| FEATURES comparison of select Hatchbacks in Rs4.75-5.25 (P) 5.75-6.25 (D) lakhs range
Points of note for each car compared
Chevrolet Beat
The Beat brings in a bit of fresh air in the dull low-end hatchback segment. The radical exterior and the snazzy superbike like instrument cluster are meant to attract the sizable youth of the country. The top-end LT (O) variant being compared here has among other features Automatic Climate Control (ACC), Driver & Passenger Airbags, ABS and 60:40 split folding rear seats. Rear seat visibility has been sacrificed at the altar of style with the rear door handles integrated in what could have been a light channelling quarter glass. I don’t think children would enjoy sitting on the rear seats, atleast those who are not captivated by the Transformers. Notable omissions in the top-end variant are keyless entry, electrically adjustable ORVM and thin tyres (155mm wide) in the petrol variant. The Beat’s boot is amongst the smallest in this comparison at 175 litres (same as in the Brio) but atleast it has a full-sized hatch door as compared to only an opening glass pane in the Brio.
Honda Brio
Honda has tried to make this budget offering from their stable as endearing as possible via their advertisements. Apart from the sweet 1.2 litre i-VTEC engine, there is no redeeming feature in the Brio. Though the top-end S(O) variant does have Airbags & ABS plus steering mounted audio controls but it is also amongst the most expensive petrol hatchbacks in this comparison. Space is at a premium – it has the shortest wheelbase amongst all cars in the comparison (though Honda has managed to scoop about fairly decent amount of cabin space but using very thin seatbacks) and if you want to carry anything bigger than an average suitcase you can say goodbye, as the relatively small opening area of the rear glass hatch doesn’t aid in keeping big size objects in the tiny 170 litre boot.
FIAT Grande Punto
The 2012 Punto comes with slightly improved interior quality and extra features but at a slightly higher price tag and most importantly the base Active variant with the MJD (diesel) is now well past the Rs.5 lakhs mark. This has raised the entry level price bar which is not good for a car that is not selling well in the first place. Though the increase in price is justified by way of extra features such as an in-built music system, power window key off operation, each door open indicator – all of which were not available in the older variant. It has other good set of unique features such as Follow-me home headlamps and metal sheet behind the rear seat to prevent luggage intrusion. Queer sales and after sales policies being followed by FIAT has rendered this fairly good product (diesel atleast) a laggard in the premium hatchback segment. With suspect A.S.S. and no new models to be launched in the immediate future, FIAT has its work cut-out if it wants to battle the stiff competition.
Ford Figo
Ford Figo has a built-to-price feel to it and it has been built in that way to an extent. But a positive outcome of this is that it is the cheapest amongst the lot, even in the highest trim i.e. Titanium. Figo has features such as Airbags, & ABS plus a Bluetooth enabled music system, which even the more expensive cars in the category don’t have. Plus no one will complain about the space it offers – both passenger and boot. Figo is a true value for money product, After Sales Service aside. ACC, rear power windows and 60:40 split folding rear seats are notable omissions in the top-end Titanium variant, but then few of the other premium hatchbacks cars in the competition have these features.
Hyundai i10
Ever since Hyundai has launched the i10, it has given stiff competition to MS’s Wagon R, which is its nearest competitor. Although the i10 is a small hatch, one doesn’t feel that way due to the well-appointed interiors with peppering of beige (though the dashboard in kappa2 is a decent shade of brown – definitely better than beige earlier that used to reflect badly on the windscreen), plus a host of features that are not available even in B+ segment hatchbacks being compared here (e.g. heated ORVM). But at the end of the day, it is a small hatchback (with a wheelbase only slightly bigger than the Brio, Beat & Ritz) best suited for four people and limited luggage. Dynamically the i10 is nowhere near the more established hatchbacks in the competition (not even the Ritz) partly due to its very light built (mere 860 kgs – though it aids fuel efficiency) and the Kappa engine produces power mostly in the top of its rev range (though MS’s K-series engines also produce peak power & torque at the same 6000 & 4000 RPM respectively and Honda’s at an even higher RPM), which is seldom used in day-to-day driving.
Hyundai has somehow got the recipe right for the average Indian (light controls – clutch, gear & steering; O.K. fuel efficiency, decent visibility, beige interiors, plus the gear shift indicator for first time buyers also helps) and that is reflected in its sales, and mind you, unlike the Ritz it comes only in petrol (though a sizable chunk of the sales would be of the 1.1 litre variant) – but nonetheless credit needs to be given to Hyundai for taking the fight to Maruti Suzuki and the increased competition benefits us – the customers. The inclusion of i10 is solely due to its long feature list, else the Wagon R is also a worthy competitor in the same segment.
Hyundai i20
The i20 delights with the quality of interiors which are well-made and bright with use of beige – something that appeals to most Indians. The gulf in price due to a larger diesel engine has resulted in separate variants of petrol & diesel being considered in the comparison keeping in mind the price band. While the Magna for the petrol variant is fairly loaded with features such as steering adjustable for rake & reach, rear power windows as well, 6 speaker music system with Aux-in & USB, external temperature display, rear window defogger / demister, body coloured ORVM & door handles, parcel tray, cooled glovebox and boot lamp – in comparison the diesel’s Era variant is quite bare bones and doesn’t have these features.
It is surprising though that no variant of i20 has even a Distance to Empty, let alone a fuel consumption / average display. The i20 is fairly spacious but the space is not commensurate with its long wheelbase, though it has a fairly big boot at 295 litres
Toyota Etios Liva
The Liva has a built-to-price feel like the Brio with thin seats and until recently it even came with integrated headrests and the central instrument console (without a tachometer) doesn't help the cause. Though Toyota has managed to carve out good amount of passenger space and the boot is decent at 251 litres. The massive 13 litre glovebox is cooled by an A/C vent inside (even in the base variant), and this is quite delightful in an otherwise rather ordinary looking car. Also in the recent facelift, the addition of a driver seat height adjust and a music system has somewhat helped the value proposition. It is to be noted that the diesel variant (GD) has ABS whereas the petrol variant (G) does without ABS.
Toyota’s image of making durable & reliable cars is helping sales of Liva, affirming the fact that brand name does matter for the average Indian, even if a fairly basic product is being offered. I would like to make a special mention of the Liva’s engines (both petrol & diesel) which has been tuned for good drivability in the city – peak power and torque is delivered at fairly low RPMs as compared to other engines in the competition.
Nissan Micra
Micra has its own quirks regarding the petrol & diesel variants, as the diesel is not available in the base variant but the mid-level variant falls within the price band which though pricey has some features that are unique to the segment, such as true keyless entry (not just remote locking) along with the push button start and electrically foldable ORVM (though i20 also has this feature in Sportz & Asta variants). Micra has fairly low rear seats with very little under thigh support and is middle of the pack in terms of passenger room (w.r.t wheelbase) & boot size (251 litres). Though, coupled with a short turning radius, the Micra a very chuckable hatch for the city.
VW Polo
The Polo’s Trendline variant is a bare bones variant with just power steering, central locking & front power windows – the only major redeeming/delightful feature is the Rake & Reach adjustment for the steering. The value proposition is lacking in the Polo and it is not redeemed by the thrummy 3 cylinder engines on offer, though it has one of the smoothest gear shift action.
In the brochure, VW even advertises features such as halogen lights, car jack, and front disc brakes which I believe are standard in all mainstream cars. Rear seat space is limited in the Polo but the boot is fairy ample at 294 litres. The feature “Boot open with key” is specifically relevant for Polo’s Trendline (& Comfortline) variants that have Central Locking only (no remote locking). One has to unlock the car first from the driver side door and then only can the boot be opened – in case ones hand is filled with shopping, this is an unnecessary hassle.
Maruti Suzuki Ritz
The Ritz is the less beautiful but equally talented sister of the elder Swift. In terms of cabin space, the Ritz provides a better feeling of space than the Swift with the tall boy design helping in liberating some space for the passengers, even though its wheelbase is on the shorter side. The Ritz also has a slightly bigger boot than the Swift (236 vs. 204 litres). Feature-wise the “V” variants are moderately loaded with the Ritz having an advantage of optional ABS (which is being considered in the comparison), plus 60:40 split rear seats (which is available even in the base “L” variants) over the Swift. Though strangely no parcel tray is given, which is not a very costly add-on and should be standard on all variants.
Chevrolet Sail U-VA
The Sail U-VA is a product of GM’s partnership with SAIC (Chinese), but thankfully the built is not as cheap as one had feared. In addition to features such as front & rear power windows, the Sail U-VA has a fairly unique set of features for a B+ hatch in this price range (Punto, i20 & Polo don’t get these) – driver airbag, 60:40 split folding rear seat, front fog lamps and even electrically adjustable ORVMs. Notable omission is a MID (Distance to empty & average display). Also the placement of power window switches on the centre console (rather than on the front doorpads) might not be to everyone’s liking. It is to be noted that the LS (ABS) version adds ABS and Bluetooth enabled music system for an extra Rs.35k over the LS variant.
Maruti Suzuki Swift
Features on the Swift’s “V” variants are middle of the pack with no major unique/delightful features nor are there any notable omissions (other than the ones listed above in the Ritz’s write-up). Though the spring loaded cupholder cooled by AC vent is quite delightful. Lack of a music system can be considered as a notable omission as most of the competition offers it. Even though the new Swift has a slightly longer wheelbase, space it is still very limited at the rear (not helped by the small glass area which makes one claustrophobic), plus the boot is amongst the smallest at only 204 litres. Agreed not everyone requires boot space, but even the Eon has a bigger boot at 215 litres.
But at the end of the day, it is the sales that matters – and the Swift sells like hot cakes with an ever present waiting period – a high selling car is good for the consumers by way of sufficient availability of spare parts, good resale value, after-market accessories, and servicing the car anywhere in India is not an issue. It is to be noted that Swift Vdi is on the expensive side at Rs. 6 lakhs as the fully loaded top variant of Figo is available at the same price.
Tata Indica Vista
It is to be noted that the Vista has passenger/cabin space as its delightful feature, but since it is not a quantifiable aspect, passenger space is not included in the comparison. But the Vista does lag behind others in terms of plastic quality and A.S.S to an extent. The Vista with the 90 HP Quadrajet engine is fairly powerful but comparatively has a higher price tag. Though it is to be noted that the top-end VX version of the 75 HP variant, costs just Rs 5.80 lakhs.
Most importantly the 90 HP version has the instrument cluster located in front of the driver rather than the central location in the 75 HP variant, which was not to everyone's liking. This is a welcome change in addition to the MID borrowed from Manza, which displays fuel average and distance to empty figures. For an additional Rs 85,000 or so, one can get Airbags, Automatic Climate Control, Touch-screen music system and SAT-NAV above the VX (with ABS) variant - which actually makes the ZX+ version seem quite decent value for money considering the amount of kit one gets.
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Most of the information has been collated from the manufacturers’ website for their respective cars and their brochures (so it is liable to change anytime at manufacturer’s discretion). Inclusion of some models & exclusion of others are solely on my personal criteria for comparison.
P.S. There are some blanks (“?” in the sheet) which need to be filled – so if owners of those vehicles can pitch-in, it would be great. Please report to me any anomalies in the analysis, as owners of these models would have a better idea and even the manufacturers also sometimes inadvertently don’t give the complete information or the details are mentioned incorrectly in their communication (online / brochure). I have tried to cover all possible features, but if any have been left out owners can point it out, preferably with supporting pictures (and remember they should be of same variant compared here). Please note that we are considering only the latest variants of the respective cars, say 2012 model and not the earlier ones or the ones that are no longer produced (e.g. Pref-facelift Swift, i20 or Liva).
Last edited by jessie007 : 9th September 2013 at 17:18.
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2nd March 2012, 19:16
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