[500HP]

Hello Bhpians,

I currently own a 2002 Maruti Alto LX. I am planning to upgrade it to a premium hatchback. My usage is less than 1000 kms a month. Just to give you an idea, I have driven 64000 kms in a span of 13 years. So obviously petrol makes more sense. The contenders are :

VW Polo Highline MPI
Hyundai Elite i20 Asta VTVT

I had borrowed my friend’s Polo MPI Highline for a 450 kms spin to my native place. I am very much in love with the way it handles. The build quality feels rock solid. The highway performance felt very good. At 120 km/h, the engine was lazily spinning at 4000 RPM. But it felt slightly lethargic at stop-go traffic conditions. I could extract 15 kms to a litre with 85% highway usage and AC on all the time.

My questions:
1) How’s the i20’s performance compared to that of the Polo.( Because I have heard i20’s performance is a bit on the down side )

2) How’s the i20’s FE compared to that of the Polo.

3) How’s the maintenance cost of the Polo and i20.

So, I request you guys to help me out with the decision process. And please bear in mind that I am kind of biased towards Elite i20.

[Rahul Bhalgat]

Originally Posted by 500HP

Hello Bhpians,

I currently own a 2002 Maruti Alto LX. I am planning to upgrade it to a premium hatchback. My usage is less than 1000 kms a month. So obviously petrol makes more sense. The contenders are :

VW Polo Highline MPI
Hyundai Elite i20 Asta VTVT

My questions:
1) How’s the i20’s performance compared to that of the Polo.( Because I have heard i20’s performance is a bit on the down side )

2) How’s the i20’s FE compared to that of the Polo.

3) How’s the maintenance cost of the Polo and i20.

So, I request you guys to help me out with the decision process. And please bear in mind that I am kind of biased towards Elite i20.

Hi,
I have driven i20 Asta (O) of my BIL few times and here is my observation about what you asked:

1) I have driven i20 in city as well as on highway, ample. The car has good performance. There is adequate low-end torque. Torque / pick-up for overtaking (on highways) is good. Did not notice any shortcoming in the performance. I do not know how the performance compares to Polo but on absolute basis, I found performance good.

2) I have seen FE of 19 kmpl with Pune - Borivli (Mumbai suburb) - Pune. This trip comprises 340 km running, including 100 km in city traffic and 40 km in ghat (hills). On highways, I maintained a speed of 80 - 90 kmph. The FE was measured tank full to tank full basis. The car had run around 3000 km at that time.

3) Someone who has used both i20 and Polo can comment on maintenance cost. I think that i20 will not cost much less to maintain, compared to Polo. It comes loaded with many electronic features and these may be costly to replace. But, I expect good reliability (less probability of failure) for these features, if the car is used and maintained carefully. I feel that with Hyundai, you will have less chances of unpleasant surprises during the use / maintenance. You will have better peace of mind. Let us see what the fellow BHPians say on this.

[IshaanIan]

Pretty much anything is better than that 3 cyl petrol in the Polo. The i20 is a lovely car but just lacks character IMO Might I suggest the Micra? It is the perfect city ride, is built well, has a healthy set of features and strong levels of safety kit certainly not a drivers car but it is just oh so easy to drive within the city and I always recommend it in times such as this. Another car you can check out if you are thinking of the elite i20, is the upcoming Suzuki YRA hatchback

[D4D]

Originally Posted by 500HP

VW Polo Highline MPI
Hyundai Elite i20 Asta VTVT

If possible, it makes sense to wait for the Jazz and then decide. Jazz is expected to launch in Q3 of '15. With more space than the other two, it's a more practical option. It's also got a good petrol engine.

Also, the Maruti YRA is expected, but don't know when it's launching. If it's a cut short Ciaz, it's one car to look out for.

Unfortunately, both Polo MPI and i20 don't have very good petrol motors.

The Polo TSI is worth it if you increase up your budget. Drive it and you'll love it. (Remember the reliability issues for the DSG)

lazily spinning at 4000 RPM.

That's actually pretty high for a petrol car.

So, I request you guys to help me out with the decision process. And please bear in mind that I am kind of biased towards Elite i20.

The i20 will be faster(than Polo MPI) I think, and it should be cheaper to maintain.

Hyundai's ASS is way better the VW's ASS.

Also look at this thread:
http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/hatchb...thread-12.html

[prakhar1998]

Unless you go for the 1.2 TSi, or the diesel, the Polo doesn't make too much sense.
The petrol engine is way too unrefined and underpowered, and doesn't do justice to that superbly balanced chassis.

I would say, take the plunge and get the TSi, with the amazing DSG gearbox. It will certainly help you increase your monthly run, as you'd want to drive it more and more

With the TSi, all the shortcomings of the MPi are taken care of, and you get a complete package.

If you'd not like to stretch your budget by so much, the Elite i20 is an amazing car. It just can't match the Polo in the dynamics and FTD part.

[Rajeevraj]

Originally Posted by heydj

I have a question regarding AT - how is it to drive in hills and is engine braking as easy as in MT.

On engine braking, If it is something that has a Tiptronic (VW TSI), it is just the matter of putting it into the manual mode to get max engine braking. Most other AT's have a 3-2-L (Brio/Amaze AT), that will ensure that the gear stays within the particular range and hence enables engine braking.

Same goes with driving in the hills, the VW TSI's are lovely to drive in the hills. Even in D mode it does not shift as quickly as it would in normal roads.

Originally Posted by 500HP

Hello Bhpians,

VW Polo Highline MPI
Hyundai Elite i20 Asta VTVT

I had borrowed my friend’s Polo MPI Highline for a 450 kms spin to my native place. I am very much in love with the way it handles. The build quality feels rock solid. The highway performance felt very good. At 120 km/h, the engine was lazily spinning at 4000 RPM. But it felt slightly lethargic at stop-go traffic conditions. I could extract 15 kms to a litre with 85% highway usage and AC on all the time.

My questions:
1) How’s the i20’s performance compared to that of the Polo.( Because I have heard i20’s performance is a bit on the down side )

2) How’s the i20’s FE compared to that of the Polo.

3) How’s the maintenance cost of the Polo and i20.

So, I request you guys to help me out with the decision process. And please bear in mind that I am kind of biased towards Elite i20.

Both the petrols are not great to drive cars. They do their job pretty well but are not explosive performers. Overall the i20 would be a better package.

But since you are interested in performance have the Polo on your list, have a look at the Polo GT TSI (with the DSG Automatic gear box). The performance would blow you away. If you feel 4000 RPM is lazy at 120 kmph, try the GT TSI, it spins at at even lazier 2200-2500 RPM at 120. In the highway you can comfortably get 15 kmpl.

[pranad]

Hello, I am looking to purchase a new car within the next 30 days. I am a college student who will be using the car primarily to commute to college. This car will also be used by my family when needed.

I currently drive a Swift Dzire and my average usage comes down to around 60 KMs daily. I am looking to upgrade to a VW car. I have zeroed down to the GT TDI or the Vento Highline AT.

The added leg space and the boot are a welcome addition to the car however, I feel the GT will be a better car to drive in the city.

[IshaanIan]

Originally Posted by pranad

I currently drive a Swift Dzire and my average usage comes down to around 60 KMs daily. I am looking to upgrade to a VW car. I have zeroed down to the GT TDI or the Vento Highline AT.

The added leg space and the boot are a welcome addition to the car however, I feel the GT will be a better car to drive in the city.

If you are already looking at VW, why not go in for the Rapid 1.5 with a DSG box

[pranad]

Originally Posted by IshaanIan

If you are already looking at VW, why not go in for the Rapid 1.5 with a DSG box

My family already owns a rapid 1.6 hence my father wanted something different.

[shreyak_ss]

Mods please move this to an appropriate thread if this the wrong place to post this. Apologies for the new thread created before.

I am in the market for a diesel workhorse which will be primarily chauffeur driven and sometimes by my mom.
My weekly run totals to approximate 400 kms out of which 200kms are for highway drives and rest for in city commuting.
I have a budget of 10 lakhs

Currently My garage includes:

• 2014 Skoda Octavia TDI
• 2014 Grand I10 petrol
• 2007 Honda city ZX
• 2007 Hyundai Santro

My pre-requisites are:

• The car should be reliable and easy to maintain
• It should have decent space to seat 4 in comfort
• It should be able to handle potholes and broken roads with ease without scraping its underbody.
• Should be comfortable to ride in.
• Should be easy to maneouver around the narrow lanes of city
• Should have a decent fuel economy.
• Should be safe to take on highways, that is, Solid body and well equipped with safety features.

I have shortlisted two options:

1. Ford ecosport
2. Hyundai Elite i20/ i20 Active

My dilemma is whether I should go for a crossover like ecosport or a hatch suffices my need? Will the GC of hatch handle the broken roads without scraping?
Experts please advice and suggest any other options too that I should consider.

Regards,
Shreyak

[pranad]

Originally Posted by shreyak_ss

Mods please move this to an appropriate thread if this the wrong place to post this. Apologies for the new thread created before.
I am in the market for a diesel workhorse which will be primarily chauffeur driven and sometimes by my mom.
My weekly run totals to approximate 400 kms out of which 200kms are for highway drives and rest for in city commuting.
I have a budget of 10 lakhs

If it is going to be a chauffeur driven vehicle and driving performance is not an issue, I'd go with the Ciaz, it is a well rounded car, easy to maintain (Maruti Suzuki's service network is reputed and cheap spares are easily available) The back seat comfort is comparable to the new city. Also the infotainment system and the interiors give a good, premium feel and finish.

It is a well packaged car and if you don't mind stretching your budget by a lakh (Which you will eventually get back in the long run thanks to the low maintenance and cheap spares) you will get a ZDi for 11L on road. (VDi does have a driver airbag but does not have a passenger airbag)

Coming to the highway drive, it should be able to do a solid 120 easily and safely.

170mm of ground clearance means that it can tackle potholes and the underbody will not scrape, but the suspension setup is a let down and the potholes can be felt in the cabin.

Fuel economy of 26.21 KMPL (ARAI) certainly is a deal changer!

Ciaz vs Ecosport

The Ecosport is obviously the more fun to drive car thanks to the turbo and better engine tuning. It also more solidly built for the highway. However, it lacks rear seat comfort when compared to the Ciaz and the interiors may not be to the liking of everyone.
Ford's service is more expensive and the fuel efficiency (22.7 KMPL ARAI) is not match to the Ciaz's.
Its ground clearance and suspension are clearly better than the Ciaz's.

I wouldn't consider the i20 as an option if you are looking for back seat comfort and safety.

[shreyak_ss]

Originally Posted by pranad

If it is going to be a chauffeur driven vehicle and driving performance is not an issue, I'd go with the Ciaz, it is a well rounded car, easy to maintain (Maruti Suzuki's service network is reputed and cheap spares are easily available) The back seat comfort is comparable to the new city. Also the infotainment system and the interiors give a good, premium feel and finish.

It is a well packaged car and if you don't mind stretching your budget by a lakh (Which you will eventually get back in the long run thanks to the low maintenance and cheap spares) you will get a ZDi for 11L on road. (VDi does have a driver airbag but does not have a passenger airbag)

Coming to the highway drive, it should be able to do a solid 120 easily and safely.

170mm of ground clearance means that it can tackle potholes and the underbody will not scrape, but the suspension setup is a let down and the potholes can be felt in the cabin.

Fuel economy of 26.21 KMPL (ARAI) certainly is a deal changer!

Ciaz vs Ecosport

The Ecosport is obviously the more fun to drive car thanks to the turbo and better engine tuning. It also more solidly built for the highway. However, it lacks rear seat comfort when compared to the Ciaz and the interiors may not be to the liking of everyone.
Ford's service is more expensive and the fuel efficiency (22.7 KMPL ARAI) is not match to the Ciaz's.
Its ground clearance and suspension are clearly better than the Ciaz's.

I wouldn't consider the i20 as an option if you are looking for back seat comfort and safety.

Ciaz is left out for its size. Infact, sedans are not being considered due to the conditions in which the car will be driven. The roads are extremely narrow and are inexistent at few places. Thanks anyways!

[a4anurag]

Originally Posted by shreyak_ss

My pre-requisites are:
[*]The car should be reliable and easy to maintain[*]It should have decent space to seat 4 in comfort[*]It should be able to handle potholes and broken roads with ease without scraping its underbody.[*]Should be comfortable to ride in.[*]Should be easy to maneouver around the narrow lanes of city[*]Should have a decent fuel economy.[*]Should be safe to take on highways, that is, Solid body and well equipped with safety features.

I can think of Ritz ZDi as a choice for you.

It is reliable - have lived with it for 3 years and 1.08L kms;

Spacious for 4;

Decent GC to handle the crater filled roads ;

Comfortable and being a tall - boy it is airy inside with great ingress/egress

FE is not a doubt, delivers it without a hitch.

[shreyak_ss]

Originally Posted by a4anurag

I can think of Ritz ZDi as a choice for you.

It is reliable - have lived with it for 3 years and 1.08L kms;

Spacious for 4;

Decent GC to handle the crater filled roads ;

Comfortable and being a tall - boy it is airy inside with great ingress/egress

FE is not a doubt, delivers it without a hitch.

Thanks Mate!
Ritz seems like a good option but as you know, it is quite a bit old and is due for a generation overhaul very soon. Also, it is Very under equipped compared to its competitors and no offence, but doesn't seem to be as safe as other cars from the same segment.

[utsav1303]

Originally Posted by shreyak_ss

I am in the market for a diesel workhorse which will be primarily chauffeur driven and sometimes by my mom.



My dilemma is whether I should go for a crossover like ecosport or a hatch suffices my need? Will the GC of hatch handle the broken roads without scraping?

Experts please advice and suggest any other options too that I should consider.



Regards,

Shreyak

i20 has a ground clearance of 170mm which should pass through many or say all broken roads.

I had taken TD of Ecosport and IMHO, it is a hatch with SUV beefed look. I felt steering light and suspension on stiffer side might be unsettling on broken roads. The seating space is sufficient for 4, though accommodating the 5th adult would be too much to demand from this C-SUV.

Though, the versatility of Ecosport is unmatched with cargo space it provides in seat fold condition and high raised stance inviting you to take it anywhere, anytime.

However, Hyundai does have a good suspension tuning for rough roads. And, I would suggest to go for i20 or i20 active (hardly any major difference apart from cosmetics and suspension setting).

Also, top variant of i20 would fit easily within 10L, while OTR price of Top variant of Ecosport will definitely slightly cross the 10L barrier.