[.anshuman]

Originally Posted by frequentflyer

I think the 160 mm GC of the Jazz is a concern, in the Swift it is 170 mm. But the Jazz interiors and finish puts it ahead of Swift. On Highways the Jazz should be okay, the problem could be in smaller village roads due to the 160 mm GC. Of course the Fabia has even less at 158 or so. Polo is a longer car, but with lesser leg room at the back and a smaller boot, and its 1.6 option is more expensive.

^^ Paper spec GC is not always the true indicator of whether the car will scrape or not, Punto at 173mm GC scrapes where Swift at 170mm or Laura at 164mm does not. Even BMW says X1 has 193mm GC but a look at front bumper and underbody tells us a different story, compare it to Mahindra Scorpio which is claimed to have 180mm(or 185??).

[shamanth]

Originally Posted by Nimz

the service intervals for the Jazz are like every 3 or 6 months.. whereas for the Polo its every year.. I would not like to keep going to the service center every 3 months!

The company recommended Service interval is 6 months or 5,000 kms for all Honda Cars. And service charges are between Rs 1500 to Rs 2000 if you put mineral Oil. Some greedy Service centers tell to come every 3 months, so that they can mint money. All they do in 3 months service is water wash and general service. So if you don't fall into this bluff its 6 months and 5000 kms. One i complained to Honda customer care, now they promptly call me for only 6 months service.

[oxyzen]

Originally Posted by EagleEye

Agree that these are great cars though - though swift vdi should really come with a music player!

Man you are so right. But then Maruti can sell you the OEM music system at an additional price. Cunning marketing.

Originally Posted by the_trooper

All other factors aside, which of these hatches are actual drivers cars?

1) For me it is the Punto 1.4.
2) The Swift is good for sure.
3) So is the Polo 1.6 but it still does not feel like a 1.6.
4) The Figo but only in the Diesel avatar with a tuning box.

And that is it.

[frequentflyer]

Tested polo 1.6 and Jazz and the Honda City. The Polo is a 'standard car' that cannot be compared to other 1.6 cars. It is in the Highline variant, but does not feel that way. The Jazz is a beautifully designed car with a little lower GC (like the CITY) and a little short on power if you are accustomed to a 1.6L car (like I am). However the City is a great drive, though I am not keen on lugging around huge boots of 500 litres that are empty 90% of the time. The extra 2 lakhs or more one pays for the City is purely for the power. The question is whether this additional cost is justified. The Jazz is in the Swift segment and the Swift manages quite well on Highways and city roads as well. So, it would seem, the Jazz is the better cost effective buy.

[nurni76]

Originally Posted by .anshuman

^^ Paper spec GC is not always the true indicator of whether the car will scrape or not, Punto at 173mm GC scrapes where Swift at 170mm or Laura at 164mm does not. Even BMW says X1 has 193mm GC but a look at front bumper and underbody tells us a different story, compare it to Mahindra Scorpio which is claimed to have 180mm(or 185??).

Yes true, but Jazz at 160 mm GC will definitely scrape and I can tell this from my experience.

Originally Posted by the_trooper

All other factors aside, which of these hatches are actual drivers cars? (excellent steering feedback, good brakes, etc)

IMHO, the ANSS is the best drivers car (diesel). The improved handling and fantastic steering make it the best among current hatches.

Punto is a great handling car but its anemic engine is no fun to drive

[Frontosa]

Guys why is Polo 1.6 the only Polo discussed? Polo 1.2 Highline and polo tdi 1.2 high line both have enough in them to give run to other cars listed, in many ways. I guess none of the polo owners are watching this thread?

[the_trooper]

Originally Posted by oxyzen

Man you are so right. But then Maruti can sell you the OEM music system at an additional price. Cunning marketing.



1) For me it is the Punto 1.4.
2) The Swift is good for sure.
3) So is the Polo 1.6 but it still does not feel like a 1.6.
4) The Figo but only in the Diesel avatar with a tuning box.

And that is it.

No.1 is Punto 1.4? Thats interesting.

How does the Polo 1.6 steering feedback compare to the Figo's?

[suhaas307]

Originally Posted by Frontosa

Guys why is Polo 1.6 the only Polo discussed? Polo 1.2 Highline and polo tdi 1.2 high line both have enough in them to give run to other cars listed, in many ways. I guess none of the polo owners are watching this thread?

Lack of adequate features, a wheezy 3-pot engine that lacks refinement and punch, uninspiring interiors and a relatively high price-tag keeps the Polo at bay, I presume. That engine, specifically, isn't what I'd expect in a 'premium', hatchback.

[volkman10]

Originally Posted by nurni76

Yes true, but Jazz at 160 mm GC will definitely scrape and I can tell this from my experience.

This is bad news, would TD it this weekend anyhow and if it does happen as you say would rule the Jazz off!

Cheers!

[Frontosa]

Originally Posted by suhaas307

Lack of adequate features, a wheezy 3-pot engine that lacks refinement and punch, uninspiring interiors and a relatively high price-tag keeps the Polo at bay, I presume. That engine, specifically, isn't what I'd expect in a 'premium', hatchback.

Have you owned or driven the Polo? If you say it lacks features - to what are you comparing and which features ? USB, aux, Bluetooth?
And lacks punch?
And uninspiring interiors?

I didn't comment on keeping any other cars out of bay, I simply mentioned adding These 2.

Of course if the thread owners feel that Polo is a non-premium car compared to swift, I-siblings, beat, micra, FIGO, liva, --- wow, I have nothing more to say. Please don't mention this at-least on T-bhp.

[akhilesh]

Originally Posted by nurni76

IMHO, the ANSS is the best drivers car (diesel). The improved handling and fantastic steering make it the best among current hatches.

Punto is a great handling car but its anemic engine is no fun to drive.

Says who??? You? I am sorry. The newer one does 0-100 kph in somewhere around 14.xx seconds according to some reviews so its not fast as well. Punto 90hp is almost as fast, ride and handles better, costs the same after discounts, has more features and is built better.

The diesel has tough competition while the petrol is beaten hollow by the Honda Jazz.

You can go on every thread that discusses Swift and proclaims its the best hatch around but its not going to help. Its only making you sound like a fanboy.

[oxyzen]

Originally Posted by the_trooper

No.1 is Punto 1.4? Thats interesting.

How does the Polo 1.6 steering feedback compare to the Figo's?

I admit the 1.4 does not have excess grunt but does the job. But I love the way the car handles. The exhaust note is addictive. But would I buy it? No.
The interior quality is a letdown. Frequent niggles are common to fiat. And the A.S.S is a pain.

Polo's steering feedback is nothing to write home about. However it is not a deal breaker. It is quick direct and agile. The Figo on the other hand provides better feedback and is comparatively more direct and feels more agile (may be due to low stance).

Bottomline: Figo is better anyday.

But in the handling department Polo is as good as Figo. But I am a bit biased on the Figo's Low stance. So it is Figo again.

[suhaas307]

Originally Posted by Frontosa

Have you owned or driven the Polo? If you say it lacks features - to what are you comparing and which features ? USB, aux, Bluetooth?
And lacks punch?
And uninspiring interiors?

I didn't comment on keeping any other cars out of bay, I simply mentioned adding These 2.

Of course if the thread owners feel that Polo is a non-premium car compared to swift, I-siblings, beat, micra, FIGO, liva, --- wow, I have nothing more to say. Please don't mention this at-least on T-bhp.

I don't own a Polo and have never, although I would like to. It's a fabulous car. I've driven it, yes.

The engine is definitely a let down, and probably the only reason why the 1.2 siblings have been left out of this comparo. The Polo, otherwise, is and always will be more premium than most other cars, due to its fabulous build-quality, fit and finish.

The lack of features, especially when compared to the cheaper i10, doesn't help its case either.

But I'd still say it's because of the 1.2 motors.

Let me put it this way. the Polo is a premium hatchback. As premium as premium hatchbacks can get in India. However, small engines and some missing, deal-breaking features are the reasons why it may not be considered premium.

In the same breath, I'd like to say that the i10 isn't really premium either. It's a small, entry-level hatch loaded with good features and equipment that you wouldn't find on some cars that are even 10-15 lakhs.

[ghostrider]

Originally Posted by RavenAvi

Added the Vista and the Figo, though I don't consider them in the premium category. Premium - fit & finish top class, quality excellent, good driveability and road manners, AND features on offer.

If features offered is the only guideline for premium, then why do we consider the VW Polo as a premium hatch with it's glaring lack of features?

I tend to go by what GTO's definition of premium means -

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/hatchb...tchback-4.html

+1 when it comes to interpreting 'Premium'. To me, the Vista doesn't fit the bill. The exclusions to this thread would be the Indica (and all it's variants), the Santro, the Wagon-R, the Zen Estilo, and the Alto.

When it comes to cars, quality can't be judged by parroting figures from a magazine or brochure. It's something that you can only sample or distinguish by sitting in or driving the cars. Small touches like panel gaps, paint finish, whether the dash has soft-touch plastics, how well damped the switchgear is, whether the paneling on the doors is well styled, and of course, NVH levels... all these things contribute to how expensive or 'premium' a car feels. A bigger factor is the design... if something is contemporary, it provides more of a premium feel than something with outdated styling.

This is why the Logan and the Etios wouldn't classify in the sedan category as premium, but the City, the (new) Verna, the Vento, etc do.

The inevitable arguments have begun - some folks claim that certain cars match this description while others don't because of XYZ reasons.

Each one of these cars has it's own drawbacks, but they clearly distinguish themselves from the Zens, Santros, Altos, and their ilk.

I think we should recall the original objective of this thread.

[Frontosa]

Originally Posted by suhaas307

I don't own a Polo and have never, although I would like to. It's a fabulous car. I've driven it, yes.

The engine is definitely a let down, and probably the only reason why the 1.2 siblings have been left out of this comparo. The Polo, otherwise, is and always will be more premium than most other cars, due to its fabulous build-quality, fit and finish.

The lack of features, especially when compared to the cheaper i10, doesn't help its case either.

But I'd still say it's because of the 1.2 motors.

Let me put it this way. the Polo is a premium hatchback. As premium as premium hatchbacks can get in India. However, small engines and some missing, deal-breaking features are the reasons why it may not be considered premium.

In the same breath, I'd like to say that the i10 isn't really premium either. It's a small, entry-level hatch loaded with good features and equipment that you wouldn't find on some cars that are even 10-15 lakhs.

So you agree that polo is premium, I'd be highly surprised if anyone says it's not. Buddy why are the other 1.2 liter engines in the comparo? I20, jazz, and so many others are 1.2 or less. 3 pot motor doesn't make the car less punchy. Anyway, it's upto the owners of the thread whether to include or not.

Now just out of curiosity, what are those deal breaking features?