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-   -   The B2-segment Hatchbacks Comparison Thread! (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/hatchbacks/155323-b2-segment-hatchbacks-comparison-thread.html)

The first part, started exactly 3 years back, served as a good guide for all shoppers and prospective buyers who were looking at a B2-hatch to fulfill their needs.

As the years have gone by, we have newer generations, facelifts and all-new cars vying for the same chunk of the pie - the buyer's attention and his cheque book.

So which offering by which company will suit your needs the most, and the best? Again, this thread will help as a guide for all present and future buyers who are looking for a good, all-round option in this segment to spend their hard-earned rupees on.

All prices listed are ex-showroom, Delhi, and have been updated on 15/04/2015*. Prices are subject to change at the discretion of the respective companies. Also, prices of AT/Cross variants have been highlighted separately as underlined.
(*Volkswagen Polo's prices have been taken from Carwale)

Pictures/Specifications/Feature Lists are courtesy of the respective Official Brochures from the official company websites of the cars listed.

Also, several new hatchback launches loom in the horizon as well (Honda Jazz, Ford Figo/Ka, Maruti "YRA", etc.), so I will try my best to keep this first post updated with each successive launch in the near-future.

A BIG thanks to GTO, .anshuman, Vid6639, Rehaan, mobike008, S2!!!, Aditya, moralfiber, noopster, suhaas307, Stratos, Eddy, ajmat, theMAG, parrys, nkrishnap and sidindica for their wonderful reviews, opinions and inputs of the cars listed below, and to many fellow Team-BHPians for their superb first-drive/launch/ownership reports, without which this thread would not have been possible.



MARUTI-SUZUKI SWIFT
[Official Team-BHP Review]



(+) Driver's car,
(+) peppy and rev-happy engines,
(+) DDIS performance,
(+) front seat space,
(+) pseudo-tallboy design,
(+) high seating,
(+) superb mileage,
(+) riding comfort and road manners,
(+) contemporary features on offer,
(+) price vis-a-vis features,
(+) Maruti's unbeatable A.S.S,
(+) comparatively low-maintenance costs.

(-) Car styling not to everyone's tastes,
(-) Outrageous ZDI pricing,
(-) extremely limited boot space,
(-) limited headroom in rear seats,
(-) thin build + cheap plastics quality,
(-) bad cabin insulation,
(-) subjective looks (front/rear),
(-) safety features limited to top variant only,
(-) no AT on offer.

1.2L Petrol:
LXI: 4.58L,
LXI(O): 4.71L,
VXI: 5.32L,
ZXI: 6.17L.
1.3L Diesel:
LDI: 5.77L,
VDI: 6.22L,
ZDI: 7.21L.




MARUTI-SUZUKI RITZ
[Official Team-BHP Review]
[Facelift Launch Report]



(+) Well-built, practical option,
(+) excellent tall-boy design,
(+) superb VVT/DDIS engines similar to the Swift,
(+) interior space and headroom,
(+) decent boot space,
(+) handling & road dynamics,
(+) MINI-ish central speedometer,
(+) separate RPM meter looks classy,
(+) Maruti's famed A.S.S.,
(+) low maintenance costs,
(+) excellent discounts on offer throughout the year.

(-) Quirky styling (love-hate) inside out,
(-) bland front face,
(-) low speed ride/handling not up to par,
(-) thin build + cheap interior plastics quality,
(-) odd rear door/window styling,
(-) legroom restricted for taller drivers,
(-) oddly-placed ABC pedals,
(-) equipment levels vis-a-vis price,
(-) apprehensions of an outgoing model.

1.2L Petrol variants:
LXI: 4.39L,
VXI: 4.79L,
VXI ABS: 5.03L,
ZXI: 5.39L,
AT: 6.03L.
1.3L Diesel variants:
LDI: 5.47L,
VDI: 5.79L,
VDI ABS: 5.98L,
ZDI: 6.38L.




HYUNDAI ELITE I20 ( + ACTIVE)
[Official Team-BHP Review]
[Official Team-BHP First Look at the i20 Active]




(+) Best-in-class premium quality & fit-and-finish,
(+) feel-good factor,
(+) segment-best features in Active (projectors, DRLs, etc.)
(+) class-leading features (auto headlamps, rear AC vents, etc.),
(+) spacious interiors,
(+) good riding comfort,
(+) excellent side profile & rear looks,
(+) good cabin insulation,
(+) good diesel performance,
(+) fantastic NVH levels,
(+) excellent in-city performer,
(+) Hyundai's A.S.S.

(-) Underpowered petrol engine (shared with lower-positioned Grand i10),
(-) soulless steering,
(-) questionable high-speed handling,
(-) limited headroom at rear,
(-) outrageously-priced diesel/top variants,
(-) Very pricey Active variants,
(-) Teeny-bopper interior styling in Active variants,
(-) No top petrol Active variant,
(-) low mileage numbers,
(-) Hyundai's comparatively high maintenance costs.

1.2L Petrol:
Era: 5.24L,
Magna: 5.78L,
Sportz: 6.28L,
Sportz(O): 6.64L,
Asta: 6.87L.
1.4L Diesel:
Era: 6.37L,
Magna: 6.91L,
Sportz: 7.45L,
Sportz(O): 7.77L,
Asta: 8.00L.

ACTIVE:
1.2L Petrol:
Base: 6.39L,
S: 7.10L.
1.4L Diesel:
Base: 7.64L,
S: 8.35L,
SX: 8.90L.





HYUNDAI GRAND I10
[Official Team-BHP Review]



(+) Best-in-class fit and finish,
(+) all-rounder in it's segment,
(+) premium interiors,
(+) features on offer (1 GB internal memory, rear AC vents, etc.),
(+) excellent petrol (Kappa) option,
(+) spacious front seats,
(+) good riding comfort,
(+) excellent NVH levels,
(+) perfect in-city commuter,
(+) European styling & looks,
(+) Hyundai's widespread A.S.S.

(-) Underperforming 3-cylinder diesel for highway runs,
(-) Vague steering feedback,
(-) questionable high-speed handling,
(-) limited rear seat headroom and width,
(-) integrated headrests on front seats feels cheap,
(-) safety features restricted to top Asta (O) variant only,
(-) Hyundai's comparatively high maintenance costs.

1.2L Petrol:
Era: 4.67L,
Magna: 4.86L,
Magna LPG: 5.29L,
Sportz: 5.26L,
Asta: 5.53L,
Asta(O): 5.85L,
Asta AT: 6.27L.
1.1L Diesel:
Era: 5.53L,
Magna: 5.73L,
Sportz: 6.12L,
Asta: 6.39L,
Asta(O): 6.71L.




FORD FIGO
[Official Team-BHP Review]
[Facelift Launch Report]



(+) Best-in-class AC performance,
(+) driver's car,
(+) decent build quality,
(+) spacious interiors,
(+) frugal and lag-free diesel option,
(+) First-in-class Wi-Fi in car,
(+) good diesel performance,
(+) good road manners and handling,
(+) big boot space.

(-) Dated & bland design,
(-) underwhelming petrol option,
(-) terrible petrol mileage,
(-) terrible Ground Clearance,
(-) obnoxious rear styling,
(-) unique steering-column mounted controls isn't user-friendly,
(-) plain exterior styling,
(-) Blue interiors look outlandish,
(-) rear headroom/legroom,
(-) lack of basic features,
(-) Ford's costly & mediocre A.S.S.,
(-) cheap plastics quality,
(-) no AT option.
(-) soon to be discontinued and replaced by the all-new Figo.

1.2L Petrol:
LXI: 4.14L,
EXI: 4.72L,
ZXI: 5.05L,
Titanium: 5.46L.
1.4L Diesel:
LXI: 5.06L,
EXI: 5.62L,
ZXI: 5.95L,
Titanium: 6.36L.




FIAT PUNTO EVO (+ AVVENTURA)
[Official Team-BHP Punto Review]
[First Drive of the Punto Evo]
[First Look at the Avventura]




(+) Best-in-Class riding comfort and handling,
(+) driver's car,
(+) feel-good factor,
(+) excellent all-round looks specially the Avventura,
(+) superb pricing (especially the diesels),
(+) modern features on offer (Blue&Me, ambient lighting, rear AC vents),
(+) direct steering feedback,
(+) excellent 93PS diesel & Avventura variants,
(+) good interior space,
(+) superb suspension & build quality,
(+) comfortable rear seat,
(+) big boot.

(-) Sluggish & fuel-guzzling petrol,
(-) bad ergonomics for driver seating,
(-) odd gear-ratios,
(-) average all-round interior space,
(-) average cabin insulation,
(-) long clutch travel,
(-) exclusive features restricted to top variant only,
(-) high pricing for Avventura diesels,
(-) questionable Fiat A.S.S,
(-) not-so-easy availability of spares,
(-) no AT option.

1.2L/1.4L Petrol:
1.2Active: 4.94L,
1.2 Dynamic: 5.36L,
1.4 Emotion: 7.18L.
1.3L Diesel:
Active: 5.88L,
Dynamic: 6.51L,
Emotion: 7.15L,
Sport 93PS: 7.52L.

AVVENTURA:
1.4L Petrol:
Active: 6.44L,
Dynamic: 7.31L.
1.3L Diesel:
Active: 7.19L,
Dynamic: 7.95L,
Emotion: 8.49L.





TOYOTA ETIOS LIVA (+ SPORTIVO + CROSS)
[Official Team-BHP Review]
[Official Team-BHP Liva Diesel Review]
[Official Team-BHP Liva TRD Sportivo Review]
[Official Etios Cross Launch Report]




(+) Best-in-class interior space,
(+) Best-in-class safety features across all variants,
(+) excellent headroom/legroom,
(+) good city commuter,
(+) excellent diesel performance,
(+) excellent road manners,
(+) superb 1.5 Sportivo options,
(+) safety features in middle variants,
(+) Toyota's bullet-proof reliability,
(+) easy long-term maintenance.

(-) Ordinary all-round looks,
(-) mediocre pick-up at low RPMs,
(-) ordinary riding comfort,
(-) super-light steering,
(-) diesel not rev-friendly,
(-) flimsy build and sub-par plastics quality,
(-) disappointing interior styling,
(-) atrocious central console/dash,
(-) basic equipment list,
(-) unrefined NVH levels,
(-) no AT option.

1.2L/1.5L Petrol:
J PS: 5.00L,
G: 5.18L,
V: 5.68L,
VX: 6.19L,
1.5L Sportivo: 6.84L.
1.4L Diesel:
JD: 6.19L,
GD: 6.36L,
VD: 6.71L,
VXD: 7.22L,
Sportivo: 7.20L.

CROSS:
Petrol:
G: 6.23L,
V: 7.63L.
Diesel:
GD: 7.42L,
VD: 7.72L.





(Continued...)

VOLKSWAGEN POLO (TSI/TDI + Cross)
[Official Team-BHP Review]
[2014 Polo 1.5 TDI Test Drive Reports]
[Official Team-BHP GT TSI Review]
[Official Team-BHP GT TDI Review]





(+) Best-in-class build quality,
(+) Best-in-class twin airbags across all variants,
(+) feel-good factor,
(+) superb GT twins specially the TSI,
(+) external looks,
(+) timeless/ageless styling,
(+) fantastic and proper diesel performer with minimal turbo lag,
(+) safety features across all variants,
(+) dual-barrel headlamps (on Highline) look snazzy,
(+) feel-good interior styling,
(+) good riding comfort & handling,
(+) front seat all-round space,
(+) generous boot,
(+) long service intervals.

(-) Restricted rear bench space,
(-) low-slung stance,
(-) outrageously high-pricing,
(-) limited rear headroom,
(-) very average 3-cylinder regular petrol variant,
(-) average in-cabin insulation & diesel NVH levels,
(-) VW's notorious A.S.S,
(-) high maintenance costs.

1.2L Petrol:
Trendline: 5.33L,
Comfortline: 5.95L,
Highline: 6.47L,
Cross: 6.49L,
GT TSI: 8.48L.
1.5L Diesel:
Trendline: 6.68L,
Comfortline: 7.31L,
Highline: 7.82L,
Cross: 8.38L,
GT TDI: 8.48L.

NISSAN MICRA (+ ACTIVE)
[Official Team-BHP Review]




(+) Premium fit and finish,
(+) neutral styling and all-round looks,
(+) excellent interior quality + space,
(+) diesel's outright performance & mileage,
(+) balanced ride quality and road manners,
(+) good handling,
(+) no compromise on safety features,
(+) plenty of gizmos,
(+) superb CVT option,
(+) easy on maintenance.

(-) Pricey diesels (top variants),
(-) interior styling is still on-the-fence,
(-) questionable ground clearance,
(-) unimpressive 3-cylinder petrols,
(-) high-speed stability,
(-) Nissan's thin A.S.S. network.

1.2L Petrol:
XL: 5.17L,
XL Comfort: 5.82L,
XV CVT: 6.93L.
1.5L Diesel:
XE: 5.75L,
XL: 6.01L,
XL Comfort: 6.63L,
XV: 7.10L,
XV Premium: 7.47L.
ACTIVE:
1.2L Petrol:
XL: 4.39L,
XV: 4.70L,
XV S: 5.02L.




RENAULT PULSE
[sidindica's First Drive Report]
[Official Launch Report of the 2015 Pulse]



(+) Similar to the Micra,
(+) Best-in-class warranty period,
(+) masculine frontal looks,
(+) excellent diesel performance,
(+) peppy + frugal engines,
(+) good interior quality,
(+) excellent fit and finish,
(+) spacious interiors,
(+) excellent city commuter.

(-) Similar to the Micra,
(-) pricey diesels,
(-) Only one petrol mid-variant on offer,
(-) mediocre seat support,
(-) average riding comfort,
(-) nervous steering,
(-) questionable high-speed stability,
(-) average braking,
(-) no AT option,
(-) no petrol ABS or top variant option,
(-) Renault's thin A.S.S.

1.2L Petrol:
RxL: 5.04L.
1.5L Diesel:
RxL ABS: 6.11L,
RxZ: 6.81L.




CHEVROLET SAIL U-VA
[Official Team-BHP Review]



(+) Excellent interior space,
(+) superb rear space + seating,
(+) good ride quality,
(+) good handling,
(+) excellent for city commuting,
(+) superb diesel performance,
(+) controlled NVH levels,
(+) generous headroom/legroom,
(+) decent features vis-a-vis pricing,
(+) safety features on offer.

(-) Missing premium features,
(-) bland rear styling,
(-) basic interior plastics quality,
(-) hit-and-miss interior styling,
(-) average rear visibility,
(-) bland steering feedback,
(-) odd placement of power-window switches,
(-) cost-cutting evident,
(-) no AT option.

1.2L Petrol:
PS: 4.67L,
LS: 5.16L,
LS(ABS): 5.39L,
LT(ABS): 5.99L.
1.3L Diesel:
PS: 5.69L,
LS: 6.21L,
LS(ABS): 6.36L,
LT(ABS): 7.18L.




CHEVROLET BEAT (**ADDITIONAL OPTION**)
[Official Team-BHP Review]
[Official Team-BHP Beat Diesel Review]
[2014 Facelift launch at Auto Expo]



(+) Smallest capacity diesel,
(+) totally funky and edgy design,
(+) peppy engines,
(+) nice in-city commuter,
(+) good interior space up front,
(+) good riding comfort,
(+) good fuel efficiency,
(+) futuristic front.

(-) Hit-and-miss design for everyone,
(-) futuristic speedometer looks quirky,
(-) super-small tyres on offer,
(-) oddly-placed exterior rear door handles,
(-) lacking essential features,
(-) claustrophobic interiors,
(-) small boot,
(-) cramped rear seat.

1.2L Petrol:
PS: 4.20L,
LS: 4.47L,
LT: 4.90L,
LT(O): 5.42L.
1.0L Diesel:
PS: 5.05L,
LS: 5.34L,
LT: 5.77L,
LT(O): 6.28L.

A great initiative :thumbs up. This thread is surely going to be used by several potential hatchback buyers.

It would have been great had you left the (+) and (-) points in a bullet format. That would be easier to read and easier on the eyes as well. :)

Fantastic compilation Avi:thumbs up. A one stop guide to the ever crowded and ever confusing B segment. I hope this thread will ensure that the reader is well informed of the options available right now in the market.

Would it be possible to arrange the list on the basis of the price bracket? Many a times its less confusing when one know whats available on the plate.

Thank you so much, GTO.

Noted. I'll do the readibility revision soon. Thanks! :thumbs up

Thank you, ghodlur.

There are so many car variants criss-crossing on the prices front with each other that even a simple Excel sheet gets confusing. Hence I went with best-selling cars, company-wise.

But, let's see if I can find a simpler fix for that little detail. :)

For me, it's just two choices. I'm 6' tall.

For a primary car: Hyundai i20: Simply because it's the most spacious.

For a secondary car: Honda Brio: Simply because it's the smallest and best for city run-abouts.

Too bad the Jazz is not yet here. Would have been my choice. My guess is Honda is aiming for maximum localisation (before production) to price it on par with i20.

So i was doing my research for the past 15 days on which hatch to get. I even created a thread on it by the name confused Indian. But it got merged here. The primary contestants were

1. Swift
2. Fiesta classic
3. Grand i10
4. Punto 1.2
5. Ritz
6. Brio

The final contestants were with 1 being the highest priority

1. Brio - for SMT, we had height adjuster, rear defogger, audio system and steering mounted audio controls. This was my topper.

2. Swift - Could afford the VXI, but no speakers, thin tyres, the famed brake issue, no defogger, no height adjuster. Although everyone says there is no brake problems as such, i didnt want to take any chances.

3. Grand i 10 - Could afford Magna/Sportz. Again no height adjuster, no rear defogger, speakers in sportz, not in magna. A nice car, good boot of the three and classy interiors. But Hyundai maintenance.

Me and wife were to drive the vehicle. So height adjuster was a must. It also gives me a commanding position and to be confident while driving.

Both embarked on a saturday to pay the booking advance and finalize the vehicle between Brio and Gi10.

Honda asked me 2 months waiting period. It clearly shows that they are not concentrating on the Brio. We loved the brio, but we cudnt wait and didnt want to take the vehicle already lying in stock for 3 to 4 months. So Brio ruled out.

Took the TD of Gi10 again. Liked everything except for the height adjuster and rear defogger. Came out and went to a park and started deciding. I was telling my wife that it is better to get one with safety features i.,e the top end. And Gi10 costed me 6.85 lacs with no discounts whatsover. Swift ZXi was just 15k extra. So thought for a while. Maruti ASS, wide network and compartively lesser maintenance. Saw the features, except for the key fob and boot, we liked everything. And no brake issues in ZXI.

Went to Pratham motors and booked the Swift ZXI. There is a white in stock. I think i ll get a VIN today and decide whether to go for a new booking or a the stocky white.

In the end, increased my budget for the sake of safety and got the ZXI.

End of story.

You have made a wise choice. Swift ZXi is a practical workhorse and will serve you in the long run. Resale value of Swift is good too. Coming to the mileage figures 1.2 K series will offer better figures as compared to Grand i10's 1.2 Kappa engine.

Good decision there with the Swift (considering the car is used between the 2 of you) but an even better one for choosing the ZXI, its vital, ensuring peace of mind every day, all the way.
Oh trust white when you want something to last the distance.

Hi All,
I am looking for a new car and my usage is going to be 85% on city roads (crawling Bangalore traffic) and 15% on highways - I need a workhorse that has a light clutch, smooth gearbox, effortless steering, and really comfortable seats.

I am seriously considering the Punto Evo 90HP MJD for the following reasons (not in any order):
1. 90bhp / 200+Nm on tap
2. 185mm ground clearance
3. Great looks
4. Snazzy 16" alloys
5. Loaded with features like Blue and Me, ABS + EBD, Airbags etc.
6. Decent fuel economy
7. Longer service intervals

What are the thoughts of folks who have owned/driven the 90HP Punto MJD?
How drivable is it in the city?
Are there any concerns that I should be aware of?
What should be some of the other vehicles I should evaluate?
My budget maxes out at 12L OTR, and I was also thinking of the 2014 VW Polo, the Hyundai i20 Elite, and the Fiat Linea T-Jet.

I currently drive an XUV5OO which is comfortable and powerful, but I struggle to drive it around in the city, and the clutch does tend to fatigue my left leg after a while.

Thanks!

Hey TNAWAYAJ I am no expert and surely have neve owned any Fiat to give a first hand feedback.

But from your requirement, I can only think of one car for your City Usage only:

Polo GT TSI !! clap:

My reasons for this are:

- Is around 10lks OTR Bangalore, which falls under your 12lks Budget.

- Take my word, no 90 HP, 200 NM Diesel comes close to the power delivery and drive.

- Extremely chuckable within the city and easy to park in tight spaces.

- Automatic, a boon I guess for a XUV owner. :D

- Longer service intervals at 15k kms or 1yr

- Surely one of the 'Timeless' designs.

But yes, may be not very fuel efficient like its diesel counterpart, but you would not really bother once you start driving one.

Thanks, Vik0728. I enquired with VW in BLR and they have a 6-7 month waiting period for the TSi!

I feel that more than the initial sluggish nature of the engine, you need to get a first hand experience of the stearing in a punto evo and linea Tjet. Someone like you coming from XUV 500, may find it a tad heavy for city driving. Even though it's precise and full of feedback. You could totally rule out T - jet because it is not the easiest car to maneuver in the city because of a huge turning radius and heavy stearing but strangely turbo lag on the t - jet has never been so prominent for me.
You are right about those sumptuous 16 inch wheels on the evo. Coupled with that solid built and driving dynamics it's a great option.
You could also consider Aventura. I heard fiat has tinkered with the ecu to give it a better throttle response. It has the same 16 inch wheels. Increased ground clearance and added anti roll bar for better handling.Even the spare is a full alloy :-)
If you could live with the not so convincing exterior built quality, i would also recommend a Honda city cvt. It's amazingly convenient and reasonably frugal.

P.s- I own a Fiat Palio Gtx, Punto 1.3 multijet and Linea T-jet

This car is "un-driveable" in the city. HUGH turbo lag, incidentally the short gearing on first two gears instead of masking the lag, do nothing to correct the problem and instead add a couple more. As soon as the car comes into turbo, the engine starts screaming because of the short gearing and you need to upshift where you will be hit by the lag. Imagine I have to have 4000+ rpm in the second to overtake a stupid auto rickshaw and I can't be in the third because the car will be sleeping on account of the lag. The gap between the gears also accentuates the problem. It's hell driving in B2B traffic with this car. This with my car being remapped to provide more grunt at lower rpms. Add to this the notchy gearbox, long clutch and the completely messed up seating position induce fatigue very quickly.

You could forgive it's city manners if you take the car out on highways quite often, but as a city car - look somewhere else like Micra Diesel or Liva 1.5 petrol.