[Nithesh_M]

A simple fact is that compact sedans are primarily built for our markets because of the sub 4m rule. While the platforms are shared with international spec hatchback models, the car still needs some amount of R&D to be converter into a sedan. That extra investment needs to be recovered somehow and that's why CS are priced at a premium over the hatch they're based on.

[turbo]

Originally Posted by SoumenD

Engine mostly is same in our market thanks to sub4m rule but yeah everything else is usually better in premium hatchbacks.

Not if you count the diesels, though.

The tigor got a lame 1000 cc diesel engine (still better than the ultra lame 1.2 NA petrol), which Tata, in all their wisdom put into the Altroz as well. Thankfully they put a 1.5 diesel in the Altroz.

The grand i10 xcent etc initially got a 1.1 diesel engine, and later, and also presently a 1.2 litre engine. Which were kind of alright, although not anywhere near the 1.4 i20 diesel.

The jazz never got a diesel engine. The swift and the Baleno, I agree.

[SoumenD]

Originally Posted by turbo

Not if you count the diesels, though.

Agreed however I was ofcourse talking about petrols as they make up majority of the sales in the segment.

Originally Posted by turbo

The jazz never got a diesel engine.

That's incorrect. Jazz has the 1.5L iDtec since quite sometime now. Infact Amaze, Jazz, WRV and city have it in same tune of 100PS,200Nm in manual guise. Amaze CVT however gets the slightly detuned 160Nm engine, probably due to the limitation of CVT gearbox.

[GTO]

The answer is simple = Compact sedans are "cheap" cars, whereas premium hatchbacks are "expensive" cars. Consider the i20 to the Xcent; the former is superior in nearly every way. It'll be the same with the next-gen i20 and the Aura. Compact sedans are basically cheaper hatchbacks with a boot. And remember, all things being the same, the rear end of hatchbacks costs more to produce because of additional strengthening needed for safety + hatch door.

[armaan_singh]

Entirely different target markets as per me.

In india, especially the sedan craze is huge, for a large majority of the people there still exists a quintessential "Badi gaadi vs chhoti gaadi" mindset and car manufactures milk that thought till the cows go home.

The overall dimensions are the same as well, but the features, kit and overall quality on offer are poles apart. Premium hatches actually have a good amount of quality going for them and are more closely matched to their C segment counter part like the i20 - Verna match or the Jazz-City match.

In fact I can go on the edge and even say that if you sit in a verna after the i20 (I own one) you dont really even feel that much of an interior upgrade as opposed to if you stepped into an i20 after the Xcent.

I would anyday pick the premium hatch but my mom for example recently bought a dzire to be chauffer driven, as she didn't want to be chauffer driven in a "chhoti gaadi" even if it was a Polo GT TSI, that's the reality of life, and thats fine.

But sticking to your original question, the difference in prices is mostly due to the upgraded quality levels in hatch, and also as I mentioned earlier, the target audience is entirely different.

Also, interestingly, without meaning to offend anybody at all, most buyers who pick say a Jazz or a an i20 are ones who genuinely want to buy those cars, but in the case of a CS, generally buyers want sedans, but at times have a budget constraint and hence go for a toned down version while still keeping the partial glory intact.

[GipsyDanger]

Premium hatches do have a problem in India though: The petrol engines. With the exception of Baleno, most of them are heavy and hence have to do with the tiny 1.2 thanks to legislation. That's why they aren't as sprightly as the lighter compact sedans which are based on hatches from a segment above.

While this may seem a good reason to prefer a fully loaded Xcent with better practicality and a livelier engine for the price of a basic i20(Not any worse safetywise too, as we learnt with the average ratings of the i20), things are changing now. The i20 will be getting a turbo-petrol, and so will the Altroz. So the prices will move up considerably beyond those looking to "cross-shop" between the segments.

Maybe its just me. Personal choice. Even with that, I'd prefer the Aura with the turbo petrol thanks to it's cheaper pricing for the same level of equipment and better power-to-weight ratio, better practicality and still easy to maneuver around, as it still roughly occupies the footprint of a hatchback. But again, I may look away (quite literally) due to its hideous styling.

But then again, if the new i20 comes with improved safety ratings, so factors may vary.

[BLACNWYTE]

AFAIK compact sedans are engineered for developing countries especially in the Asian subcontinent. These cars are usually based on the cheaper hatchbacks' platform with minimal modifications to accommodate for a boot. SO there is minimal expenditure on R&D if any. The hatchbacks in comparison are the premium hatches from the same manufacturer, these have a superior platform to begin with and also the cost of a sturdy hatch door is greater than a tinny boot lid. IIRC all CS have tinny boot lids. The MSIL Dzire is an exception I guess as it shares its platform with Baleno & Ignis. But Dzire is still cheaper than Baleno.

[1.2TSI7DSG]

The platform we are talking about changes. Xcent is based on the i10 while the i20 is based on a different platform. This has huge implications right from the sheet metal dies to the material of the interiors. Simply speaking the touch look & feel of the machine changes.

The other reason is, of course, to have a placebo effect. Would you like to buy a cheap sedan or a premium hatchback? With the Nano Disaster, everyone wants to be disassociated with the cheaper end of the segments. Though Maruti still milks the cheap end with the alto & Dzire, we have seen other disasters such as Eon, Nano, Go. People bought the readigo but avoided Go. Of course the Redigo was a much better product than the Go.

Xcent being a cheap sedan finds favour of the taxi segment rather than the individual user. Similarly there is the old dzire serving the tour market to avoid the dilution of the "premium" segment.

[GTO]

The way that I see it, there are just two advantages to a compact sedan over a premium hatchback = boot size & the "sedan" shape (if that matters to you). But you sure give up a lot of stuff.

Adding a poll to make things interesting .

[PrasannaDhana]

I choose premium hatchbacks over compact sedans.

Reason
1. Practicality
2. Better interior quality
3. Looks

Moreover Tigor will always be seen as an equivalent to Tiago, Xcent to i10 and so on. Where as the premium hatchbacks are placed a segment above when you look at the used car markets.

[JojyKerala]

I've taken the poll and chose "compact sedan" if I were to choose between a compact sedan and premium hatchback. There's a reason for this.

After owning hatchbacks with CNG kits for many years, I have grown to appreciate the extra boot space sedans offer. Currently, I have weekly trips with lots of luggage and my Rapid's boot has come in very handy here.

From an ownership perspective, I have no intention of buying a compact sedan or premium hatchback like the ones mentioned in this thread in the near future.

[PrideRed]

Originally Posted by GTO

The way that I see it, there are just two advantages to a compact sedan over a premium hatchback = boot size & the "sedan" shape (if that matters to you). But you sure give up a lot of stuff.

Adding a poll to make things interesting .

For an enthusiastic driver, compact sedans scores over their premium hatch counterparts based on my test drives. As I mentioned earlier, Turbo Xcent over i20, Amaze over Jazz, Dzire over Baleno. I haven't driven Altroz but it appears this one is better to drive than Tigor. However give me a competent hatch say a Polo TSi or a Figo, I would happily pick these over compact sedans. 1.4 mill on i20 was a gem, sadly Hyundai doesnot produce them anymore.

[turbo]

Originally Posted by PrideRed

For an enthusiastic driver, compact sedans scores over their premium hatch counterparts based on my test drives. As I mentioned earlier, Turbo Xcent over i20, Amaze over Jazz, Dzire over Baleno. I haven't driven Altroz but it appears this one is better to drive than Tigor. However give me a competent hatch say a Polo TSi or a Figo, I would happily pick these over compact sedans.

And what about turbo i10 nios over turbo aura?
Brio over amaze?
Swift over dzire?
Tiago over both Altroz and Tigor (all of them have the same 1.2 petrol and tiago is far lighter.)

[BLACNWYTE]

Voted for Premium Hatchback.

I would any-day choose i20 over Aura, Altroz over Tigor, Jazz over Amaze and Baleno over the Dzire. Even though the last ones share the same platform, comparing the top end trims of both Baleno is still VFM with better kit and has a CVT for an autobox rather than the AMT for Dzire. Also I feel that the space inside is better managed in a premium hatchback rather than a compact sedan.

[PrideRed]

Originally Posted by turbo

And what about turbo i10 nios over turbo aura?
Brio over amaze?
Swift over dzire?
Tiago over both Altroz and Tigor (all of them have the same 1.2 petrol and tiago is far lighter.)

They are significantly smaller on size/practicality. Compact sedans and premium hatches are comparable w.r.t size/price(latter being more expensive). The comparo is compact sedans Vs premium hatches and will stick to them. Alto K10 is also fun to drive but that's not the only point for comparison.