[S2!!!]

Hyundai Elite i20

What you'll like:

• All-rounded package in a sharp design. Improved over the 1st-gen i20 in nearly every way
• Spacious interiors with outstanding quality, fit and finish. Practical 285 liter boot too
• 1.4L diesel has excellent driveability, refinement, performance & fuel economy. 6-speed gearbox is smooth
• Mature suspension offers a comfortable ride and neutral handling characteristics
• Hyundai's fuss-free ownership experience & excellent after-sales service
• Loaded with features & gizmos (16" rims, keyless entry & go, 8-speaker stereo, rake & reach steering, rear air-con, reversing cam, cooled glovebox and lots more)

What you won't:

• Missing equipment vis a vis old i20: Rear disc brakes, side & curtain airbags, sunroof, auto-wipers & DRLs
• 1.2L petrol is nowhere as impressive as the diesel. Mediocre highway performance for a premium hatchback
• Anyone over 5'11" will find rear headroom to be insufficient. Sloping roof eats into cabin height at the back
• Dynamics & steering aren't to an enthusiast's tastes. Swift, Polo etc. are more fun to drive
• On-road price difference between the petrol & diesel is ~1.3 lakhs. That's higher than the competition
• Rear wiper only on the top Asta trim! No fuel-efficiency indicator, auto-locking doors or height-adjustable seatbelts on any variant

Link to Official Review

Maruti Swift

What you’ll like:

• Snazzy styling packs appeal. Interiors are well-designed too
• Competent engine range. Very refined motors
• Balanced ride and handling. Superbly tuned suspension
• Terrific fuel efficiency, especially from the diesel
• Effortless to drive in the city; lots of fun on the highway
• Maruti’s excellent after-sales service & wide dealer network

What you won’t:

• Small, impractical boot. Luggage capacity is severely restricted
• Mediocre brakes (LXi / LDi & VXi / VDi). Inadequate for emergency braking conditions
• Looks nearly identical to the outgoing generation car
• Rear seat space, though improved, still isn't "spacious"
• Pricey ZXi / ZDi variants. Also, ABS no longer an option on the middle “V” variants

Link to Official Review

Volkswagen Polo

What you'll like:

• A well-built solid European hatchback
• Clean and contemporary styling. Absolutely no quirkiness
• Mature suspension offers a balanced ride & handling package
• Dual airbags even in the base variants!
• Accommodating 280 liter boot

What you won't:

• Commuter 3-cylinder petrol engine
• Mediocre rear bench legroom and a large floor hump
• Missing essentials (driver armrest of the Vento, 60:40 splitting rear seat, dead pedal, seatback pockets)
• VW's sub-par dealership & service experiences

Link to Official Review

Toyota Etios Liva

What you'll like:

• A neutral family hatchback with the "T" badge
• Spacious interiors can easily carry 5 adults
• Super light controls, especially steering & short-throw clutch. Effortless to drive within the city
• Well-tuned suspension. Safe handling and flat ride
• Safety package (Airbags, ABS & EBD) optional on middle variant too
• Toyota’s fuss-free ownership experience & excellent after-sales

What you won't:

• 1.2L engine lacks bottom end; isn't a class-topper like the Etios 1.5 (from which it is derived)
• Cost-cutting glaringly obvious in many areas
• Economy-grade interior quality & unconventional dashboard
• Missing equipment (climate control, height adjustable driver's seat etc.)
• Poor insulation. Engine, suspension & road noise are prominent

Link to Official Review

Fiat Punto Evo

What you'll like:

• Stunning design & styling
• Solid build quality
• Fuel efficient diesel
• Mature & superb ride quality
• Outstanding high speed dynamics. A benchmark amongst hatches
• Perfectly calibrated & weighted power steering. Deserves a mention here
• 5 star safety

What you won't:

• Rear bench space. Cosy interiors by big hatch standards. Not an Indica Vista
• Interior fit, finish and quality are strictly average
• Low FE of the petrol
• Lack of outright performance (diesel). No high powered engine (a la Palio 1.6 100 BHP)
• Engine noise at speed (petrol and diesel both)
• Service network not a match of say, Maruti or Hyundai

Link to Official Review

Chevrolet Sail U-VA

What you’ll like:

• A well-rounded family hatchback
• Superbly tuned 1.3L diesel powerplant. Short-throw gearbox is a pleasure to use
• Spacious interiors. Rear legroom betters some sedans
• Excellent ride quality mated to neutral road manners
• Ideal for city driving : High seating position with a light steering, clutch and gearshift

What you won’t:

• Dated & unappealing styling
• Missing features (No climate control, MID, steering-mounted audio controls, seat height adjustment)
• Sensitive steering at high speed. Needs a steady hand on the expressway
• Some quirky interior bits : Push / pull type door locks, centrally-placed window switches etc.

Link to Official Review

Tata Vista

What you’ll like:

• Efficient diesel engine
• Offers great value for money
• New interiors look and feel much better in terms of overall quality
• Improved gearbox, light clutch and light steering make for effortless city driving
• Spacious interiors. Roomiest in the segment; beats some sedans from 2 segments up
• Absorbent, comfortable ride quality

What you won’t:

• Fit and finish need improvement. Exterior panel gaps are inconsistent too
• Soft suspension setup. Best driven sedately
• Is getting long in the tooth
• Niggling issues & irritants persist (as reported by existing Vista owners)
• Tata’s after-sales-service remains a gamble

Link to Official Review

[GTO]

Thread moved from the Assembly Line to the Hatchbacks Section. Thanks for sharing!

[deetjohn]

The Polo GTs or the Swift Zs. I think I will be happy with either. If the Polo had a steering like the Swift, then I wouldn't be sitting on the fence with this one. Unless, Ford launch the new Fiesta hatch here.

Please Ford, please.

[sumathindra]

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[ramzsys]

Originally Posted by deetjohn

Unless, Ford launch the new Fiesta hatch here.

Please Ford, please.

Hasn't ford already launched it ?

IIRC it is christened Ecosport.

[arnabchak]

Swift for the sheer driving feel and the adrenaline rush!!
I also like its looks and the interiors are ages ahead of the earlier generation.

On top of that, we have the legendary MSIL ASC experience and reach.

[nakul0888]

VW polo 1.5 tdi vs Hyundai elite i20.
This has got to be the biggest challenge that anybody looking to buy a premium hatch right now.

The Polo has at last finally got an engine it very well deserved. Its got enough equipments on offer now as well. Dynamically its better than the i20 by a fair margin.
Styling is a subjective issue, but the new Polo is a class act and is still the best looking hatch.
But service and after sales support still remains a big question mark

The I20 has at last received a decent suspension setup though not as accomplished as the Polo. It looks modern and crisp. Engine wise I expect both of these to be on par with the I20 having better NVH levels. And it has got more equipment than the polo. A.S.S and service is miles more reputed.
But still it doesn't tug at the heart like the VW and as said it isn't that great to drive.

Pick your choice people.

[deetjohn]

Originally Posted by ramzsys

Hasn't ford already launched it ?

IIRC it is christened Ecosport.

Err no! Both are so so different. Starting with that lovely steering, body hugging seats, the way you sit 'in' the car, a sense of balance, the way it eats through corners. Oh! I could just go on and on.

PS: This assuming the hatch is more or less like the sedan to drive. I have driven only the sedan. And nothing against the EcoSport, its just is a car with different set of priorities.

[extreme_torque]

It will be tough between the new Polo 1.5 and the Punto Evo 90 hp. Have voted for the Polo primarily because of the quality inside out.

[nakul0888]

Originally Posted by deetjohn

Err no! Both are so so different. Starting with that lovely steering, body hugging seats, the way you sit 'in' the car, a sense of balance, the way it eats through corners. Oh! I could just go on and on.

Yeah, what Ford has done here is take an extremely good fiesta hatchback and then ruin it by trying to make it a Duster rival.

No offense to ecosport owners, but however great their ecosport drives the normal fiesta hatchback is in a class of its own. Shame ford didn't release it here.

The only plus point of the ecosport as far as I can make out is that its increased ground clearance is a boon on our pothholed roads and maybe the bigger boot.

It is a fact that while the fiesta hatchback has received nothing but praises all over the world, the ecosport has been nothing but average.

[fiat_tarun]

Well, as an enthusiast it's definitely between the Swift, the Punto & the Polo and I'd even include the Figo here although it isn't very premium, but satisfying nevertheless. My vote goes for the new Polo with that great new engine and solid build, although if I really was putting my money down, the maintenance costs for the VW is definitely something that will be a deterrent.

The Punto doesn't need a bigger engine, it just needs a good gearbox and that's the downer in an otherwise good package.

The Swift is just too common and doesn't feel as well built as the other 2 here. The Zdi trim with the essential safety kit is quite overpriced as well.

The Figo still makes for a good buy at the price it sells at and the replacement next year should spice things up a little, although I'm not too sure it will retain the DNA of the current Fiesta chassis.

[vinjosep]

My vote is for the new i20 CRDI. And I have booked it as well after considering all the others listed.

From a practical point of view, today the most premium (perceived, of course) hatchback with minimal impact on the pocket is the new i20 CRDI. If only Toyota had a better dash, NVH and rear seats for the Liva.

But then if someone was to give me a Polo with a free life-time maintenance thrown in, I would happily go for one. Else it's really a gamble to go for one in India. A pity, such a good car it is...!

[S2!!!]

As an all rounder, when it comes to price, performance, ownership experience as well as quality of interiors, the Swift is the one I'd choose. While the Polo does come in very close as being the ultimate B-segment hatchback, it is very hard to Ignore VW's after sales experiences.

The Elite i20 is an excellent car no doubt, but when it comes to sheer value for money, I see it as a potential Jazz (company commanding a high premium for the brand).

[CrAzY dRiVeR]

Sorry to disappoint any fanboy stereotypes regarding us Punto owners but -

1. GT TDi
2. Punto Evo 90HP.
3. Swift ZDi.

GT TDi just for that fantastic engine!

Punto Evo is a great car overall, and I chose it once over these rivals (GT twins were not present back then!) but in the present scenario - it defenitly needs more power + proper designed gear ratios. Swift is a good overall package, but lacks an appeal against the other two. However, incase a Swift 90HP gets launched as rumoured, then the list will change dramatically-

1. Swift 90HP Sports.
2. GT TDi
3. Punto 90HP

Other players like Elite i20 (Indianised i20 i would call it), Etios Liva, Tata Vista, Chevrolet Sail U-VA dont even meet the entry criteria for my list - that my car should be able to bring a smile on my face every time I see/ drive it.

[devansn]

For everything else, Polo GT TDi, except for Punto's steering and slightly better ride and handling. Four years of driving it, I am addicted to its steering - unmatched precision, perfect feedback, the return back to center is perfectly calibrated to the speed of the vehicle, if the road inclination is perfect, steering turns by itself (may be a function of feedback itself), just the right wheel size, great to hold. An unplanned 1000 Kms journey, bring it on! Its so effortless, unless the 1000 Kms has to be driven inside a parking lot. :-)

Although the last two may be a matter of getting used to, I think the rest of them may have to be attributed to the fact that its hydraulic. I think there is no shortcut - steerings must be hydraulic for ultimate experience, although it may affect the fuel efficiency. How much ever technology you put into the electric power steerings, they just can't match the former. IMHO.