Just like any other Indian car buyer, first step wast to decide budget: 7-9lacs. On paper there is lot of choice in this segment. Hatchbacks like Swift, i10 grand or Figo; also the more premium ones like Baleno, Punto, Polo or i20, small SUVs like Ecosport, Vitara, TUV 300 and even Duster is in the list. Sub 4 meter sedans were ruled out since I never understood the logic of buying a cramped & ugly sedan when you can get spacious, capable and good looking hatches at the same price.
So the only option left are the good old hatchbacks. Since I would be driving around 1500km a month, my choice of fuel was diesel (it was more of an emotional decision since to recover price difference b/w petrol & diesel car, you have to drive the car 1700km every month for 5 years at the current fuel prices!!). Here is the final shortlist
- Ford Figo
- Maruti Suzuki Baleno
- Honda Jazz
- Volkswagen Polo
- Hyundai i20
Ford Figo
Once the shortlist is being made, the next step was to go for the test drives. There being a new Ford showroom right next to my home, I decided to try the new Figo first. It is the most promising car on paper. Highest power output at almost 100 Bhp and the legendary Ford handling. As expected the engine is a gem. Smooth power delivery, very less turbo lag and good refinement too. Suspension is also well set up, neither too hard nor too soft. Steering didn't offer much feed back and a was bit too light for my liking. But the biggest let down was the overall build quality. The panel gap on the bonnet was big enough for your finger to easily go in. Body panels doesn't flush well, very awkward misalignment b/w bumpers, fenders, doors etc. Interiors plastic quality is the worst. The top of the dashboard has got shiny plastics which immediately points that it was build to cost. Same was the case with rest of the interiors- door pads, center console everything. Even the wiper and headlamp stalks and the steering wheel have too many rough edges. Now a days we see better quality plastics used even in cars one or two segments lower. But the interiors were roomy enough and seats were also comfortable though I would have a liked bit harder cushioning. Another area which requires big improvement was the sound insulation. There was all sorts of noise in the cabin- wind noise, road noise etc. It was not at all a quite and peaceful place even at high two digit speeds. Summing up the good and bad bits
GOOD- Looks, Engine, Suspension, Interior Space
BAD- Build quality, cheap & hard plastics, noise insulation
Maruti Baleno
Next I headed straight to the closest Nexa dealerships to see whats all the hype about the newly launched Baleno. The experience at the dealer was not so premium and I had to wait for more than an hour to get the test drive. They dint have a proper place to sit down and relax. I guess the crowd at the showroom was far more than what they expected !! But since Maruti is trying to portray it as premium outlet, they should have taken more care to avoid such situations.
Car looks good and have decent road presence. The best angle to view the car was the rear three quarters. Once you are inside car, it has managed to pull off a special feeling, be it the leather wrapped steering wheel or the trendy V- shaped climate control unit. When you look closer there are some cheap bits too like the power window switches or the driver seat height adjustment lever. It is also an ergonomically well engineered place, finding a comfortable driving position is very easy with the height adjust seat and tilt & telescopic steering. The center arm rest is perfectly located. There were lots of space inside the cabin too. Cabin is very wide and there is oodles of leg room for both the front and rear passengers. Boot is really big and also comes with a boot light, but the loading lip is bit too high. My only complaint about the interiors is that, though the seat themselves are very supportive, seat cushioning could have been bit more harder.
On the drive and handling front, she really surprised me. Steering is precise and weighed up well with speed. Even though the engine might seem under powered on paper, it is not the actual case. It felt punchy and quickly gained speed owing to the light weight. Engine felt bit noisy, but I guess its more due to the complete absence of road and wind noise; just the opposite of Figo. Another area where I am impressed is the suspension set up. Even though the car is very light, at no point it felt skittish. It was as good as if they have done some black magic with it!! Summing up the good and bad
GOOD-Looks, Interior Space, Suspension & Steering set ups
Bad- not really anything bad but could have done with better plastics at some areas
Honda Jazz
The next car up the list was the Jazz. There is no doubt the fact that it is stunner,one of the most flashy car in this segment. I went for the test drive with big expectations. All Honda vehicles I have drive before were excellent.
Immediately into the test drive, one thing I noticed was the sound insulation. I was able to hear lot of road and wind noise. I checked all the windows and doors just to make sure nothing is open. Since it was a diesel variant, I asked the dealer to hand over the keys of a petrol car. It felt no different. It could either be because of the poor insulation of wheel wells or the tires are too bad. Honda is using the most skinny tires among this lot, may be to improve on paper fuel efficiency.
The diesel engine also doesn't feel very lively as a 100Bhp should be. It hesitates to rev, unlike the Honda petrols we are used to. In gear acceleration is good, you can easily pull away from lower speeds in a higher gear. But it is the top end which is lacking. Ford engine felt much more nicer and easier to drive though both are having similar power outputs. I think it is partly because of the gear ratios too.
Interiors are good. Steering felt nice to hold. Dashboard looks different. Its a love or hate thing. I am not much fan of the touch screen controls for the aircon. Dashboard could have been finished better. There are lot of cup holders, bottle holders and cubby holes. It is a very practical place. Front seats offer superb comfort, but the rear seats could have been better. The back rest is too short and could be problem in long journeys. Also the dual color interiors in the lower variants is not working in its favor. All black interior of VX trim definitely looks much more premium.
So summing up
GOOD- Space, looks, features
BAD- not so great engine, noise insulation, rear seat comfort and space
Volkswagen Polo
Polo is the bread and butter for VW India. It is the only model from the group companies which sells more than 2000 units a month. Diesel engine in the polo is a gem. Oodles of torque, free revving, very linear power delivery and strong mid range . No doubt that this is the best engine in the class. Suspension is also set up very nicely though bit on the sporty side. Steering is very precise and direct though it could have weighed up bit more at high speeds. But that would be just nitpicking.
Exterior fit and finish is also excellent. Panels gaps are identical all through out the car. You can hardly find anything which is not properly put together. And looks are also good. The evergreen European design. It has aged gracefully over the years and facelift has brought the much needed freshness.
Interiors are also well build, no place you can find some bad plastics. Everything is put together so well that it can easily last for one's life time. But it looks bit too old, like one generation back. Instrument cluster though is very rudimentary, it lacks the wow factor of Jazz's or Baleno's unit. Seats are well cushioned and offers the best support. The only area it lacks is the space. Even the front shoulder room is less and foot wells feel cramped. If a six footer is sitting in the front seat, forget about accommodating a passenger behind him. Summing up
Good- Evergreen design, built quality, awesome diesel engine
Bad- space, space & space or the lack of it!! & high the maintenance cost that VW group cars are notorious for.
Hyundai I20
To be frank I was never a big Hyundai fan. I don't find their cars to be well engineered. Though the specs might look good on paper, when it comes to actual driving all Hyundais' have always been disappointing. But when the new I20 was launched, good reviews started pouring in from all quarters. So went to the Hyundai showroom with big expectations only to be disappointed. Steering lacks feedback, it is neither precise nor linear. You won't be having any confidence to push it into corners or tight gaps in traffic. Engine and gearbox felt potent enough, but it is the steering which takes away all the goodness. Ergonomically also, i didn't find it very comfortable. Suspension was another problematic area. it is s too softly sprung that at high speeds the car is very unstable. The whole set up just feels like one for old retired people (to pamper them with the plush ride) or those who wants to do show off with all the bells and whistles. If you enjoy driving, this is not definitely not your pick.
Interior fit and finish is good, seats offer decent support. Good enough amount of space for both front and rear passengers, though not as much as you get in Jazz or Baleno.
Just like every other Hyundai, the exterior design has aged super quickly. It has already started looking dated. I know its completely a matter of ones perspective. So summing up
Good- space, built quality, lots of features
Bad- steering, suspension
So coming back to the question I started with, which one to buy? Polo was vetoed by my wife for the lack of interior space. Jazz and Figo was ruled out primarily because of road, tire & wind noise, I20 for being too dump to drive. So I decided to go with the Baleno for being the best all rounder though it doesn't outshine the competition in any parameter except for the theoretical mileage (I guess all these cars should return near identical fuel efficiency in practical driving conditions). I have being waiting ever since I made the booking and its turning out to be longer one owing to its high popularity!!
