Inside too, the changes are minimal with just new colour combinations and new instrumentation being employed to enliven the cabin. It means the Estilo still can’t match the i10’s quality of plastics and overall fi t and fi nish. But at least it has the Spark for company.

The Chevy too has been through a change since it was last featured in this magazine and is now available with beige interiors. But otherwise everything else remains the same. Externally too there are no changes and its styling can polarise opinions. Cute from the front but more bug like from the rear, you either like it or don’t.

There are no such issues with the i10 though; it remains the best looking car here and one that’s really well built too. The same holds true for its insides. Even the various switches and controls work better than the other two and it’s ergonomically sound. Add to it the most cheerful and airy cabin and its insides feel like the best place to be in for the daily office commute.

The best built and fi nished cabin in this test, but not as well equipped as others

The Estilo doesn’t score too much for space. It is the most cramped of the lot, especially at the rear. There’s no real kneeroom to talk about and it also sports the least shoulder room in this test. To add to its woes, the rear seats aren’t comfy either. The seats are the smallest here and the support offered isn’t good.

The Spark surprisingly has more room. In fact, it rivals that of the i10 and that’s quite an achievement given that it is narrower and it also sits on a smaller wheelbase. However, it loses out to the Hyundai in terms of comfort. Its rear seats are more comfortable and accommodating than the Estilo, but the i10’s are better still.

Best equipped cabin and the only car with an airbag. Quality could be better though

The Hyundai’s rear seats offer comparatively better thigh support, which saves you the pain of sitting solely on your bum. It has the best front seats too; these hold the occupant well in place thanks to both good back and side support. We would have liked adjustable headrests at the front nonetheless.

The Spark could have been an equally good drive. It is as manoeuvrable as the i10 in the city and is as stable in a straight line at speeds too. Moreover, it rides as well and showcases better bump absorption ability, predominantly at slower speeds. But it has poor front seats that slope forward. Additionally, the steering feels dead and the gearbox is equally tedious to work.

The Estilo is quite manageable within the city, but on the highway, it can get quite hairy as speeds climb and the car gets floaty. Its ride isn’t anything to write home about either. It is set on the softer side and manages the odd bump or ditch respectfully, but give it a series of bumps and potholes and the Estilo feels completely lost.

Engine & Gearbox

Chevrolet Spark Engine treads the middle path in performance terms.

Having more comfort and safety equipment for this price would have been a good addition too. There’s no stereo and only the front passengers get power windows. There’s also no electric adjust for the ORVMs. Also, one can’t opt for airbags or ABS on the Era, the top-of-the-line trim with the 1.1-litre engine. The Spark LT isn’t much better either.

But, the Estilo is. In fact it is the best equipped car here and has all these features, but sadly only gets a driver side airbag. And there’s not even an option to get one for the co driver either.

Hyundai i10 i10's engine is the oldest and the least efficient.

The daily grind The Estilo doesn’t impress much behind the wheel. It has an acceptable driving position and good visibility, but the steering wheel has no feel and is vague. Also, the gearbox, which though borrowed from the A-star, is notchy, a tad vague and has long throws unlike the latter.

Like the gearbox, the engine of the Estilo too is from the A-star and like the latter, is phenomenally fuel efficient returning more than 17kmpl overall. The 998cc, 66bhp engine is also a huge improvement over the older Estilo’s powerplant, but it is plagued with more vibes, both at idle and when driven hard. In addition, the engine has lost the sense of urgency that we so liked on the A-star. It is much slower in the run up to 100kmph as well and is less fl exible too.

Maruti Suzuki Estilo New generation K-series engine from the A-star is supremely fuel efficient

In fact, the Estilo is the slowest and the least driveable car in this test. The i10, which sports an older engine, is the quickest and the most driveable with the Spark treading the middle ground. The i10 is also the most predictable in terms of steering, brake and clutch operation which makes it the most comfortable to drive. Wish it were a little less noisy at higher speeds though.

Dimensions

Scorecard & Verdict

Chevrolet Spark- Runs the i10 close as a good first family small car but needs improvement in quality and seats.

Hyundai i10- The best all rounded car whether you use it for commuting to office everyday or for a weekend family drive.

Maruti Suzuki Estilo - Good efficient engine but overall the car fails to match up to the other two in almost every other area.

Scorecard

Body: The new Estilo gets the most safety equipment here with a driver side airbag and ABS. It also has a decently big and usable boot for a small car. But it fails to match the i10 and the Spark in terms of passenger room. Quality of materials used and the fit and finish again is an issue on the Estilo.

Drive: The honours for the most modern engine goes to the Maruti. It is also the most fuel efficient engine, and by a margin. It is also the quietest at higher speeds. But, it falls behind in performance, both outright acceleration as well as driveability. The gearbox too isn't as slick to use as the i10.

Comfort: The i10 and the Spark are equally matched on a number of a parameters here. These ride and handle equally well (and better than the Estilo) and have comfortable rear seats as well. But, the i10 is more comfortable at the front. It also has better ergonomics.

Dynamics: The Estilo brings up the tail again. It can't match the i10 and Spark for their better steering response or high speed straightline stability. It also offers less grip and the only reason it manages a shorter braking distance is because of its ABS.

Cost: If it's a cheap car you want that isn't expensive to run either, buy the Spark. It has a good warranty and service package and is the cheapest of the lot. The Estilo is just the opposite it is the most expensive and one with the worst warranty.

Verdict

The new Estilo might be a big improvement over the earlier car, but it still isn’t good enough to challenge either the Spark or the i10. It is the most efficient and best equipped (and the most expensive), but lacks in space, comfort, quality, ride and handling and warranty.

The i10, our winner, is cheaper, offers better warranty and room and is better built too. Our only grouse with the Era, is its lack of equipment.