Hyundai Elite i20 vs Maruti Suzuki Baleno

Business Published at: 15 June, 2020

Is the Elite i20 still worth a look even at the end of its life cycle?

But the Elite i20 made its debut in 2014, almost 6 years back. And now, Hyundai has another just ready to hit the market as soon as the lockdown lifts and things are back to normal. However, things aren’t going to be as easy for the premium hatchback as it used to be back in the day since it has a very worthy contender on the other side, the Maruti Suzuki Baleno, which was only given a mid-cycle facelift early last year.

So, then, the question is, should you pick the Hyundai Elite i20, wait for the newer model, or pick the Maruti Suzuki Baleno, as of mid-2020? Well, to answer that question, here’s a quick brief that’ll help you make a decision should you purchase a premium hatchback this year.

Hyundais have always had an aesthetic advantage over any others in a particular space. But that’s not the case in the premium hatchback space – not to the fullest, I hope. The Baleno is a beautiful and conservative hatchback with the right dimensions and a bit of sporty character. It has all the necessary exterior equipment, too, by segment standards. The Elite i20, even at the end of its life cycle, looks gorgeous and appealing. The upcoming i20, if we consider that too, is a design masterpiece too, like the Elite i20 was back in the day.

On the interior front, however, the Elite i20 is by far the most equipped car in the segment. Not to say, it gets the most well-built materials too, which scream premium and are built to last. The dual-tone black-and-beige theme works well too, and everything is designed in a way it still looks great, even after all these years. The 2020 i20 is only going to take the game further. The Baleno, on the other hand, gets a full black interior. It, too, gets a ton of features, but it lacks the finesse and just that bit of opulence you get with the i20’s cabin. If space matters to you, however, the Baleno has acres of it, which, in fact, is the best in the segment.

Since the BS-VI emission norms kicked in, both Hyundai and Maruti Suzuki discontinued the diesel iterations of the Elite i20 and Baleno. So, therefore, both the cars are now available with just a petrol engine. Starting with the Hyundai, the Elite i20 is available with the same 1.2-litre four-cylinder Kappa petrol engine, which churns out 82bhp and 115Nm of torque. The Hyundai is now available in just a petrol-manual configuration, as the company has decided to axe out the CVT-equipped hatch before the new one comes out. The Baleno, on the other hand, comes with both a CVT and a 5-speed manual transmission paired to the 1.2-litre K12 motor, which is good for 82bhp and 115Nm of torque. So, if it’s a petrol-automatic you need, the Baleno is the only option as of now.

On that matter, you can also pick the Volkswagen Polo if you need a sportier petrol-automatic hatchback, for it now comes with a sole TSI turbo-petrol engine. In terms of design, however, the Polo feels dated as it’s now a decade old. There’s Honda Jazz, too, which needs a substantial makeover. But Honda is set to revamp the current-gen Jazz once again with more kit. Lastly, you can also choose to pick the newly launched Tata Altroz, which is the only premium hatchback that comes with a diesel engine. for more updates and details about products of Automotive visit to Nomipromocode

Regardless, I must say, the Hyundai Elite i20, despite being 6 years old, still makes a lot of sense. For your money, you’re getting a properly packed hatchback with all the features in regards to the segment standards. Moreover, Hyundai is also offering tons of discounts with the Elite i20, which only makes it more compelling. The 2020 i20, as we all know, is going to be an expensive offering. So, to answer the question in the title, yes, the Hyundai Elite i20 still makes a lot of sense. Just make sure a petrol-manual hatchback is an engine-gearbox combination you need.