[Aditya]

Hyundai i20 N Line

What you'll like:

• Aggressive styling with distinctive touches that set it apart from the garden-variety i20
• Punchy 1.0 turbo-petrol motor with 118 BHP on tap
• Firm yet compliant suspension coupled with a weighted steering + paddle shifters + fruity exhaust note that make the i20 N Line fun
• Tasteful N Line-exclusive steering wheel, gear selector, red accents etc liven up the interior
• Feature-rich equipment list includes cruise control, LED projectors, voice-activated sunroof, wireless charging & more
• Spacious cabin with a 311 liter boot makes this a practical yet fun-to-drive car
• Price premium over the regular i20 is totally justified by the additions & improvements
• Safety kit = ESP, 6 airbags, rear disc brakes, Blue Link SOS, Hill Assist…

What you won't:

• Although well-priced in relation to the i20 Asta variant, it is still an expensive hatchback
• Offering an iMT and not a proper MT on the i20 N Line is ridiculous!
• 1.0L DCT variant shows initial lag. Even otherwise, it’s not as explosive as VW’s 1.0 Turbo
• Some misses such as auto wipers, split folding rear seats…
• You absolutely need a tyre upgrade. The OEM rubber gives up easily
• This 3rd-gen i20’s styling can be polarizing, unlike the more neutral previous generation cars
• Dual-clutch ATs have had a troubled reliability record in India
• More of a warmed-up hatchback in terms of power & handling, rather than a “hot hatch” like an Abarth Punto

Review Link

Volkswagen Polo 1.0L TSI

What you’ll like:

• Fast & fun to drive. Begs to be driven hard!
• Brilliant 109 BHP 1.0L TSI engine is an enthusiast's delight. Mated to a slick 6-speed MT
• Mature suspension gives the Polo good road manners
• Still looks great. Old, but timeless, clean & classy
• Solidly built with an European feel that no other hatchback matches till today
• Among the safest hatchbacks in India - GNCAP rating of 4 stars
• Features such as cruise control, reach + rake steering, auto-wipers, driver armrest, tinted windows

What you won’t:

• Yet another Polo variant & engine. Enough already (related thread)!!
• 1.0 TSI’s refinement is poor at high rpm (it’s acceptable at regular revs)
• An 11-year old model. The next-generation Polo is already on sale abroad
• Limited rear bench legroom and a large floor hump. Your family won’t be pleased
• VW's sub-par dealership & service experiences
• Many missing features: keyless-entry-go, reversing camera, oldschool MID, boot light, split rear seat, projector / LED headlamps, basic 4-speaker ICE

Review Link

[GTO]

Tough choice between the i20 N Line and the Polo TSI, but I would go for the i20 N Line as it'll be a much nicer car to live with on a daily basis (contemporary, space, equipment, more family friendly etc.). But the Polo is a close 2nd. Like, very close. It has many advantages = a turbo-petrol that is far more enthusiastic in nature (lives for the redline), a torque-converter AT that might have better long-term reliability (but VW, so...), superior low end (i20 DCT has lag) and a GNCAP rating of 4 stars (i20 is untested & I'm not too optimistic seeing group cars like the Seltos).

The other quick hatchback is the Figo 1.5 Diesel and some dealers might have old stock lying around at killer prices. But with Ford's exit and its BS6 DPF issues, no way can I recommend it to anyone, even at a heavy discount. The Figo 1.5L TDCi to buy was the BS4, not this one.

Would've loved to include the Altroz here as it has truly impressive expressway manners. Very solid & mature at 100+ kmph. Also the best looking by a mile. But Tata gave its engines a lower state of tune (compared to the Nexon) and a 0 - 100 of 12.6 to 13 seconds (tested by others) is hardly anything to write home about.

For those on a lower budget, the quick hatch you can consider is the Grand i10 Nios 1.0 Turbo. Trust me, it'll leave you grinning. Very quick, very chuckable. I'm a big fan of quick + cheap + small.

[Aditya]

Tough to choose between these two.

If it is the only car in my garage, the Hyundai i20 N Line would be my choice. It's more modern, spacious and comfortable. Then there is Hyundai's after sales service, which is on an average, better than Volkswagen's.

On the other hand, if I have another car and want another one, just for the joy of driving, I would take the Polo. Apart from the explosive performance, it's also a lot cheaper to purchase and has a torque converter transmission, which I prefer to DCTs.

At present, I don't think I would have more than one car in my garage. Hence, the i20 N Line gets my vote.

[androdev]

I sell Polo TSI cars for a living on this forum. Looks are equally important to me and I prefer the clean lines of Polo over the alternatives. i20 is a great choice and beats Polo in many areas but not when it comes to the drivetrain and looks.

[d3mon]

Engine = Polo
Gearbox (MT/AT) = Polo
Safety = Polo
Price = Polo

Gadgets = i20
Family approval = i20
Space = i20

Even if you overlook the price difference, I'm firmly in the Polo camp, as an unsafe car at 15L is an instant deal breaker.

Originally Posted by androdev

I sell Polo TSI cars for a living on this forum.

Are you hiring? Please see my resume above.

[Kosfactor]

So now you can have a quick hatch with sporty suspension, exhaust etc and not having to deal with european brands, I think I`m okay with i20`s offer. When you are driving it like a sane person, it is just an i20, quiet , comfortable , spacious , proper premium hatch.

Maruti`s next gen Baleno is something to look forward to whenever it is coming, hope they have a sportier model this time like the RS.

[KungFuPanda]

Voted for VW Polo TSI. Just can't digest the looks of the i20.

[anb]

Many people buy hatchbacks because of its compact dimensions, easy to park and easy to drive/ overtake nature on narrow roads. Not every one is looking for a sedan like space in a hatchback.i20 is just too wide in my opinion, it’s wider than even the Verna. I would buy Polo TSI over i20 Nline. The main advantage of Polo TSI is that it’s very mod friendly. There are many options available to upgrade the suspension, brake, engine and to put even a stage 3 turbo( 170+ bhp) on the Polo. Modifications options are only limited to a remap in the Hyundai.

[sunikkat]

Definitely Polo for me.
Only reason for me buying i20 will be if it is the only car in my garage and need more space and features due to family pressure. Also I like the black interiors in i20

But otherwise Polo beats i20 in all other aspects - engine, still better handler and high speed stability, looks are important for me and personally Polo still looks best among the hatchbacks.

Then you step in to the aftermarket mod space and the options are unlimited for Polo which is not the case with i20.

[Guna]

Did not vote either of them.
I had taken a short test drive on the Polo TSI (1.0L) and was not impressed with the refinement of the engine (typical of 3 cylinder unit perhaps) and the lack of response at the low revs.
Recently I went to check a pre-owned Polo GT (1.2 L) and on the way got to briefly check out the i20 N Line as well.
I found the steering of the i20 to be very hard even at low speeds. It requires some effort to move it from the 'straight ahead' position and this makes it difficult to do fine steering corrections when you are driving straight IMO.
Also the car was dead at low revs and had sudden rush of power after certain point.
Short test drive of the used Polo GT (1.2) was a different story altogether. Steering had the right amount of weight, there was no perceptible lag, nor the unexpected rush and I liked the linear nature.
VW, if you are listening, bring the Polo GT+ with 1.5L evo engine, rear camera, 6 airbags etc and this can find buyers even at 15 L on-road.

[Axe77]

Originally Posted by Aditya

Tough to choose between these two.

If it is the only car in my garage, the Hyundai i20 N Line would be my choice. It's more modern, spacious and comfortable. Then there is Hyundai's after sales service, which is on an average, better than Volkswagen's.

I resonate with Aditya’s views here.

This is truly a hard choice. The Polo is annoyingly ancient looking and just not spacious enough. However, if I ever dive into this segment I know it’ll be a second car so I’d take the space compromise for the sheer dynamic and driving superiority of the Polo - the fact that I can have the VW with TC peace of mind is an added bonus.

If hypothetically its an only car, I’d pick the more practical and modern looking i20 N Line without much disappointment - such is the level to which modern day Hyundais have matured.

For the purpose of the poll, I voted Polo since I know it’ll unlikely be the only car in my garage.

PS: Personally, despite it being dated, from an external design standpoint, I find the classic natural lines of the Polo much more appealing than the overstyled “please look at me - I dressed up for you!” look of the i20.

[shancz]

Voted for the i20.

Still couldn't believe that we have come to a point where the i20 is favoured over the Polo TSi but as an only car i20 works better.

Had we got the latest gen Polo with the more practical proportions it would've been a no brainer IMHO.

Still, like others have mentioned if it's the second car then the Polo is still strong.

Note to VW/Skoda India : Is the Polo part of the India 2.0 strategy ?

[fordday]

Originally Posted by androdev

and I prefer the clean lines of Polo over the alternatives. i20 is a great choice and beats Polo in many areas but not when it comes to the drivetrain and looks.

Couldn't agree more. I for one cannot live with those quirky edges and sharp corners on the body. For me, those edges in i20 and in Altroz make it look like the batmobile. Same for Ather scooter as well.

I prefer the clean curved types. To steal the words from Axe77, the classic natural lines.

[akshay4587]

Polo Anyday; though, I own one of the worst engine's, 1.2MPi (Though I love it for it's drive ability and ability to cruise at high speeds without any stress).

Polo was introduced in 2010, and it's primarily the same car inside out, apart from little mascara here and there.
i20 is on it's 3rd generation since then, yet, it's the Polo, that manages to stand out, when it comes to looks and performance.

The 1.0 Tsi is a gem of an engine, and after watching the cars perform at a recent motor sports event, I have nothing but respect for them

[clevermax]

Since the thread title asks to vote for the quick hatchback, I googled for "i20 N Line 0-100kmph" and stumbled upon this:



Then I realized that I am in India, and this cannot happen in India

The product specs given in the Indian website doesn't even divulge any such figures. All they talk about is BHP and Torque with the intention of leaving the acceleration figures to the confusion created by various reviewers.

i20 N and i20 N Line are very different - just like the original Saravana Bhavan Vs the Sree Saravana Bhavan.