[AbhiJ]

Originally Posted by s3va

I20 is overly priced.

I agree.

Originally Posted by s3va

....to my surprise i heard the same noises in the I20 As well !!!!

I am driving my i20 CRDi on pretty broken roads for the past 2 days. The car is dead silent so far. Try taking a test drive in another car if possible...

[.anshuman]

Originally Posted by s3va

i did the test drive of both the cars,

I20 is overly priced,

One thing i noted explicitly, throttle response in i20 was really good when compared to Punto where i had to wait for the needle to touch 2500 rpm for the turbo to kick in. I found i20 more powerful than punto(i hate to say this being a FIAT fan).

Yes i20 is considerably more powerful and refined compared to the punto but punto has better dynamics.Plus the i20 crdi engine does not have the part throttle jerky nature of Verna Crdi.

Hyundais are generally rattle free,Ive never had issues regarding rattling in my Accent or Elantra (combined mileage ~2.70lac kms)

[AbhiJ]

Originally Posted by .anshuman

combined mileage ~2.70lac kms

Woah.... almost 7 times around the earth!!

[.anshuman]

Originally Posted by AbhiJ

Woah.... almost 7 times around the earth!!

OT: yes never did the calcuation actually, 2006 Elantra CRDi at 120k is doing as good it was doing at 20k,long term report coming soon.

[rkavthekar]

Originally Posted by sanagg1

The remaining answer is in second half
Basic economics =Demand v/s Supply
Its elementary dear doctor watson errr NOS Power

i20 CRDI has 1.4 litre engine which is not manufactured in India, but imported and hence draws huge duty and has thus pushed the car into higher price bracket.

Hyundai is mulling on setting up new factory to manufacture all crdi engines in India but, that will take time.

takecare and drive safely

[Ricky_63]

Well the Punto with Pete's box should satiate most of us !! That is my conclusion. Handling & ride are the primary factors in a car, be it B or D segment.

Punto seems to score on most counts other than a.s.s. but that should get better with more numbers, else find a reliable garage & you are home.



Cheers

[BMW-X5]

I took a back to back test drive of Punto MJD and I20 CRDI Before I booked Punto
MJD Emotion Pack.Here are my observations
I20 engine is very powerfull, I liked the sudden surge
I20 Power steering is lighter than my WagonR, I didnt like that at all. On the other hand Punto steering feels very heavy it is making Parking in small parking lots very difficult, otherwise Punto steering is excellent.
Ligther Powersteering and small turning radius make it I20 easy to drive in City but handling is very not confident inspiring. At higer speed on uneven roads I20 is very bouncy and I could hear suspension noice inside, where as punto had a smooth sail over these rough patches.
I20 Interiors are very good (though not amazing) fit and finishe is near perfect. 2010 punto plastic quality has improved and certian areas are really good but the boot,fuel lid openers glove box are pathetic
I20 is ligther but panel gaps are very consistent, Punto is build is miles ahead.Though panel
Gearshift in I20 is butter smooth, Punto is not bad either
Somehow I feel I20 ergonomics are messed up when comparing with Punto. I was not very comfortable in I20
Visibilty, I20 is very good even reversing was not a problem in I20.
No hatch and most of the sedans cant beat Punto in ride quality
In Punto I never felt like I'm driving a small hatch wherewas I20 was not very different from driving WagonR except for nice interiors and a powerful engine.
Punto AC is better, but I still feel like WagonR AC is cooling much faster than these two.
Engine noice, I20 is quieter of the two.

Then Fianlly why did I decide to buy Punto?

I would have been happy with a Swift DDIS if I20 was expensive.
I could have waited for another 3-4 months for the new Swift to be launched.
Ford Figo could have been real value for money.. but my heart was beating 'Punto, Punto'. belive it or not I even ditched a good sparingly used SX4 which was at least a couple of lakhs cheaper.

[avinashpai]

I have test driven both the i20 Crdi and the Punto MJD on multiple occasions since I wanted to but one of these. Disclaimer - I bought the i20 Crdi Asta BSIV.

Here is my take based on the test drive:

Punto looks better than the i20 in my eyes. The Punto should age a lot more gracefully than the i20. I thought the i20 has a combination of too many curves and straight lines. Not as smooth as a Punto. Punto looks gorgeous and has a good colour choice unlike the i20.

Engine - For me although the MJD is the national engine, with dues respects, the Crdi engine of the i20 trumps the Punto here. I say this for 2 reasons - The noise/ refinement levels in the Crdi are much better than the Punto. Especially when the engine is warm. I found that the Punto's engine was noisy. Maybe it was just me but I though it was noisier than the Swift's.

Gearshift - The i20 has a slick gear shift but you do have to press the clutch all the way in. I found that finding the neutral is not as easy as in the Punto. Maybe it was because of the fact that I own a Palio as well but I found the Punto neutral more easily. The Punto I test drove unfortunately did not have a slick shift. In fact it felt notchy and didn't slot into position as easily as I would have liked. Maybe it was just the test car. The i20 now comes with an additional gear which I guess would be a boon on the highways. The Punto needs one as well to better exploit the engine.

Interiors - The Punto has good interiors. Contrary to reports, I did not find the interiors finish too bad. What I did find in the test car however that the fit was not on par with rivals. There were largish gaps in some panels. One thing I noticed was that the black interiors made the cabin look smaller than it is. The i20 has good quality interiors though the brown-beige combination was not to my liking. I think given the airier cabin in the i20 they should have left it black. The gear knob too is not as good as the Punto's. However the fit and finish is much better in the i20.

Equipment - The Punto I drove was the Emotion+ model and had the works. Blue and Me is a great feature and the MFD is a boon. The speed limit beeper was a great feature as well. The i20 had most of this as well but lacked the Blue and Me and the Speed limit beeper. It also lacks some MFD functionality like a fuel consumption indicator. It however has electronically foldable ORVMs and turn light indicators on the ORVMs.

Ride and Handling - Punto was great and soaked in the bumps and potholes superbly well. Went over speed breakers at some speed and boy does the Punto soak them in. i20 is not bad - in fact it is good - but it can't hold a candle to the Punto here. Steering - I loved the Punto steering which I believe is a HPS (Like my Palios which I like too). I can take turns at reasonable speeds and the car would follow where I want to go. i20 is ok steering wise. It had an EPS that means city driving was a breeze. But at speeds, I would prefer the Punto's steering. Also when taking turns at a reasonable speed.

Driving - I test drove in the city and found the i20 to be a breeze. The Punto is good too but the i20 edges it out. The slick gear shift, on tap power (If you know to drive in the power band), ability to overtake easily, cruising ability all were good in the i20. The Punto had good in gear acceleration but took some time for me to adjust to. I felt that the low end grunt was better in the i20 if you stuck in the power band. Didn't really try high speed tests so no idea on those.

Thats my review of my test drives. Both are good cars. I have chosen the i20 but Punto is a great car as well and will probably suit a lot of people.

[.anshuman]

Originally Posted by avinashpai

Engine - For me although the MJD is the national engine, with dues respects, the Crdi engine of the i20 trumps the Punto here. I say this for 2 reasons - The noise/ refinement levels in the Crdi are much better than the Punto. Especially when the engine is warm. I found that the Punto's engine was noisy. Maybe it was just me but I though it was noisier than the Swift's.

, Even i found the Engine in i20 to be superior than the Multijet offered in Punto because of
1.Superior NVH
2.Peppy all the way till redline.
3.Eager to revv.
4.More power.

Gearshift - The i20 has a slick gear shift but you do have to press the clutch all the way in. I found that finding the neutral is not as easy as in the Punto. Maybe it was because of the fact that I own a Palio as well but I found the Punto neutral more easily. The Punto I test drove unfortunately did not have a slick shift. In fact it felt notchy and didn't slot into position as easily as I would have liked. Maybe it was just the test car. The i20 now comes with an additional gear which I guess would be a boon on the highways. The Punto needs one as well to better exploit the engine.

Hyundai has always offered very good gearboxes with the only concern being the long throw, this same issue ruins the i20's otherwise good shift action.

Punto's Gearbox has very positive light shifts which feel a bit rubbery, though not as good as the class best Polo or the runner up Swift. It's the gearbox which ruins the performance in Punto, the first 2 gears are unreasonably short. I find overall gearing too low to my taste, i would have lived with more lag but this annoying boom on highways speeds ruins the overall good experience.

Interiors - The Punto has good interiors. Contrary to reports, I did not find the interiors finish too bad. What I did find in the test car however that the fit was not on par with rivals. There were largish gaps in some panels. One thing I noticed was that the black interiors made the cabin look smaller than it is.

The i20 has good quality interiors though the brown-beige combination was not to my liking. I think given the airier cabin in the i20 they should have left it black. The gear knob too is not as good as the Punto's. However the fit and finish is much better in the i20.

The quality of plastics have improved in Punto after January, 2010. The real concern with Punto's interiors is poor fit, a lot of parts like the glove box have a lot of free play, the seats are not very well bolted, there is a lot of parts with misfits. Overall the Interiors look good but lack fit and finish on close inspection, sadly this is unfixed post upgrade.

The i20's interiors are much better finished, thought the beige brown combo is not to my taste.

Equipment - The Punto I drove was the Emotion+ model and had the works. Blue and Me is a great feature and the MFD is a boon. The speed limit beeper was a great feature as well.

The i20 had most of this as well but lacked the Blue and Me and the Speed limit beeper. It also lacks some MFD functionality like a fuel consumption indicator. It however has electronically foldable ORVMs and turn light indicators on the ORVMs.

Both the cars are very well specced, while the Punto has the brilliant Blue and me the i20 comes with electric folding mirrors and all wheel disc brakes, Sadly the 6 airbags variant is not available in diesel anymore.

Ride and Handling - Punto was great and soaked in the bumps and potholes superbly well. Went over speed breakers at some speed and boy does the Punto soak them in. i20 is not bad - in fact it is good - but it can't hold a candle to the Punto here.

Steering - I loved the Punto steering which I believe is a HPS (Like my Palios which I like too). I can take turns at reasonable speeds and the car would follow where I want to go. i20 is ok steering wise. It had an EPS that means city driving was a breeze. But at speeds, I would prefer the Punto's steering. Also when taking turns at a reasonable speed.

Ride, Handling and Steering is where the Punto wins hands down. Though Ladies and non-enthusiasts may not like the heavier steering in Punto, the lighter steering in i20 will be a better choice for them.

Driving - I test drove in the city and found the i20 to be a breeze. The Punto is good too but the i20 edges it out. The slick gear shift, on tap power (If you know to drive in the power band), ability to overtake easily, cruising ability all were good in the i20. The Punto had good in gear acceleration but took some time for me to adjust to. I felt that the low end grunt was better in the i20 if you stuck in the power band. Didn't really try high speed tests so no idea on those.

The Punto with lower gearing is easier to drive in town with better driveablity but when floor the accelerator on open roads you will be disappointed with the Performance. The i20 with taller gearing has more prominent lag but once beyond the 2000rpm the performance is very good all the way till redline.

[kage9091]

Originally Posted by .anshuman

Swift was much more cramped,but ill post the photos as soon as i manage to lay my hands on one.

Conclusion:Punto,i20 and Swift need more space, nothing can beat the boring Vista for space.

Now that the Figo is here, please check the legroom in the Figo. It's very comfortable in the front and back.

[.anshuman]

Originally Posted by kage9091

Now that the Figo is here, please check the legroom in the Figo. It's very comfortable in the front and back.

Talking about rear legroom, Figo is better than Swift, Punto, Polo etc but Vista remains the king amongst all the hatchbacks sold in our country.

I found a huge disadvantage in Figo, the tiny rear seats with fixed headrests are too small for taller people(The people who actually need the legroom), the top of the head rest does not reach my neck, forget my head. This is not only uncomfortable but also a safety problem.

I find very unfair to compare Figo to i20, Polo and Punto, in comparison it feels very basic and lacks the premium feel. Its a very good deal for the price it is offered but it cannot hold candle to i20, Polo and Punto's premium feel.

[kage9091]

Originally Posted by .anshuman

Talking about rear legroom, Figo is better than Swift, Punto, Polo etc but Vista remains the king amongst all the hatchbacks sold in our country.

I found a huge disadvantage in Figo, the tiny rear seats with fixed headrests are too small for taller people(The people who actually need the legroom), the top of the head rest does not reach my neck, forget my head. This is not only uncomfortable but also a safety problem.

I find very unfair to compare Figo to i20, Polo and Punto, in comparison it feels very basic and lacks the premium feel. Its a very good deal for the price it is offered but it cannot hold candle to i20, Polo and Punto's premium feel.

I agree that the Vista rules in terms of legroom. But Figo is second only to Vista.

The fixed headrests are a comfort and safety issue in the Figo.

The Figo Titanium TDCi has premium features like ABS with EBD, dual airbags, stereo with Bluetooth to name a few. Just because it is priced to be VFM (5.3 lacs ex-showroom), changes the perception that it is not a premium hatchback.

I find i20 to be overpriced. Worse, it does not have a decent air conditioner. The Figo's AC is a chiller on the other hand.

The New Polo Highline Diesel is overpriced in my opinion.

I like the Grande Punto for its design and I would pay a premium just for that.

I do not wish to hurt anybody's feelings. This is a very subjective issue. To each his own.

[.anshuman]

^^ Sorry to say that but everything in a Figo screams BUILT TO A PRICE. Its a good car at that price but in comparison i20 and Polo it seems like a compromise, built on a dated platform sharing parts from a model discontinued world over.

Most cars in the segment have ABS, Airbags etc. Even some cars from lower segment Spark, Beat and Wagon R comes with these. So much being a premium hatch in your language this car lacks basic features like rear power windows, rear headrests, alloywheels etc. The dashboard and meters design is so basic that they have to hide it using those coral shades.

Would you buy a Figo if it was priced in the range of Punto or i20?

[kage9091]

Originally Posted by .anshuman

^^ Sorry to say that but everything in a Figo screams BUILT TO A PRICE. Its a good car at that price but in comparison i20 and Polo it seems like a compromise, built on a dated platform sharing parts from a model discontinued world over.

Most cars in the segment have ABS, Airbags etc. Even some cars from lower segment Spark, Beat and Wagon R comes with these. So much being a premium hatch in your language this car lacks basic features like rear power windows, rear headrests, alloywheels etc. The dashboard and meters design is so basic that they have to hide it using those coral shades.

Would you buy a Figo if it was priced in the range of Punto or i20?

You have a valid point that many cheaper cars have more features compared to Figo like rear power windows, rear adjustable headrests, alloy wheels, rake adjust, true seat height adjust etc. In other words my definition of a premiun car has been revised. Figo is not a premium hatch. It is a competitive hatch.

I was ready to stretch my budget for i20, Polo and Punto but Figo fulfilled my need and budget.

Deal breaker for Punto was Tata A.S.S., poor Ac for i20 and unknown cost of ownership for the New Polo.


Also if a car is built on a dated platform ie. Figo on old European Fiesta platform, does it matter as long at it is giving decent competition to the Puntos, Polos. i20s and the rest of the B segment cars?

[.anshuman]

^^ Thats the reason for Figo's sucess, the customers get what they want at a lower price. Figo without a doubt is the best value for money diesel hatchback, if we forget the dated platform, we get dynamics as good as the Fiesta and engine carried over from Fiesta is a proven workhorse.

Ford really needs to take care of the maintenance costs and higher life of components this time. They went wrong with Escort first, then the Mondeo and they spoil it again with the Ikon.