[carwatcher]

Considering the parameters for a true Hot Hatch, its only Abarth Punto for me with No ifs and buts.

[ajay_satpute]

Baleno RS is a make-believe hot hatch. Team-BHP official review only cements my thinking, so I think comparing the Baleno RS with Polo GT TSI is utterly flawed. Figo 1.5 100 BHP is a superb engine and a hoot to drive.

Sadly, Punto Abarth is out of production and hence out of picture. So, in reality, we can only compare Figo with Polo. And in that comparison, its easy-peasy - Polo GT TSI.

[Dr.Naren]

Fast and Practical : Polo GT TSI it is, for me!!

If I had to pick a car for pure driving pleasure, It's Abarth Punto hands down. The gear shifts are little notchy but I have seen them improve after running few thousand kms. Think logically, mind over heart and this car is a strict NO and no matter what I would not put money on 2015 model and spend sleepless nights thinking about the future of Fiat.

GT TSI is both practical and FAST. I hope VW has really rectified the DSG issues. Still, I would prefer a manual GT.

Baleno RS is for a family man who wants to have little fun when he drives alone . As I said before, this car doesn't excite like other turbo petrols. It just feels like a little more powerful 1.2 NA Baleno but it has lost the revv happiness of her cheaper sibling.

[A350XWB]

As the best of the given lot, my vote goes to the GT-TSi.

And regarding the argument of DSG vs Manual, please see the shift timings for both here (There are many sites which gives you the comparison). The DSG shift timings can be a mere 8ms (which is lightning fast) and the manual shifting is in the range of 500ms and depends a lot on the skill of the driver. It is impossible for a human being to press the clutch, shift the lever and release the clutch in 8ms. (I don't want to get into a debate, just quoting the numbers )

[Waspune]

Punto Abarth anyday because of dynamics, ride quality, talkative steering 145 horses and diesel like 212 NM of torque. Yes the gearbox might not be to everyone's liking but I have been driving my Punto Evo 90 HP for the past 2 years and I havent faced much difficulty in shifting gears. In fact when I drove my parent't S-Cross for more than 2000 kms and then drove my Punto I liked the Punto's gearbox more. It felt smoother and easier to shift. And yes the Abarth gearbox is better than my Punto Evo's gearbox so for me its not a deterrent any how.

Someone giving higher priorities to fit and finish, features and convenience would definitely go for GT TSI.

Somenone who wants more power with pure peace of mind would go for the Baleno RS.

I really dont know where the Figo fits in. The same 1.5 engine with manual transmission would have made a lot of sense but in its auto transmission, it doesnt feel powerful.

[Baddychat]

It was always going to be between the GT TSi and the Abarth Punto. As someone already mentioned on this thread, and he owns both these cars that GT will probably not be able to keep up on straight roads and ghats.
I sat in the Abarth and even if ignore the quality of the interiors, I did not like the driving position. Maybe it was just me but even though I tried multiple positions for the seat and steering I was not comfortable. Personal preference entirely.
On that basis and the DSG I had voted for the Polo. OT but as a personal preference with a relatively high urban commute on not so congested roads, i would love to pick up the GT TDi someday.

[sandeepmohan]

Off topic post.

Originally Posted by AYP

The Abarth is a Fiat. Long term ownership concerns will be ever-present.

I'll admit that long term ownership can be a concern and for those who care about resale, well, you can forget about it.

I have this one example to share though. A few years ago, my buddy's Fiat Palio 1.2 went up in flames. Except for the engine, almost everything else inside the engine bay and some interiors bits were gutted/damaged. The car was back on the road in two months. Yes it took a while but everything was fixed by a Fiat India service outlet. I think that is quite decent for a car that is over two decades old.

Long term ownership is a problem for any and every European car. VW probably make the most well built cars but their service standards are a hit or miss.

Buddy walks into VW service as his Tsi engine was indicating 120 degrees followed by a hot engine alert. What is the response he gets? Nothing is wrong sir. He goes again as the problem repeats and this time they accept to take the car for inspection. The car is returned and the problem goes away but no diagnosis is given.

My friend loves his Vento Tsi but calls me first when there is a problem. He thinks tens times before going to VW Service. In his books, VW service is pathetic and that is because he was pampered by Maruti/Suzuki. He previous car was the iconic Baleno.

Ford have come a long way from the Escort/Ikon days but you still don't hear anyone singing praises about their service. However; they have come around and understood our market better. They realized that service and spare parts were pinching us. Spare part costs today are as low as a Maruti/Suzuki.

In this group, you can't beat Maruti/Suzuki and the Japanese don't do anything half baked. The RS may not be the most satisfying drive but it sure is the safest as a purchase. Personally; I just don't see it as a hot hatch.

Originally Posted by sumeethaldankar

Manual tranny, reliable, practical, service network support, fuel efficient all rolled in one.

Let us wait for fuel economy reports from owners. I have yet to come across a turbo petrol that isn't sensitive to your right foot. Arai ratings are a high 21kmpl! Impressive.

Only two cars appeal to me. The GT and the Abarth. The GT for its superb engine and gearbox. The Abarth, I haven't driven one but being a T Jet owner, I can only imagine the fun you can have on a hatch with pretty much the same engine and a lot more power.

[carwatcher]

Aren't you contradicting yourself.

On one hand you are rejecting a car due to unfounded concern about the manufacturing company.

On the other hand you are voting for not yet proved assurance about rectification of serious issues and still hoping.

In Abarth's case, the car would not be left stranded even if the manufacturer shuts shop while in the case of TSI the car would be parked in garage for months even is the Manufacturer happily launches product after product which would be of no help for the broken TSI.

Now tell me, what should MIND over HEART equation say.

Originally Posted by Dr.Naren

Think logically, mind over heart and this car is a strict NO and no matter what I would not put money on 2015 model and spend sleepless nights thinking about the future of Fiat.

I hope VW has really rectified the DSG issues.

[blackwasp]

I wasn't planning to post here, but this thread is going into a very frenzied discussion on which car is the best. Let me add my 2 cents.

OP has posted comparisons on the following points and invited comments on the same.

Originally Posted by a4anurag

Points that the comparison are made on:

• Specifications;
• Prices;
• Features.

I have driven the Abarth and GT Tsi extensively, the RS for about 1000 kms, and the Figo DCT just once. Most of you will think owing an Abarth will make me biased towards the car, but there is simply no comparing her to any other 10L rupee car in India.

Many of you said the Abarth's production has stopped - rather it's been paused till the new Jeeps are launched. Even then, despite offering such an awesome car it failed to set the sales chart on fire. The enthusiast in India doesn't put his money where his mouth is. Sadly car buying in India is very complicated process especially since its the single biggest purchase after homes. We have to appease our family, friends, colleagues, etc and these people are usually influenced by many other people who may or may not have driven/experienced the cars.

Secondly fast hatch is very relative. Do we mean 0-100, 30-90, in gear, or at highway speeds ? And then the creature comforts. And lastly the price. In this aspect I will rate the cars as follows -

A.Driving dynamics
1.Punto Abarth
2.GT TSI
3.Baleno RS - special mention of the 4 wheel disk brakes !
4.Figo DCT

B.Creature Comforts
1.GT TSI/Baleno RS
2.Figo DCT
3.Punto Abarth

C.Fuss free Ownership
1.Baleno RS
2.Punto Abarth, GT TSI, Figo DCT

D.Price (or rather VFM product for what they offer)
1.Punto Abarth/GT TSI
2.Figo DCT
3.Baleno RS


Clearly, we cant have the best of both worlds here - we have to choose. Either a fast car or a comfortable car or have a fuss free ownership. This choice will vary on a person's preference. Most of us have to drive cars in traffic for daily commutes and an automatic will be a boon. For many of us, this will be the sole car in the family hence it will have multiple roles. And the Abarth definitely doesn't tick all the boxes, but its a fast hatchback that can do mundane tasks quite easily.

GT on the other hand caters to 2 sets of people - enthusiasts and the folks who want a premium automatic hatch. Its true that the success of the GT twins in India was a precursor to other manufacturers introducing models to satisfy the enthusiast in India. I wish Maruti sells the Baleno RS in good numbers. This is to only going help the enthusiast. The Figo DCT is an on-paper enthusiast's car only.

The low numbers of the Punto Abarth are so low, that a spotting of another Abarth usually gets a reply of that person on our WhatsApp group. More than 3 Abarths means thats there's a meet happening. Abarth is definitely a rare breed out there, but without the help of GT twins, it wouldn't even have existed.

Finding out the 'absolute' best amongst the above list is pretty difficult, but a more appropriate approach would be listing the cars according to rank on various parameters.

EDIT - Just saw this -

Originally Posted by carwatcher

Came across similar thread started by me while doing some search. Note how the Abarth is losing favour in quick time.

Perfectly sums up this thread ! And not much discussion on the pricing front as well. Its worrying to see the enthusiast change his opinion so much in just a couple of years.

[carwatcher]

Came across similar thread started by me while doing some search. Note how the Abarth is losing favour in quick time.

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/hatchb...ml#post3830358

[JediKnight]

Ideally i would have liked to see a ford focus RS or golf 2.0 TSI with manual of course on the list.

A hot hatch without a manual is a oxymoron for me. So in the current set Abarth Punto it is.

[dark.knight]

This thread is about fun hatches, and one in particular has spoilt me rotten.. after driving it nothing really matters, the TSi, the Abarth, much less cars a segment lower like the Figo and Baleno.

Drove the Mini Cooper again yesterday, I've close to 200+ kms experience driving it (belongs to an associate and he feels I drive it better than himself), and driving that, one begins to understand nothing matters as much as the whole package - the brand halo, interiors, the way the ignition is made, the exterior styling and the emotion. Its an emotional car (not in the sense that the car cries, it simply evokes strong emotions) - the car is scary the first 5-10 kms one drives it because of its race-cart feel, but baby it and it responds superbly keeping pace with every mm of pedal input and the steering is perfectly coordinated with the front tyres. For me its not at all about fastest or attaining illegal speeds, I don't do that.. what matters is the emotions and how the car responds to the slightest of inputs, I've said it before and I'll say it again, the Polo may be German but its not even 1% of the Mini and never will be, even at Rs.40.xx lacs before discounts, the car is worth it. Cheekily enough, I felt the car could do with a slightly softer setup and a less noisy engine/exhaust.

At a budget though, and given the severe lack of choice, one would have to ultimately choose the Polo if automatic, and maybe the Punto for manual. Each are capable in their own way and its silly to consider just raw acceleration as the only winning criterion, to me that comes last. Also, barring the Punto, none of the cars on the heading except maybe Figo have a comfort oriented setup, the TSi I felt was jarring and thuddy over bad roads.

I'm also with the school of thought that manuals are easiest to control compared to automatic, the dual clutch automatic may change gears in fractions of seconds and will be faster in straight line (again, speed doesn't matter to me - safe driving does), however nothing, and I mean nothing can beat the feeling of slowing down, dropping a gear with the left hand as a turn comes in and then gunning the curve as you shift back up, manual directly connects your mind with that of the engine and no automatic can replicate that - not even with paddle shifters, the clutch has to be there.

[Flash777]

This thread seems to have totally ignored the new Figo S.

Its looks the part with an aggressive mesh grill, wider tyres, bigger alloys along with the standard bell & whistles of a sport version and more importantly, has actual mechanical changes ala Fiesta S.

They have retuned the suspension for spirited driving and according to the reviews, this version of the Figo does actual justice to the 100 bhp stonker Diesel engine.

There is also a new Polo GT Sport launched yesterday. It majorly has only a better body kit with bigger wheels but looks and differentiates itself much better than the standard GT versions.

Never been a better time to shop for pocket rockets within 10 lacs.

My Picks now:

Petrol: Abarth Punto

Automatic: Polo GT Sport TSI

Diesel : Ford Figo S TDCI

Would appreciate if someone could edit the title to include the Figo S and GT Sport models.

[MihirC]

Originally Posted by amit_mechengg

If we are discussing which cars are manufactured more or which are not manufactured now lets strike out the Abarth from the voting list. If Abarth is struck out, the Polo obviously is the choice. The Ford can really stay, but then Baleno should be struck out too, its really not a performance hatch in front of the other 3 cars mentioned.

Just got to know from the new Fiat dealer in mumbai that the new Abarth Punto is getting laughed in the next 3-4 months, the only update over the 2015 model seems to be the touch screen nav system as of now.

[swissknife]

Originally Posted by MihirC

Just got to know from the new Fiat dealer in mumbai that the new Abarth Punto is getting laughed in the next 3-4 months, the only update over the 2015 model seems to be the touch screen nav system as of now.

Is "laughed in" supposed to be "launched in" or was it intentional?