New Hyundai iGen i20 Diesel Vs Volkswagen Polo Diesel– Which Hatch Is Better And Why?

Hyundai has recently launched the next generation Hyundai i20, called as the Hyundai iGen i20 2012 at an attractive base price of Rs. 4.73 Lakhs for petrol and Rs. 5.96 lakhs for diesel. It was pretty obvious that following the launch news, will be a couple of car comparisons for our readers so that they understand the i20 closely and make sensible choice between the new i20 and other hatchbacks they are considering. We have already compared the petrol and diesel variants of iGen i20 with 2011 Maruti Swift which you can read here(petrol comparison) and here(diesel comparison).

In this article, in continuation to our car comparison series on Car Blog India we are here with another comparison and this time the battle is between Volkswagen Polo Diesel and New Hyundai iGen i20 2012 Diesel.

image – New Hyundai iGen i20 (left), Volkswagen Polo (right)

New Hyundai iGen i20 Exteriors Vs Volkswagen Polo Exteriors

Since the i20 is new we will talk about the same first. As compared to its predecessor the new iGen i20 is 50 mm longer. This may not seem much as it is merely 2 inches but it does bring some remarkable change on the exterior of the car and makes it look slightly bigger. Looks wise it sports the fluidic design language which is also seen on Hyundai Verna Fluidic and Hyundai i10. If you talk about the appeal, yes it does impress us. The front face looks betters now and has a more upmarket feel to it.

The Volkswagen Polo is a typical European car with loads of character and edgy design. The Polo looks brutal and very contemporary, though it is a year old. Volkswagen always focuses more on the built than on the design but the Polo is an outstanding mixture of contemporary design and robust built. If I have to choose one of the two, considering the looks and presence, I would still go with the Polo.

New Hyundai iGen i20 Dimensions

Length = 3995mm
Width = 1710mm
Height = 1505mm
Wheelbase = 2525mm

Volkswagen Polo Dimensions:

Length: 3970mm
Width: 1682mm
Height:1453mm
Wheelbase:2456mm

In terms of proportion the i20 is longer, wider, taller as well has a considerably longer wheelbase. This means that the i20 offers more space than the Polo giving it an edge over the latter.

New Hyundai iGen i20 Interiors Vs Volkswagen Polo Interiors

image – Hyundai iGen i20 2012 Interiors

The i20 is refreshing and has loads of features one would love to have in his or her car. Features list includes automatic A/C, cluster ionizer, cooled glovebox, tilt and telescopic steering, push button start/stop engine, rear wiper and washer, 60:40 split seats, adjustable driver seat, electric sunroof, auto light control, fog lamps,ABS and EBD, parking assist, airbags etc. The interiors come in dual colour tones and even the space offered on the inside is remarkable.

image -Volkswagen Polo Interiors

The upmarket fit and finish on the outside of the Polo is carried on the inside also. The features list includes disc brakes, height adjustable headsets, engine immobilizer, ABS, airbags, fog lamps, tilt and telescopic steering, and many more. Even though there is a long list of features, the list is still shorter than i20’s list. Inevitably the i20 offers more features and more space on the inside which gives it an edge over Polo.

New Hyundai iGen i20 Diesel Engine Vs Volkswagen Polo Engine

New Hyundai iGen i20 Diesel Engine Specifications

1.4 Litre U2 CRDI Diesel Engine
4 Cylinder, Displacement 1396 CC
Max power of 88.8 BHP @ 4000 RPM
Max torque of 220 Nm @ 1500 to 2750 RPM
6 Speed manual transmission
ARAI Certified mileage of 21.9 KMPL
Kerb weight of about 1100 Kg
Power to weight ratio of 80.7 BHP per 1000 Kg

Volkswagen Polo Engine / Transmission :

3 Cylinder CRDI Diesel Engine
1199 CC CRDI engine
Max Power – 74 BHP @ 4200 RPM
Max Torque – 180 Nm @ 2000 RPM
5 Speed Manual transmission
ARAI Certified mileage of 22.7 KMPL
Kerb weight 1115-1145 kg
Power to weight ratio of 65 BHP per 1000 kg

The Polo gets a smaller engine which delivers lesser power and torque as compared to i20’s engine. The i20 has a 1.4 litre engine which not only delivers better torque and power figures but also a better power to weight ratio, owing to the low kerb weight. In terms of mileage, the Polo takes the lead with a marginal difference of 0.8 KMPL.

New Hyundai iGen i20 Diesel Performance & Handling Vs Volkswagen Polo Diesel Performance & Handling

The Polo’s suspension is quite stiff giving a very stable ride and appreciable comfort. The i20 is more comfortable and also has a more responsive engine but the suspension is soft making the ride a little uneasy at higher speeds and cornering. In handling also the i20 is slightly less confident than the Polo.

New Hyundai iGen i20 Diesel Price Vs Volkswagen Polo Diesel Price

Hyundai i20 iGen 2012 Diesel Price In India

The Ex-showroom Delhi prices of Hyundai i20 iGen 2012 are as follows:

Hyundai i20 iGen 2012 Era Diesel is priced at Rs. 5.96 Lakh
Hyundai i20 iGen 2012 Magna Diesel is priced at Rs. 6.20 Lakh
Hyundai i20 iGen 2012 Magna (O) Diesel is priced at Rs. 6.50 Lakh
Hyundai i20 iGen 2012 Sportz Diesel is priced at Rs. 6.98 Lakh
Hyundai i20 iGen 2012 Asta Diesel is priced at Rs. 7.44 Lakh

Volkswagen Polo Diesel Price In India

Volkswagen Polo Trendline Diesel is priced at Rs. 5.79 Lakh
Volkswagen Polo Comfortline Diesel is priced at Rs. 6.42 Lakh
Volkswagen Polo Highline Diesel is priced at Rs. 7.36 Lakh

Hyundai i20 iGen Era Vs Volkswagen Polo Trendline

Both the Era and Trendline are the base variants of i20 and Polo respectively and there is a difference of around Rs. 17,000 between the two with Polo being slightly cheaper. Both the variants do not come with any great safety features but the i20 does offers some extra features which is well justified for its slightly more cost. So if you are willing to get those extra feature along with extra power and torque then go for the i20 Era.

Hyundai i20 iGen Magna Vs Volkswagen Polo Comfortline

The i20 Magna comes with extra features like body coloured outside mirrors, rear parcel tray, rear sensors for parking assist, driver seatbelt reminder, glovebox cooling over the Era variant and is priced at 6.2 lakhs INR. The Polo comfortline gets extra features like body coloured outside door handle, 60:40 folding rear seat, parcel tray, power windows etc. over the Trendline variant and is priced at 6.42 Lakhs INR which is Rs. 22,000 more expansive than Magna. Besides being lower priced, the i20 offers more features once again so it is up to you which variant you choose.

There is also a Magna(O) model priced at Rs. 6.5 lakhs that comes with Optional features like rear defogger, ORVM mounted turn indicators, 2-DIN radio with MP3 player,AUX and USB connectivity, electrically adjustable outside mirrors etc. So if you pay slightly extra Rs. 8,000 for more features you go for Magna (O).

Hyundai i20 iGen Sportz Vs Volkswagen Polo Highline

Sportz i20 comes with most of the features but misses some of them such as passenger airbag, side and curtain airbags, auto light control, supervision instrument cluster, rear wiper, push button start/stop engine. All the mentioned features do not come with Sportz variant. On the other hand Polo Highline top end model comes with all the features listed in its brochure but still lacks many features when compared to i20. The Sportz is priced at Rs. 6.98 lakhs while which is a about Rs. 38,000 cheaper than the Highline but then the number of features offered are also less.

The top end Asta is priced at 7.44 lakhs INR which is costs slightly more , Rs, 12,000 when you look at the Highline and it is very small extra price to pay if you do not want to compromise of safety and convenience features.

Car Blog India Verdict – New Hyundai i20 iGen Diesel Vs Volkswagen Polo Diesel

As always we advice you to test drive both (some test drive tips here) the cars personally so as to differentiate better. Coming to the verdict the game is all about features and performance. The Polo is low on specs and features and is priced very close to the Hyundai i20. On the other hand the i20 is feature rich and also has a more powerful engine at a reasonable price point. Ride, handling and fuel efficiency are the sections where Polo beats the i20. The i20 is more upmarket now and comes with great features which are likable. So for us 2012 Hyundai iGen i20 does have an edge over the Polo this time around.

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