[.anshuman]

As everybody on Team-Bhp know i exchanged my Swift VDi abs with Punto Multijet this month and i have driven it 1400kms already (details here- http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/test-d...nde-punto.html )

When i bought Punto i knew i20 diesel was coming pretty soon but i was so much in love with the punto that i could not wait for the new hyundai.Now when the i20 CRDi was out i could not resist myself from testdriving it today so here is the my vesrion of the drive.

Looks: Both the cars are clearly the best looking hatchbacks,and looks being subjective i find Punto a better looking car (one of the main reason i bought it)



Interiors and space:
I like the shape of the dashboard in the Punto but the poor quality material spoil the party here ,in comparison the quality of the interiors is a lot better in the hyundai i20.

Space for the front seats is good in both the cars,i20's dashboard is less intrusive in the legspace and i20 has better space in the rear seats.Both cars have adequately large boot and i found punto's boot bigger in comparison.


Performance-
When i bought Punto i was not impressed with the performance,the car is not a good performer as my previous swift and the engine does not like to be revved,the best way to expliot the available torque is to upshift early and stay in the 1800-3000rpm powerband,shortgearing makes the car demand for additional sixth gear at speeds above 100.Driveability of the car is as good as the swift and requires lesser shifts in city driving.

When i first drove the i20 today i was amazed with rush as i was used to driving the Punto for last whole week,the turbo lag is very much there but as soon as 2000rpm mark arrived the car pulled instantly very much like a elantra or verna though the rush was not as apparant as in verna,the engine feels freerevving compared to strained multijet in the Punto(and even DDiS in swift).

Another thing i found better in i20 was the taller gearing which makes it better suited to expressway use where i took to aswell,the i20 could very easily criuse at just around 2000rpm at 100kph(punto and swift are at 2.5k)very much like the elantra and verna,performance on the expressway was much better compared to the weak Punto.

Ride,handling and Stability-
As expected i20 disappointed severely on these counts,after getting used to the Punto's Super absorbent ride i did not like i20's ride at all though it was soft enough but could not eat up the irregularities on the road as good as the Punto and nor it was as sient.

Another Aspect i20 disappointed me was the poor disconnected overlight steering,which feels really really bad if someone is used to the Punto's superbly weighted steering.

Highspeed stability on i20 is better than even the verna,the car is not as bouncy at speeds as verna and it felt fine at speeds upto 140 i could take her to,in comparison to i20 the Punto clearly masks the speeds better,infact if it was not the engine boom and shortergearing you could play 'guess the speed' with the passengers everyday.


NVH
i found NVH at lower revs in punto better as there was a bit of vibration in i20's cabin at idle but as soon as the revs rise i20's engine feels more refined compared to the Punto
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My Personal Verdict
I feel i20 is overpriced for what it offers,and even if it was offered at the same price as the punto i would still buy the Punto for it looks and dynamics.i20 is a better car for people who are just looking for outright performance.

I remember somebody mentioning A/C vents below i20's seats,even punto has them.

[JayD]

Great review anshuman. The main -ve i find in the punto is the performance, and that for the i20 would be its price. If the punto had atleast swift-like performance, and the i20 had saner pricing, we would have had two killer hatches in the country!!

[.anshuman]

Originally Posted by JayD

Great review anshuman. The main -ve i find in the punto is the performance, and that for the i20 would be its price. If the punto had atleast swift-like performance, and the i20 had saner pricing, we would have had two killer hatches in the country!!

Thanks JayD, I agree to Punto being underpowered,i am already saving for a tuning box whereas i never felt like getting it for my swift.

[d3mon]

Well thank god that you didn't like the i20 Crdi more than your punto, or else, who knows what could have happened

JK. Thanks for the review.

[.anshuman]

Originally Posted by d3mon

Well thank god that you didn't like the i20 Crdi more than your punto, or else, who knows what could have happened

JK. Thanks for the review.

Only if i20 was twice as good compared to Punto.

[manish7]

Does i20 have Blue & ME or something equivalent? I think GP's MyCar is far more exhaustive as compared to i20.

The interior quality indeed is better in i20, but it's ridiculously priced again. :( I might have considered it under 7.25 L for Asta model on Road. Looks like it will be 7.6 to 7.7 L OTR in Pune.

[architect]

A good comparo. From all the reviews I can figure out that:

Punto:
1. 140 kph feels like 100 kph because of ride and handling (or rather the perfect balance between both). Better dynamics.

2. However, engine is loud and boomy at triple digit speeds (an old grouse with our national engine).

3. Better design but poorer quality material on the interior.

4. Lesser rear seat space.

i20 CRDi

1. 140 kph feels like, well, 120 kph. Dynamics not as good as the GP.

2. Engine is more refined, less boomy inside and less high-revving is needed for triple digit speeds.

3. Better quality material in the interiors

4. Good rear seat space.

Now if only the i20 CRDi would have been 1.5 lakh cheaper!!

[breezydrive]

BTW, on which road & for how much time could you try 140 kmph in a TD

[.anshuman]

Originally Posted by manish7

Does i20 have Blue & ME or something equivalent? I think GP's MyCar is far more exhaustive as compared to i20.

The interior quality indeed is better in i20, but it's ridiculously priced again. :( I might have considered it under 7.25 L for Asta model on Road. Looks like it will be 7.6 to 7.7 L OTR in Pune.

i20 does not have Bluetooth and fuel consumption indicator but it has 6 airbags,sunroof and All wheel disc brakes.

But still i found braking better in Punto.Brakes in i20 are not overservoed like in Verna ABS version.

[.anshuman]

Originally Posted by breezydrive

BTW, on which road & for how much time could you try 140 kmph in a TD

I Started the test drive from Sector 14 showroom,took NH8 expressway from sec-15 entry.

[KRf1]

Great comparo!
A few more points:(all points out of 1 )
After Sales and Service : Punto 0 i20 1
Resale value (considering Fiat's past ) : Punto 0 i20 1
V F M : Punto 1 i20 0
Safety : Punto 0 i20 1
Fuel Economy ? (I dont know !)

[.anshuman]

Originally Posted by KRf1

Fuel Economy ? (I dont know !)

Dont know about i20 but Punto is delivering around 16-17kpl(light foot) for last 1400kms,very close to swift's figures.

[sriramv.iyer]

I did own a Swift VDi(ABS), and test drove both Punto and i20 CRDi. Actually, I waited for so long and went with a checkbook to buy Punto on the day it was launched. Unfortunately, I didn't buy Punto because it was slow and cramped.

i20 CRDI, on the other hand is quite spacious and I am beginning to love the 90 BHP CRDi mill. Ride is not very bad, and handling is decent for its power (may not match the handling of Punto). My current choice is i20 CRDi, but it has a 8 week waiting time!

[sriramv.iyer]

Originally Posted by KRf1

Great comparo!
A few more points:(all points out of 1 )
After Sales and Service : Punto 0 i20 1
Resale value (considering Fiat's past ) : Punto 0 i20 1
V F M : Punto 1 i20 0
Safety : Punto 0 i20 1
Fuel Economy ? (I dont know !)

Why did you put Safety as 0 for Punto? Any reason?

[.anshuman]

Originally Posted by sriramv.iyer

I did own a Swift VDi(ABS), and test drove both Punto and i20 CRDi. Actually, I waited for so long and went with a checkbook to buy Punto on the day it was launched. Unfortunately, I didn't buy Punto because it was slow and cramped.

Still Punto is more spacious compared to the swift and the swift's dashboard shape intrudes badly into legspace,which can also be a safety issue.