The launch of the first gen I20 in India gave name to a new segment in Indian car Industry, the premium compact hatchbacks segment. And since then the love for the premium hatchbacks has only grown. It is also one of most up to date and happening segment of the Indian market. With almost every manufacturer keeping an eye on this segment, it has given the Indian buyers some amazing products. Today, if you plan on buying a premium hatchback, you’ll most probably face a lot of confusion between these 3 cars: Hyundai I20, Maruti Suzuki Baleno and the Tata Altroz. Now let’s talk about which one these actually deserves to be the king of the segment.
MS Baleno/Toyota Glanza
One of the highest selling cars in the market is the MS Baleno which in terms of sales figure of this month was just second to the Swift. Also the Baleno is the oldest in this competition though it received a facelift almost 2 years back. Powered by a 1.2 litre petrol engine which produces 82 horses is at par with its competition. The 1.2 litre unit is a very refined, rev happy engine which won’t give you a frown when you press the accelerator but won’t make you rush with adrenaline either. The steering is light at low speed for easy manoeuvre and does fairly good at high speeds too. The Baleno is offered with a 5 speed manual or 4 speed automatic. The suspension of the Baleno is finely tuned and suits the city drive quite well. While going over bumps, the suspension does feel a little stiff. Overall in terms of drivability, the Baleno does not leave you with anything to complain.
Switching to the interiors, the chances of you getting disappointed increase a lot here. The interior of the Baleno have clearly started to show its age and is in dire need of an update considering the competition has taken the interior game to the another level. You get all the necessary kit like push button start, a 7 inch touchscreen unit, climate control, coloured TFT multi information display etc. The Baleno doesn’t offer any first in class features. The plastic quality of the interior is not the very best either but just does the job. Maruti Suzuki should definitely give the Baleno is refreshment in terms of features since there is no news of a new gen Baleno.
Although its backseat is something that really impresses. Its very spacious and can fit 3 in the back. It is also offered with leather seats in the top most Alpha trim. The baleno has got a impressive spacious boot at 339 litres. The Baleno is offered with only 2 airbags even in the topmost trim, also considering the build quality, Baleno disappoints big time when it comes to safety. But what the Baleno does offer is Value for Money. And of course its the easiest to maintain as its a MS product. Starting at 5.96 lakhs and at 9.25 lakhs for the top model, The Baleno is still a no brainer for many.
Tata Altroz
Tata’s first ever product in this segment is the Altroz. And it offers a lot to impress you. First let’s talk about its styling. The Altroz is easily a winner for me when it comes to appearance. It has a very sharp character with lines running all over its body. The Altroz undeniably looks very aggressive and pulsating.
The Altroz comes with two engine options, a 1.2 litre naturally aspirated petrol engine and 1.5 litre diesel engine. Sadly, there is no automatic gear box on offer only a 5 speed manual transmission. The Altroz’s engine has its fair share of problems. The engine of the Altroz isn’t as refined as its competitors. Vibrations can be felt in the first gear. Torque is lagging in the low rev range but the Altroz picks up as you increase the gears. The Altroz feels punchy and eager as you reach speeds upto 60km/h and more. Where the Altroz stand out is it the driving dynamics. The feedback from steering is at point. The steering makes you feel very connected to the car, it is light at low speed and gain weight at high speeds . Also what’s remarkable is the suspension set up. The suspensions absorb potholes and uneven roads seamlessly. The suspension is by far the best in the segment.
The Altroz impresses you as soon as you get inside it. The interior is very well put together, the quality of the plastics and the fit and finish is more than satisfactory. The feature is list of the Altroz is very long. Some of the stand out features are cruise control, 7 inch digital instrument cluster, Harman Kardon music system, ambient lighting, wearable keyband, 2 driving modes(city and eco), auto folding ORVMs. Stands tall on the centre console is a 7 inch touchscreen unit which you might feel could’ve been bigger and more responsive but it works well overall. The single colour mood lighting does uplift the ambience of the cabin significantly.
For back seat occupants there is enough knee room and leg room though fitting 3 adults in the back will be a task. The Altroz has got doors which can be opened upto 90° which makes ingress and egress extremely easy. It has got the biggest boot in the segment at 345 litres. Talk about safety and Tata Altroz outshines with its 5 star safety rating making it one of the safest Indian cars out there. Where Tata could’ve done better is with the engine by giving it more refinement and power. Still, the engine isn’t something that you can’t easily live with. All in all the Tata Altroz is a very compelling product with its sharp design, feature list, build quality, suspension and handling. The Altroz starts at 5.95 lakhs and goes all the way upto 9.45 lakhs.
Hyundai I20
The latest entrant in the segment is the new gen Hyundai I20. The I20 has been always been in the good books since its first launch in 2008. With the bold stying, refined engine and up to date interiors, it has never been a controversial choice for the Indian consumers. Hyundai has tried to up the their game by introducing the all the new I20.
The I20 is offered with 2 engine options for petrol, a 1.2 litre naturally aspirate engine producing 82 hp and a 1.0 litre turbo engine producing 120 hp. For diesel, it is offered with 1.5 litre naturally aspirated engine producing 99 hp. The gearbox options that come with the i20 are plentiful. There is just little you can complain with I20’s engine. The engine of the I20 is the most refined in the segment. You get enough power even in the low torque band. Though you might feel the need of more power as you cross speeds above 80 km/h. The suspension of the i20 is on the stiffer side which can easily be felt while going through harsh road conditions but it does absorb small potholes without any hassle. While cruising, the car feels planted and secure. In general, the I20 is very smooth to drive and doesn’t leave you with any complaints. The I20 easily turns out at the top when it comes to driving pleasure in this list.
Now, where the I20 really impresses is with its feature lists and interior. The I20 has a bigger feature list than even most of the cars above its segments. Features like a 10.25 inch touchscreen, sunroof, fully digital instrument cluster, air purifier, 7 speaker Bose sound system, cruise control and ambient lighting really enhance your driving pleasure and put a smile on your face. The colour scheme of the interior is all black which does make the car feel less spacious. Although I do feel that that the layout of the interior could’ve been better and Hyundai could’ve used better materials in its cabin considering its price. The climate control feels a little weird if you think about it. The plastic quality of the I20 is at par with its rivals and does the work.
The I20 is the biggest in its segment in terms of width and wheelbase and it clearly as you sit in the backseat. It has got acres of knee room and leg room, the seats also offer good thigh support. I20 clearly wins over its competitors when it comes to backseat comfort. Disappointing is the boot space which is the smallest in the segment at285 litres. The I20 is offered with 2 airbags as standard and top variant gets 6 airbags which puts it right in between the Baleno and Altroz in terms of safety. The dealbreaker is the price of the I20. It wouldn’t be wrong to call the I20 overpriced. With the base model Magna starting 6.85 lakhs for the 1.2 litre engine, the I20 comes out as the priciest in the segment. And for top models prices crossing 13 lakhs is just not acceptable in the Indian market. The top Asta variant(1.2 litre engine) costs 9.25 lakhs which is way too much even considering the features it has to offer. Keeping this aside, I20 comes out on top in this comparison with its refined engine and loads of features and gets the crown for being the King of this segment.
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The CarGuy 