New Hyundai i20 vs Tata Altroz vs Maruti Baleno: Specs, Features & Prices Compared

The premium hatchback segment now gets busier. Which one is the right bet for you? Find out in this spec comparison.

With the launch of the Hyundai i20 on November 05, 2020, the choices of consumers of premium hatches now widen. It isn’t like the i20 was not available earlier, the difference this new i20 brings is under the hood – it gets a diesel engine (which was discontinued earlier this year). The tally of premium hatchbacks with a diesel heart now becomes two, the other being the Tata Altroz.

Let’s check out how the cars stack up against each other on paper along with the Baleno.

Design

Among the three, the new Hyundai i20 gets a sharper and edgier design with trapezoidal grille and sleek bumper. The cuts and creases give it a sporty stance. The family grille is flanked by projector headlamps having LEDs. The 16-inch diamond-cut alloy wheels and Z-shaped tail lamps accentuate the sporty character.

SEE HYUNDAI i20 OFFERS AND ON-ROAD PRICES

Contrarily, the Tata Altroz has a more mature face with a smiling grille that seamlessly merges with the large headlamp units on either side. The pronounced wheel arches and stubby front give it a premium appeal. The rear door handles move up near the sides of the window (similar to discontinued Chevrolet Beat). The tail lamps stick out of the socket and look appealing. Paint quality is top-notch, and it feels.

SEE TATA ALTROZ OFFERS AND ON-ROAD PRICES

The Maruti Baleno also got a mid-life facelift which helped improve its looks. The bulbous design now gets sharper silhouettes from the front especially the bumper. Rest of the curvaceous design continues to be more or less similar to its previous iteration. Although it lacks that enthusiastic appeal, it beats others comprehensively.

SEE MARUTI BALENO OFFERS AND ON-ROAD PRICES

Dimensions

Surprisingly, the Tata Altroz appears to be the biggest car but it isn’t. In fact, it is the shortest car here. New i20 and Baleno have similar lengths. While the i20 is the widest, the Baleno is the narrowest. The Altroz is the tallest car followed by the Maruti and Hyundai. The Korean car tops the wheelbase measurement as well whereas the Altroz has the shortest.

Interior

The sporty character of the new-generation i20 is evident inside as well with suave horizontal lines moving towards the air vents. It always had that premium cabin and the same continues with the new model as well. Be it plastic or other materials inside the cabin, the quality is top-notch. It gets adequate space.

Wide opening doors welcome you inside the Altroz’s cabin – making it ingress and egress a breeze. The cabin is futuristically designed and offers a sense of richness. Space has always been the USP of Tata cars and they continue to imbibe the same in their modern cars as well. You get plenty of storage space for your knick-knacks in the Altroz.

The Baleno gets roomier cabin with everything placed just at the right spot. The same composed feel travels inside as well. It gets an all-black dashboard with silver inserts. The shoulder room is quite good at the rear so seating three abreast isn’t a complain factor at all. You get enough of storage spaces in the Baleno as well.

Engine and Specifications

While the Hyundai i20 and Tata Altroz come with petrol and diesel engine options, the Baleno is available only as petrol.

Petrol Engines

The power is more or less except for the Hyundai i20’s 1.0-litre turbo engine which is the most powerful and torquiest of the lot. Baleno’s dualjet motor is the most fuel-efficient here.

Diesel Engines

With similar capacity diesel engines, it’s the i20 which manages to extract more power and torque compared to the Tata hatch. It beats the Altroz in the mileage department as well.

Features

The all-new Hyundai i20 comes with features such as LED headlamps, air purifier, BlueLink connected car tech and a sunroof. It also gets a 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity.

Tata, on the other hand, has imparted decent creature comfort features in its Altroz premium hatch. It gets a 15-litre cooled glove box, 7-inch infotainment system, voice commands for infotainment and climate control, ambient lighting, semi-digital instrument cluster, cruise control and steering-mounted audio controls.

The Baleno comes with LED projector headlamps, auto climate control, passive keyless entry and push-button stop/start. A 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity is also provided in the Maruti Suzuki hatch.

Safety

On the safety front, the i20 comes with six airbags, rear parking sensors, and electronic stability control.

The Altroz comes with a magnificent Global NCAP test rating of 4 stars. Its protective gadgets include dual front airbags, ISOFIX child seat anchors, and rear parking sensors.

Maruti Suzuki Baleno gets dual airbags, ABS with EBD, rear-view camera rear parking sensors and ISOFIX child seat anchors.

Prices (ex-showroom, New Delhi)

While the price of Hyundai i20 is steepest, the Altroz is the most economical to buy. The difference between their base variants is almost more than Rs 1.5 lakh!

Verdict

All three serve their purpose. You cannot axe one just because of a missing feature. However, looks could be something which may help you narrow your selection. After the design, budget plays a key role here. Buyers looking for ‘more for less’ should opt for the Altroz which gets a tough built (testified by Global NCAP) and premium cabin. The Baleno is the jack of all trades. It gives you space, mileage and adequate features but then, it is only available as petrol. If you can extend your budget and want a proper premium hatchback, go for the new Hyundai i20.