The Hyundai i20 facelift was launched at the Auto Expo 2018. With better styling and improved features, it has been priced between 5.34 lakh for basic petrol version and 9.15 lakh for the top of the class diesel variant. With these updates, the i20 is better prepared to battle against the current leader of the segment, the Maruti Suzuki Baleno. The Baleno has done great on the other hand with no updates since its launch. Let’s pit these dependables against each other and see which is better.
The biggest update to the Elite i20 is the new front and orange and black dual-tone color scheme. It has Hyundai’s signature shiny black grille with restyled headlamps, dual front airbags and ABS, parking sensors with reverse camera and a touchscreen infotainment system with AVN.
The i20 packs the same 1.2 liter petrol kappa engine capable of 82 BHP with 115 Nm of torque. The diesel variant is powered by a 1.4 liter CRDi engine which gives 89 BHP and 220 Nm of peak torque.
Coming to the Baleno, the petrol engine is a 1.2 liter K-series motor which gives 83 BHP with 114 Nm of torque while the diesel variant uses a 1.3 liter DDiS engine capable of producing 74 BHP and 190 Nm of torque, The Baleno is the most feature packed car in this segment with a dual-airbags, ABS with EBD and child seat mounts as standard features. Other features include auto-dimming IRVM, automatic climate control system, 7-inch touch-screen infotainment system and electrically adjustable and retractable ORVM’s.
Both the cars are on par with each other in terms of performance and technology. While the Baleno offers more features, the Elite i20 also has unique features and a powerful diesel engine along with stylish cabin and interiors. The Baleno is more comfortable on the pockets compared to the i20, but hey, who are we to judge!