Hyundai Grand i10 vs Suzuki Swift

A proper head-to-head in South Africa — we cover price, performance, petrol economy, safety and what it'll actually cost you to own each one long term.

Hyundai Grand i10 in South Africa

Hyundai Grand i10

1.2 Fluid Petrol Manual
ZAR 242,900 ex-showroom
⚡ 61 kW 🔧 114 Nm ⛽ 16.5 km/l
VS
Suzuki Swift in South Africa

Suzuki Swift

1.2 GLX CVT Petrol Automatic
ZAR 296,900 ex-showroom
⚡ 60 kW 🔧 112 Nm ⛽ 20.0 km/l
Add a 3rd car

At a Glance — Who Wins What

Performance Tie
Fuel Economy Tie
🛡 Safety Tie
📦 Practicality Tie
🔑 Ownership Tie
Grand i10 starts ZAR 228900 cheaper Grand i10 from ZAR 218,900 · Swift from ZAR 228,900

Key Specs Side by Side

The specs that matter most — highlighted where one car leads.

Spec Grand i10 Swift
Engine Power 61 60
Torque 114 112
Engine Size 1197 1197
Claimed Mileage 16.5 20.0
Ground Clearance 170 145
Boot Space 235 265
Airbags 6 6
Kerb Weight 975 975
Seating Capacity 5 Available
Warranty 5 5

= leads in this spec

The Overall Score — Here's How They Stack Up

🏆 Winner
#1

Grand i10

52
/ 100
+0
pts
#2

Swift

52
/ 100

Very close match. Final decision depends on buyer preference.

The Bottom Line

Both Grand i10 and Swift are extremely closely matched, making the final choice dependent on buyer preference.

Where They Actually Differ

Performance Equal
Efficiency Equal
Safety Equal
Practicality Equal
Ownership Equal

Score Breakdown by Category

🏆 Overall Winner

Grand i10

Performance 5/20
Efficiency 0/20
Safety 18/20
Practicality 9/20
Ownership 20/20

Swift

Performance 5/20
Efficiency 0/20
Safety 18/20
Practicality 9/20
Ownership 20/20

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

🏆 Overall Winner

Grand i10

Strengths
  • Nothing stands out clearly here.
Weak Spots
  • No obvious weak spots to flag.
Best suited to: General Use

Swift

Strengths
  • Nothing stands out clearly here.
Weak Spots
  • No obvious weak spots to flag.
Best suited to: General Use

Which One's Right for You?

Grand i10

  • Buyers looking for a balanced all-round vehicle

Swift

  • Buyers looking for a balanced all-round vehicle

Full Specs, Side by Side

Spec Grand i10 Swift
Length 3665 3890
Width 1660 1735
Height 1520 1495
Wheelbase 2385 2450
Ground Clearance 170 145
Kerb Weight 975 975
Seating Capacity 5 5
Boot Space 235 265
Rear Track Width 1420 mm 1480
Gross Vehicle Weight 1410 1380
Front Track Width 1435 mm 1480
Turning Radius 4.9 m 4.8
Towing Capacity 300 kg (Unbraked) 0
Load Bed Length Not Applicable 0
Load Bed Width Not Applicable 0
Doors 5 Available
Seats 5 Available
Front Legroom Available 1032
Rear Legroom Available 890
Front Headroom Available 975
Rear Headroom Available 967
Front Shoulder Room Available 1370
Rear Shoulder Room Available 1345
Boot Space Seats Folded Available 579
Number of Doors Available 5
Max Payload Available 425
Boot Volume Available Available
Front Overhang Available Available
Fuel Tank Capacity Available Available
Rear Overhang Available Available
Spec Grand i10 Swift
Engine 1.2 MPI DOHC 1.2L Z12E 3-Cylinder Petrol
Engine Type Petrol Inline 3 Cylinder Naturally Aspirated
Displacement 1197 1197
Cylinders 4 3
Power 61 60
Torque 114 112
Fuel System Multi-Point Fuel Injection Multi-Point Fuel Injection (MPFI)
Turbocharger No Not Applicable
Top Speed 171 160
0-100 km/h 12.8 12.5
Power @ RPM 6300 5,700 rpm
Torque @ RPM 4200 4,300 rpm
Valves per Cylinder 12 4
Compression Ratio 10.5:1 12.0:1
Engine Position Front Transverse Front-Mounted
Fuel Grade Required Petrol 93 RON Unleaded Petrol
Engine Aspiration Naturally Aspirated Naturally Aspirated
Engine Type Config Inline Available
Variable Valve Timing Yes Dual VVT on Intake and Exhaust
Cylinder Bore Available 73.0
Piston Stroke Available 95.5
Engine Code Available Z12E
Engine Oil Capacity Available 3.1
Power 150 80
Cylinder Layout Available Inline 3 (I3)
Maximum Engine RPM Available 6500
0–100 km/h Available Available
Battery Capacity Available Available
Charging Port Available Available
AC Charging Time Available Available
Engine Displacement Available Available
EV Range Available Available

So, Which One Should You Buy?

🏆 Hyundai Grand i10 wins with 52 pts vs 52 pts for Swift

In structured scoring, Grand i10 emerges as the stronger overall package. However, Swift may appeal to buyers prioritising different factors. Ultimately, the right choice depends on your driving priorities in South Africa.

Buyers Also Looked At These

Other comparisons that people in the same boat tend to check out.

Questions Buyers Usually Ask

On our scoring the Grand i10 edges ahead overall. That said, the right choice depends on what you actually use the car for — the breakdown above shows exactly where each one wins and loses.

Efficiency scores: Grand i10 0 vs Swift 0. In the real world, diesel variants of either car will beat the claimed figure on long highways and fall short in Joburg traffic.

Safety scores: Grand i10 18, Swift 18. Check each model page for NCAP ratings and which trim levels include AEB and blind-spot monitoring — those features aren't always standard.

Long-term ownership scores: Grand i10 20, Swift 20. Service intervals, parts availability in SA, and whether a service plan is bundled all factor in — check the individual variant specs for that detail.

Practicality scores: Grand i10 9, Swift 9. This covers boot space, seat flexibility, and day-to-day usability — not just interior dimensions on paper.

Performance scores: Grand i10 5, Swift 5. This looks at real-world pace — 0–100 kph, highway flexibility, and how either car feels when you actually need to overtake on an N-road.

Resale varies with colour, spec, and market timing, but Japanese brands — and Toyota specifically — have a strong track record in SA. Check current used prices for both on AutoTrader to see the real gap right now.

Ground clearance and 4WD availability are what matter most here. Scroll to the spec table above to compare both side by side — if either model offers a 4WD variant, that's the version worth comparing.

Fuel, insurance, and service costs are the big three. Diesel variants of both models typically save R800–R1,500/month in fuel at current SA pump prices. The Grand i10 edges the overall ownership score, but check whether either variant includes a service plan — that changes the monthly maths significantly.

The Grand i10 scores better overall, but neither car is a bad buy here. It comes down to what features matter to you — check the full spec table above to see exactly what you gain and lose at each price point.

In Depth — Breaking It All Down

The comparison between Grand i10 and Swift in South Africa evaluates performance, efficiency, safety, practicality and long-term ownership value.

Performance: Grand i10 scores 5 vs 5.

Efficiency: Grand i10 scores 0 vs 0.

Safety: Grand i10 scores 18 vs 18.

Practicality: Grand i10 scores 9 vs 9.

Ownership: Grand i10 scores 20 vs 20.

Final structured scoring gives Grand i10 the advantage in this comparison.