New Tata Bolt: How it stands in its segment

Tata has launched its new Bolt hatchback in India starting at Rs 4.44 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi) for the base petrol variant, while the diesel variants start at Rs 5.49 lakh. The Bolt is available in four trims – XE, XM, XMS and XT. Here's how it looks on paper against its main segment rivals – the Hyundai Grand i10, the Maruti Swift, the Toyota Etios Liva and the Volkswagen Polo. 

 

 

All five hatchbacks are available in both petrol and diesel guise. Except for the Grand i10 – which has a four-speed automatic gearbox on offer along with a five-speed manual – transmission duties are handled by five-speed manual gearboxes on both petrol and diesel versions of all contenders. 

 

The new Tata Bolt petrol makes the maximum power among its segment rivals, although the difference over the Maruti Swift and Grand i10 are only marginal. The Liva and the Polo have significantly less horses – 10 and 15bhp respectively – on tap. When it comes to the diesels, the Bolt churns out as much power as the Swift which uses the same engine and is only slightly more powerful than the Grand i10 and Toyota Etios Liva. The VW Polo is the one with maximum power here.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

While the Polo is the longest overall among the lot, the Bolt has the longest wheelbase, though only by a margin. The Tata is also among the wider of the contenders here along with being the tallest. So while the numbers imply that the new Tata offers the most real estate on the inside in terms of legroom, it is also the one with the maximum headroom.

 

 

 

The Tata Bolt base petrol variant, priced at Rs 4.44 lakh, undercuts the most affordable among its rivals, the Maruti Swift at Rs 4.58 lakh. The range-topping petrol model is the second most affordable top-spec car after the Hyundai Grand i10 at Rs 5.48 lakh. 

 

With the diesel variants, the entry-level Bolt will cost you the same as the lowest priced rival, the Grand i10, at Rs 5.49 lakh. The top diesel Bolt is again more expensive than only the top trim of the Hyundai. 

 

One must bear in mind though that the Bolt has been launched with introductory prices and Tata is likely to change these soon.

 

So, this is how the new Tata Bolt stacks up against its main segment rivals on paper. To learn more about what the new Bolt is like from behind the wheel, read our review here.

 

 

 

(all prices, ex-showroom Delhi)