Maruti S-Presso vs Renault Kwid – Shootout

Interiors – Both these cars are tiny on the outside but there’s a drastic difference when it comes to cabin space. The Kwid’s dashboard has got a major rejig and it now gets some feel-good elements like a leather-wrapped steering, a nice touchscreen and a digital instrument cluster. The S-Presso’s dashboard meanwhile is typical Maruti fare with a lot of shared components. The MINI-inspired centre console does look stylish and you can get it with orange surrounds too, just like the Kwid Climber which also gets orange accents on the inside. Ergonomics are pretty decent on both the cars but because these cars are small, there’s not much room to move around.

The S-Presso’s cabin is more spacious and comfortable than the Kwid’s

Some common features present on both cars include a touchscreen audio system, central locking and a manual AC. Both the S-Presso and the Kwid have nice touchscreens but the sound quality from Maruti’s infotainment system is a wee bit better. However, the Kwid also gets a rearview camera which the S-Presso misses out on. The Kwid misses out on steering mounted audio controls though, which the S-Presso gets. The S-Presso also gets internally adjustable ORVMs while in the Kwid you need to stick your hand out of the window and adjust the mirrors manually. The S-Presso lacks rear power windows which the Kwid gets.

When it comes to space, the S-Presso overtakes the Kwid by a considerable margin. The cabin is roomier, has more legroom and headspace and feels a bit more airy too. So, while the dimensions of the S-Presso might not be as appealing on the outside, the styling actually helps matters on the inside by offering more cabin space. The front seats of the Kwid are a bit stiff but nonetheless, offer decent comfort. Both the cars have a good enough driving position but the seat height isn’t adjustable on either of them. The S-Presso’s rear seats are a tad more comfier than the Kwid’s and also offer way more room for passengers. In the Kwid, if you push the front seats all the way back, you get negligible legroom at the rear but that’s not the case with the S-Presso which has decent space to seat 4 people. The Kwid has less headroom than the S-Presso too.

Both these cars have similar boot capacities (270-litres on the S-Presso and 279-litres on the Kwid), with the Kwid’s boot now being smaller than before due to the larger tyres which need bigger wheel wells. Storage spaces are also more or less similar on both these vehicles and there’s enough space for your regular nitty-gritties. None of these cars come with adjustable headrests both at the front as well as the rear. If we talk about fit and finish inside the cabin, the S-Presso scores better than the Kwid with its plastic quality. The Kwid does reek of cost-cutting at certain places in the cabin.