[ChiragM]

Believe it or not, post the implementation of BS6 emission rules, there are only three diesel hatchbacks on sale in India!! These are the Tata Altroz, Hyundai Grand i10 Nios and the Ford Figo / Freestyle twins.

Surprisingly, the market leader Maruti Suzuki no longer has any diesel car on sale. Talk about not doing your homework. Even diesel-inclined manufacturers like Volkswagen have moved completely to petrol engines for their entire range.

Of course, while there are many diesel cars coming, they are unlikely to be launched anytime soon. It may take time for more diesel hatchbacks to be introduced in the market. The next diesel hatchback will be the upcoming Hyundai i20.

While the Figo / Freestyle twins and the Altroz get a 1.5L engine, the i10 Nios gets a 1.2L engine. It's time for these 3 hatchbacks to make the most of the situation. After all, there are still lakhs of car owners who prefer diesel engines. Even on Team-BHP, many enthusiasts love diesel engines for their superior torque & long tank range. Resale value is generally higher for diesel cars too.

Tata Altroz

What you'll like:

• Looks absolutely stunning! Solid build too
• Nice interior with good quality parts & adequate space
• Accommodating 345-litre boot is among the biggest of the segment
• Competent turbo-diesel engine. Good driveability, punchy & fuel-efficient
• Mature on-road behaviour, including at highway speeds
• 5-star NCAP safety rating! Safety package includes dual airbags, CSC, break reminder etc.
• Enjoyable Harman 6-speaker ICE. Superb sound quality
• Impressive kit (auto headlamps & wipers, cruise control, ambient lighting, adjustable armrest...)
• Factory-fitted customisation packs available

What you won't:

• Diesel variant carries an insane premium! Works out to ~2 lakh rupees on the road
• The Altroz diesel should have gotten the Nexon's tune & gearbox
• Under-powered, weak & noisy 3-cylinder 1.2L petrol engine
• Suspension has a firm edge at low speeds (16" rim variants). Bad roads will bother you
• Service visit every 6 months / 7,500 km (1 year / 10,000 km is the norm today)
• Some missing features (auto-dimming IRVM, thinner spare tyre on top trims, split-folding rear seat...)
• No automatic variant in a market that loves its ATs
• Tata's after-sales service quality is a hit or miss. Remains a gamble
• Concerns over niggles in a freshly-baked Tata product

Link to Official Review

Hyundai Grand i10 Nios

Link to Launch Thread

Ford Figo

What you'll like:

• Aston Martin-esque face still looks very stylish!
• Peppy 95 BHP 3-cylinder petrol is much improved over the earlier lethargic 1.2L
• Powerful & efficient 1.5L diesel. Excellent driveability too
• Mature ride quality. Also, improved handling thanks to the fatter 195 mm tyres
• Well-packaged cabin offers good legroom, lots of features and a chilling air-con
• Titanium+ variant gets 6 airbags, while the 1.5 AT has ESP
• 5 year / 1 lakh km warranty with transparent + reasonable service costs
• We feel the pricing is fair for the package on offer

What you won't:

• 1.2L is good for a 3-cylinder engine, but the 4-cylinder 1.2s from Maruti, Hyundai & gang are superior
• Overall design (other than the face) feels old & bland compared to newer hatchbacks
• Some missing essentials (e.g. dead pedal) & some deletions (e.g. SYNC3, height-adjustable seatbelts)
• Lighter build is a departure from the usual Ford sturdiness
• Cabin width makes the Figo suited to 4 adults, not 5
• Automatic doesn't come in the top variant with 6 airbags
• Rear headroom is limited. Headliner brushes the heads of taller passengers
• A bit uncertain of how the long-term after-sales will be, with the Mahindra-Ford JV

Link to Official Review

[GTO]

Thread moved from the Assembly Line to the Indian Car Scene. Thanks for sharing!

[VWAllstar]

Can safely say that Ford Figo TDCI shall get maximum votes on Team BHP. There was only Polo 1.5 TDI which was a close match to Figo TDCI. However, after reading Altroz Diesel specific review on Team BHP, it looks like we have got a close winner in it. It is very surprising to know that we have only 3 Hatchbacks with diesel fuel option. Probably, Maruti's absurd advertising of 'Calculate Kiya Kya' will start looking very felicitous.
I own BS4 Figo S TDCI and have driven the Altroz Diesel. Altroz is a complete package and feels more premium than the Figo. It also drives well and has sufficient power to keep an enthusiastic owner happy. However, I would never chose it over Figo because of the USP - TDCI. We must collectively thank Ford to upgrade that gem of an Engine to BS6 with hardly any increase in cost.

[RSR]

I'd pick the Ford Freestyle if I had to choose among these three, simply because of the side & curtain airbags and additional GC. The Ford 1.5 TDCi engine is a gem and the best among these three IMHO.

Yeah, I know the Altroz is a well-rounded, very safe 5* G-NCAP rated car and the Nios is good value-for-money, gets an AMT option & is highly fuel efficient (thanks to its 3-pot 1.2 CRDi), but both lack side & curtain airbags.

The upcoming next-gen i20 1.5 CRDi is also worth waiting for as it too will get side & curtain airbags. I wish they provide the GC of the ertswhile i20 Active (190 mm) on the regular car itself or at least 180 mm.

[vigsom]

Some of the reasons for this are as follows:

1. With every step up in emission norms (eg.BS3 to 4 to 6), technology and additional equipment gets exponentially dearer, especially in diesels. That translates to a huge delta in prices of the diesels vs petrol variants, which, like in the case of the Altroz is hard to digest for the buyer.

2. The once - upon - a - time 10 rupee price difference between diesel and motor spirit is down to negligible levels. So why would one invest, say 2L extra if energy costs can't be recovered that quickly?

3. Turbo petrols have, to a large extent, addressed of the limitations of petrol NAs having low rpm - torque characteristics.

4. The NGT rule on diesels >10 years is probably another factor.

I think resale values for smaller petrol cars is now improving - and in several markets, especially those where CNG is in abundance, petrols command a better resale value than diesels.

[PaddleShifter]

I am living in Uttarakhand these days and my Punto is out of action because of the need for service and repairs. My future purchase shall be from TATA, Mahindra, Hyundai or Maruti only (unless something else is too compelling).

I have driven Freestyle and I instantly liked it. The exit of Ford as an independent company shall limit me from getting one. Having owned a Fiat from the TATA FIAT JV days, my experience tells me that the domestic partner remains the boss in a 50-50 JV.

Between Nios and Altroz, its a no brainer.

[TorqueIndia]

If you are looking for an upgrade from 1.0/1.2 NA Petrol car , then only a turbo petrol / diesel will make that upgrade worth the money .

I wonder how how people can upgrade from a WagonR to a Swift/ Baleno 1.2 petrol , it will never feel like an upgrade in terms of powertrain and underpowered at times, especially when loaded and sub 100KMPH. Maruti Diesel variants were there for such guys , but now with BS6 that market is open for others with diesel tech.

My pick is the Altroz Diesel as it's the most updated one here with Safety, Looks, Space, Comfort & Power , definitely i20 Diesel will be worth for waiting , it may come with venue spec diesel.

Altroz pricing looks like Tata Motors have already left the room for the Turbo petrol variant.

[2cents]

As another useful indicator you could've included one more option to include the mood towards small diesels. Something like 'No way I'll go for a diesel for a small hatch'. Mind you none of these three are taxi segment, so one must have a really really strong reason to buy any of them.

[evoker]

As much as I love the Altroz, I'd pick the Nios. An automatic is a must for me and a diesel auto is a huge plus. If the Altroz came with a Diesel Auto then I'd buy it even over most C-SUVs.

[Vik0728]

Believe it or not, post the implementation of BS6 emission rules, there are only three diesel hatchbacks on sale in India!! These are the Tata Altroz, Hyundai Grand i10 Nios and the Ford Figo / Freestyle twins.

Voted for Figo

As much as I love the Altroz design and stance, that engine is drive-able at the most (IMO). I always rank performance of an engine over NVH, clutter, and so on. In this aspect, there is no stopping the Figo TDCI.

Heck, if Figo was a bit more modern and better designed (like hidden windscreen nozzles and rear set roof antenna), i would have happily picked this one over GT TDI last year.

[Abhi5868]

Depends on the need.

If this is the first car in the family, I'll probably go for the Altroz, since the proven safety along with long list of features makes a well contained overall package.

However, if this is for my personal use ford figo will be the default choice. I've done a short trip in the Freestyle and with four adults+1 kid it was a bit uncomfortable, figo being it's smaller sibling doesn't make a stong case either.

[Sk8r]

I currently drive a Freestyle TDCi ( 2 years / 25000 km old )and love it's excellent driveability and the addictive torque pull. Mileage ( 20 KMPL average ) is a bonus

But if I have to buy a similar profiled car today, I would pick the Altroz Diesel. Why ?

- Way more modern than the on sale Freestyle/ Figo
- Just love the way it looks ( Altroz is the only car my wife can recognize from at a distance )
- Future of Ford is not very confidence inspiring

[kanishka88]

Hands down Ford Freestyle.

My experience with Ford has been nothing short of phenomenal.

1. Tank like build quality - Check
2. Excellent driving dynamics - Check
3. Friendly A.S.S in BLR, Gurgaon and to some extent in home town - Check
4. That Infotainment system <3

I am sure Altroz would be equally good in above parameters but Ford is tried and tested, comes with a global platform (ford Ka) and the engine is super sweet. Only reasons i wouldn't buy a Freestyle are it being a strict 4 seater and Altroz looks delicious. I wish they had diesel automatic in both ES and FS with FS retailing in 6 digits.

[KPR]

Until I get Nexon-tuned diesel engine in Altroz it's Ford eyes closed for me. Can we see a TUV300 type engine edit by Tata ?
BTW why Honda Jazz isn't offered in Diesel?

[ram.iyer95]

The Altroz it is, for me. The 5-Star NCAP rating and the droolworthy looks are enough to seal the deal. And TML is here to stay. The engine may not match the Ford TDCi in terms of outright performance, but the otherwise-brilliant overall package is hard to resist.