Buy Or Hold: Wait For New Hyundai i20 Or Go For Its Rivals?

Update (05/11/2020):Hyundai has launched the third-gen i20 with prices beginning from Rs 6.79 lakh (ex-showroom). Read more about it here.

Hyundai’s i20 moniker has upheld its reputation quite well over the past decade and the third-gen model seems ready to bolster that further. Unofficial bookings at some dealerships have already started but should one really go ahead and reserve one? Or is it better to go for one of the readily available options?

All prices are ex-showroom Delhi

Maruti Baleno: BUY for Maruti’s expansive service net, generous space efficient petrol engine

The Maruti Baleno has been a long-standing name in the list of India’s best-selling cars since it was introduced here in late 2015. It gets a decent list of features, acceptably premium cabin, frugal petrol engines and the most accessible CVT automatic (Delta CVT: Rs 7.76 lakh) in the segment, making it a no-nonsense pick for thousands of buyers every month. What’s more, it is backed by Maruti’s expansive service network and given that the parts are shared with several Maruti siblings, it’s likely to be easier to maintain. However, this widespread popularity also makes it a dull choice.

Honda Jazz: BUY for spacious cabin, Honda’s badge value and a feature-rich cabin packing a sunroof too!

Honda only recently gave a fresh lease of life to its spacious hatchback, the Jazz, with a BS6-compliant petrol engine, new features and updated variant list. While several offerings in the list offer touchscreens, LED lighting, auto climate control and push-button start/stop, the Jazz is the only one with a sunroof on offer as of now. But the trump card on the Honda Jazz continues to be its spacious cabin which offers good room for passengers of generous proportions.

Toyota Glanza: BUY for a well-established package, Toyota’s after-sales experience and extra warranty

It’s common knowledge that the Glanza is essentially a badge-engineered Baleno. Adding to the Baleno’s strengths, it offers Toyota’s service support and additional warranty of 3 year/1 lakh km against 2 year/40,000km offered on the Baleno. That said, the entry pricing of the Glanza will be slightly steeper than the Maruti because the Glanza’s base G variant is better equipped and based on the Baleno’s one-below-top Zeta.

Volkswagen Polo: BUY for classy European looks, powerful turbo-petrol engine and driving manners

The Polo has remained unchanged for a decade now but that hasn’t hurt its reputation much as it continues to be popular among enthusiasts looking for a timeless design with great driving dynamics. Yes, it currently has the smallest 1.0-litre petrol engine but in its turbocharged form, it’s quite a handful in terms of performance. It has also dropped the 7-speed DSG in favour of a 6-speed torque converter but there’s still loads of fun to be had in this VW as our review will reveal.

Tata Altroz: BUY for striking looks, diesel engine 5-star crash test safety score

There’s no denying that the Tata Altroz is easily the best-looking specimen in the segment as of now, and also the newest. It also has some substance to justify its purchase. Apart from the features that are on par with the rivals, you get a quality cabin with space in abundance, a 5-star score in Global NCAP crash tests and the only (1.5-litre) diesel option in its class for now. That said, you’ll have to wait a bit more if an automatic is what you seek as Tata is yet to offer one on the Altroz. It will also get a more powerful turbo petrol engine in the coming months.

New Hyundai i20: WAIT for European design, multiple mechanical options and oodles of features

The upcoming i20 looks like the most cutting edge offering in the segment and it’s going to back that up with a host of choices for the powertrain, drivetrain and features. It will be borrowing the Venue’s entire engine range, allowing you to pick from a 1.5-litre diesel, 1.2-litre petrol and 1.0-litre turbo-petrol. The transmission choices will include a 7-speed DCT and 6-speed iMT(clutchless manual) with the turbo petrol and a manual as standard with the remaining engines. A similar buffet of features will be laid out that will include a 10.25-inch touchscreen, semi-digital instrument cluster and a sunroof. The prices of the third-gen i20 are likely to start at Rs 6 lakh and could go up till Rs 10 lakh for the DCT automatic.

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