2020 Hyundai i20 vs Maruti Baleno: Which Hatchback To Buy?
Published On Nov 16, 2020 12:01 PM By Dinesh for Hyundai i20 2020-2023
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Is the newest hatchback a worthy replacement for the best-selling Baleno?
Hyundai recently launched the 2020 i20 at a starting price of Rs 6.80 lakh (ex-showroom India). It gets an all-new design, new features, and a set of new engines. But is it enough to make it a better choice over the Baleno? Let’s find out.
Before diving into the details, let’s take a look at the dimensions of the two hatchbacks:
| 2020 Hyundai i20 |
Maruti Baleno |
Difference |
|
| Length |
3995mm |
3995mm |
- |
| Width |
1775mm |
1745mm |
+30mm |
| Height |
1505mm |
1510mm |
-5mm |
| Wheelbase |
2580mm |
2520mm |
+60mm |
While both are identical in length, the new i20 is wider and also has a longer wheelbase than the Baleno. In terms of height, the sporty-looking Hyundai sits slightly lower than the Baleno.
Now let’s talk about the engines. Where the new i20 is offered with two petrol and one diesel engine, the Baleno is available with two petrol engines. So, we will only compare the petrol engines here.
Petrol Engines:
| Hyundai i20 |
Maruti Baleno |
|||
| Engine |
1.2-litre |
1.0-litre turbo |
1.2-litre |
1.2-litre mild-hybrid |
| Power |
83PS/88PS |
120PS |
83PS |
90PS |
| Torque |
113Nm |
172Nm |
113Nm |
113Nm |
| Transmission |
5-speed MT/CVT |
6-speed iMT/7-speed DCT |
5-speed MT/ CVT |
5-speed MT |
-
The i20’s 1.0-litre turbo-petrol unit is the most powerful engine here. It also makes the most torque.
-
While all the engines are offered with a 5-speed manual transmission, the 1.0-litre turbo petrol is available with two distinct two-pedal transmissions: the 6-speed iMT (clutchless manual) and 7-speed dual-clutch automatic.
-
Hyundai’s and Maruti’s 1.2-litre naturally aspirated petrol engines have identical power and torque figures. Both get the choice of a CVT automatic. Hyundai’s 1.2-litre unit makes 5PS more with CVT than it does with the manual transmission.
-
Maruti’s 1.2-litre hybrid is the only engine to get a mild-hybrid system. It is also the second most powerful engine here.
Price Comparison: We will only compare the closely priced petrol variants (within Rs 50,000 of each other) of both the cars.
| Hyundai i20 |
Maruti Baleno |
| 1.2L Sigma Rs 5.63 lakh |
|
| 1.2L Magna Rs 6.80 lakh |
1.2L Delta Rs 6.44 lakh |
| 1.2L Zeta Rs 7.01 lakh |
|
| 1.2L Delta Smart Hybrid Rs 7.33 lakh |
|
| 1.2L Sportz Rs 7.60 lakh/ Rs 7.75 lakh (DT) |
1.2L Alpha Rs 7.64 lakh |
| 1.2L Zeta Smart Hybrid Rs 7.89 lakh |
|
| 1.2L Asta Rs 8.70 lakh/ Rs 8.85 lakh (DT) |
|
| 1.2L Asta (O) Rs 9.20 lakh/ Rs 9.35 lakh (DT) |
|
| Automatic |
Automatic |
| 1.2L Delta CVT Rs 7.76 lakh |
|
| 1.2L Sportz CVT Rs 8.60 lakh/ Rs 8.75 lakh (DT) |
1.2L Zeta CVT Rs 8.33 lakh |
| 1.0L T Sportz iMT Rs 8.80 lakh/ Rs 8.95 lakh (DT) |
1.2L Alpha CVT Rs 8.96 lakh |
| 1.2L Asta CVT Rs 9.70 lakh/ Rs 9.85 lakh (DT) |
|
| 1.0L T Asta iMT Rs 9.90 lakh/ Rs 10.05 lakh (DT) |
|
| 1.0L T Asta DCT Rs 10.67 lakh/ Rs 10.82 lakh (DT) |
|
| 1.0L T Asta (O) DCT Rs 11.18 lakh/ Rs 11.33 lakh (DT) |
2020 Hyundai i20 Magna vs Maruti Baleno Delta
| Hyundai i20 Magna |
Rs 6.80 lakh |
| Maruti Baleno Delta |
Rs 6.44 lakh |
| Difference |
Rs 36,000 (i20 is more expensive) |
Features:
| Safety |
Hyundai i20 Magna |
Maruti Baleno Delta |
| Airbags |
2 |
2 |
| ABS with EBD |
Yes |
Yes |
| Rear parking sensors |
Yes |
Yes |
| ISOFIX child seat anchors |
No |
Yes |
| Day/night IRVM |
Manual |
Manual |
| Fog lamps |
Projector |
No |
| Central locking |
Yes with remote keyless entry |
Yes with remote keyless entry |
| Exterior |
||
| Headlamps |
Halogen |
LED projectors |
| DRLs |
Yes |
Yes |
| Wheels |
15-inch steel with wheel covers |
15-inch steel with wheel covers |
| Rear washer and wiper |
No |
Yes |
| Defogger |
No |
Yes |
| ORVM |
Electrically adjustable |
Electrically adjustable with auto fold |
| Interior |
||
| Height adjustable driver’s seat |
No |
No |
| AC |
Manual |
Auto AC |
| Rear AC vents |
Yes |
No |
| Adjustable headrest |
Yes (front only) |
Front and rear |
| Front armrest |
Yes (fixed) |
No |
| 60:40 split rear seats |
No |
Yes |
| Infotainment |
2-din music system with Bluetooth |
2-din music system with Bluetooth |
| Steering mounted controls |
Yes |
Yes |
| Sunroof |
No |
No |
| Cruise control |
No |
No |
| Air purifier |
No |
No |
| Power windows |
Front & rear |
Front & rear |
| Adjustable steering |
Tilt & Telescopic |
Tilt |
| Wireless Charging |
No |
No |
| Cooled glovebox |
Yes |
No |
Verdict: The Baleno is our pick here. Despite being more affordable, it offers more useful features than the pricier i20 including auto AC, LED headlamps, rear washer and wiper with defogger, ISOFIX child seat anchors, and adjustable rear headrests. Sure, the Baleno misses out on features such as rear AC vents and projector fog lamps but that’s a fair trade-off in our opinion.
2020 Hyundai i20 Magna vs Maruti Baleno Zeta
| Hyundai i20 Magna |
Rs 6.80 lakh |
| Maruti Baleno Delta |
Rs 7.01 lakh |
| Difference |
Rs 21,000 (Baleno is more expensive) |
Features:
| Safety |
Hyundai i20 Magna |
Maruti Baleno Zeta |
| Airbags |
2 |
2 |
| ABS with EBD |
Yes |
Yes |
| Rear parking sensors |
Yes |
Yes |
| ISOFIX child seat anchors |
No |
Yes |
| Day/night IRVM |
Manual |
Auto-dimming |
| Fog lamps |
Projector |
Yes |
| Central locking |
Yes with remote keyless entry |
Yes with remote keyless entry |
| Exterior |
||
| Headlamps |
Halogen |
LED projectors |
| DRLs |
Yes |
Yes |
| Wheels |
15-inch steel with wheel covers |
16-inch alloys |
| Rear washer and wiper |
No |
Yes |
| Defogger |
No |
Yes |
| ORVM |
Electrically adjustable |
Electrically adjustable with auto fold |
| Interior |
||
| Height adjustable driver’s seat |
No |
Yes |
| AC |
Manual |
Auto AC |
| Rear AC vents |
Yes |
No |
| Adjustable headrest |
Yes (front only) |
Front and rear |
| Front armrest |
Yes (fixed) |
No |
| 60:40 split rear seats |
No |
Yes |
| Infotainment |
2-din music system with Bluetooth |
7-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Bluetooth |
| Android Auto & Apple CarPlay |
No |
Yes |
| Steering mounted controls |
Yes |
Yes |
| Push-button start |
No |
Yes |
| Sunroof |
No |
No |
| Cruise control |
No |
No |
| Air purifier |
No |
No |
| Power windows |
Front & rear |
Front & rear |
| Adjustable steering |
Tilt & Telescopic |
Tilt & telescopic |
| Wireless Charging |
No |
No |
| Cooled glovebox |
Yes |
No |
Verdict: The one below the top-spec Baleno is our pick here. It gets a lot more important features over the i20 including ISOFIX child seat anchors, LED projector headlamps, auto AC, auto-dimming IRVM, rear washer and wiper with defogger, and a touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The premium of Rs 21,000 for these features is justified in our opinion.
2020 Hyundai i20 Sportz vs Maruti Baleno Delta Smart Hybrid
| Hyundai i20 Sportz |
Rs 7.60 lakh |
| Maruti Baleno Delta Smart Hybrid |
Rs 7.33 lakh |
| Difference |
Rs 27,000 (i20 is more expensive) |
Features:
| Safety |
Hyundai i20 Sportz |
Maruti Baleno Delta Smart Hybrid |
| Airbags |
2 |
2 |
| ABS with EBD |
Yes |
Yes |
| Rear parking sensors |
Yes |
Yes |
| ISOFIX child seat anchors |
No |
Yes |
| Day/night IRVM |
Manual |
Manual |
| Central locking |
Yes with remote keyless entry |
Yes with remote keyless entry |
| Tyre pressure monitoring system |
Yes |
No |
| Exterior |
||
| Headlamps |
Halogen |
LED projectors |
| Auto headlamps |
Yes |
No |
| Fog lamps |
Projector |
No |
| DRLs |
Yes |
Yes |
| Wheels |
16-inch styled wheels |
15-inch steel with wheel covers |
| Rear washer and wiper |
No |
Yes |
| Rear defogger |
Yes |
Yes |
| ORVM |
Electrically adjustable with auto fold |
Electrically adjustable with auto fold |
| Interior |
||
| Digital instrument cluster |
Yes |
No |
| Height adjustable driver’s seat |
Yes |
No |
| AC |
Manual |
Auto AC |
| Rear AC vents |
Yes |
No |
| Adjustable headrest |
Yes (front only) |
Front and rear |
| Front armrest |
Yes (fixed) |
No |
| 60:40 split rear seats |
No |
Yes |
| Infotainment |
8-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Bluetooth |
2-din music system with Bluetooth |
| Apple CarPlay and Android Auto |
Wireless |
No |
| Parking camera |
Yes with a rearview monitor |
No |
| Steering mounted controls |
Yes |
Yes |
| Sunroof |
No |
No |
| Cruise control |
No |
No |
| Air purifier |
No |
No |
| Power windows |
Front & rear |
Front & rear |
| Adjustable steering |
Tilt & Telescopic |
Tilt |
| Wireless Charging |
No |
No |
| Cooled glovebox |
Yes |
No |
Verdict: Both cars here are quite well-equipped. Where the Baleno features projector LED headlamps and auto AC, the i20 hits back with a touchscreen infotainment system, height-adjustable driver’s seat, parking camera, and a tyre pressure monitoring system. So, we recommend you go for the Hyundai i20. However, if you are someone who can live without a touchscreen and don’t really mind missing out on features such as a parking camera, you could go for the Baleno and save that extra amount. The Baleno also makes more sense if you have a kid in your house as it is the only one to offer ISOFIX child seat anchors.
2020 Hyundai i20 Sportz vs Maruti Baleno Zeta Smart Hybrid
| Hyundai i20 Sportz |
Rs 7.60 lakh |
| Maruti Baleno Zeta Smart Hybrid |
Rs 7.89 lakh |
| Difference |
Rs 29,000 (Baleno is more expensive) |
Features:
| Safety |
Hyundai i20 Sportz |
Maruti Baleno Zeta Smart Hybrid |
| Airbags |
2 |
2 |
| ABS with EBD |
Yes |
Yes |
| Rear parking sensors |
Yes |
Yes |
| ISOFIX child seat anchors |
No |
Yes |
| Day/night IRVM |
Manual |
Auto-dimming |
| Central locking |
Yes with remote keyless entry |
Yes with remote keyless entry |
| Tyre pressure monitoring system |
Yes |
No |
| Exterior |
||
| Headlamps |
Halogen |
LED projectors |
| Auto headlamps |
Yes |
No |
| Fog lamps |
Projector |
Yes |
| DRLs |
Yes |
Yes |
| Wheels |
16-inch styled wheels |
16-inch alloys |
| Rear washer and wiper |
No |
Yes |
| Rear defogger |
Yes |
Yes |
| ORVM |
Electrically adjustable with auto fold |
Electrically adjustable with auto fold |
| Interior |
||
| Digital instrument cluster |
Yes |
No |
| Height adjustable driver’s seat |
Yes |
No |
| AC |
Manual |
Auto AC |
| Rear AC vents |
Yes |
No |
| Adjustable headrest |
Yes (front only) |
Front and rear |
| Front armrest |
Yes (fixed) |
No |
| 60:40 split rear seats |
No |
Yes |
| Infotainment |
8-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Bluetooth |
7-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Bluetooth |
| Apple CarPlay and Android Auto |
Wireless |
Yes |
| Parking camera |
Yes with a rearview monitor |
No |
| Steering mounted controls |
Yes |
Yes |
| Push-button start |
No |
Yes |
| Sunroof |
No |
No |
| Cruise control |
No |
No |
| Air purifier |
No |
No |
| Power windows |
Front & rear |
Front & rear |
| Adjustable steering |
Tilt & Telescopic |
Tilt & Telescopic |
| Wireless Charging |
No |
No |
| Cooled glovebox |
Yes |
No |
Verdict: The i20 is our pick here as it offers more value for money. It offers various features over the Baleno including a larger touchscreen, rear AC vents, tyre pressure monitoring system and auto headlamps. The Baleno does get some additional important features such as ISOFIX child seat anchors, auto AC, engine-idle start-stop, and auto-dimming IRVM but the premium of Rs 29,000 is a tad high
However, it is also worth noting that the more expensive mild-hybrid Baleno claims an extra 3.5kmpl over the i20’s petrol unit.
2020 Hyundai i20 Sportz vs Maruti Baleno Alpha
| Hyundai i20 Sportz |
Rs 7.60 lakh |
| Maruti Baleno Alpha |
Rs 7.64 lakh |
| Difference |
Rs 4,000 (Baleno is more expensive) |
Features:
| Safety |
Hyundai i20 Sportz |
Maruti Baleno Alpha |
| Airbags |
2 |
2 |
| ABS with EBD |
Yes |
Yes |
| Rear parking sensors |
Yes |
Yes |
| ISOFIX child seat anchors |
No |
Yes |
| Day/night IRVM |
Manual |
Auto-dimming |
| Central locking |
Yes with remote keyless entry |
Yes with remote keyless entry |
| Tyre pressure monitoring system |
Yes |
No |
| Exterior |
||
| Headlamps |
Halogen |
LED projectors |
| Auto headlamps |
Yes |
Yes |
| Fog lamps |
Projector |
Yes |
| DRLs |
Yes |
Yes |
| Wheels |
16-inch styled wheels |
16-inch alloys |
| UV Cut glass |
No |
Yes |
| Rear washer and wiper |
No |
Yes |
| Rear defogger |
Yes |
Yes |
| ORVM |
Electrically adjustable with auto fold |
Electrically adjustable with auto fold |
| Interior |
||
| Digital instrument cluster |
Yes |
No |
| Height adjustable driver’s seat |
Yes |
Yes |
| AC |
Manual |
Auto AC |
| Rear AC vents |
Yes |
No |
| Adjustable headrest |
Yes (front only) |
Front and rear |
| Front armrest |
Yes (fixed) |
Yes |
| 60:40 split rear seats |
No |
Yes |
| Infotainment |
8-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Bluetooth |
7-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Bluetooth |
| Apple CarPlay and Android Auto |
Yes (Wireless) |
Yes |
| Parking camera |
Yes with a rearview monitor |
Yes |
| Steering mounted controls |
Yes |
Yes |
| Push-button start |
No |
Yes |
| Sunroof |
No |
No |
| Cruise control |
No |
No |
| Air purifier |
No |
No |
| Power windows |
Front & rear |
Front & rear |
| Adjustable steering |
Tilt & Telescopic |
Tilt & Telescopic |
| Wireless Charging |
No |
No |
| Cooled glovebox |
Yes |
No |
Verdict: The Baleno is the clear pick here. It offers more safety features and conveniences than the i20 at very similar prices. It misses out on important features such as tyre pressure monitoring system and rear AC vents but it is a fair compromise.
Automatic:
2020 Hyundai i20 Sportz CVT vs Maruti Baleno Zeta CVT:
| Hyundai i20 Sportz CVT |
Rs 8.60 lakh |
| Maruti Baleno Zeta CVT |
Rs 8.33 lakh |
| Difference |
Rs 27,000 (i20 is more expensive) |
Features:
| Safety |
Hyundai i20 Sportz CVT |
Maruti Baleno Zeta CVT |
| Airbags |
2 |
2 |
| ABS with EBD |
Yes |
Yes |
| Rear parking sensors |
Yes |
Yes |
| ISOFIX child seat anchors |
No |
Yes |
| Day/night IRVM |
Manual |
Auto-dimming |
| Central locking |
Yes with remote keyless entry |
Yes with remote keyless entry |
| Tyre pressure monitoring system |
Yes |
No |
| Exterior |
||
| Headlamps |
Halogen |
LED projectors |
| Auto headlamps |
Yes |
No |
| Fog lamps |
Projector |
Yes |
| DRLs |
Yes |
Yes |
| Wheels |
16-inch styled wheels |
16-inch alloys |
| Rear washer and wiper |
No |
Yes |
| Rear defogger |
Yes |
Yes |
| ORVM |
Electrically adjustable with auto fold |
Electrically adjustable with auto fold |
| Interior |
||
| Digital instrument cluster |
Yes |
No |
| Height adjustable driver’s seat |
Yes |
Yes |
| AC |
Manual |
Auto AC |
| Rear AC vents |
Yes |
No |
| Adjustable headrest |
Yes (front only) |
Front and rear |
| Front armrest |
Yes (fixed) |
Yes |
| 60:40 split rear seats |
No |
Yes |
| Infotainment |
8-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Bluetooth |
7-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Bluetooth |
| Apple CarPlay and Android Auto |
Yes (Wireless) |
Yes |
| Parking camera |
Yes with a rearview monitor |
No |
| Steering mounted controls |
Yes |
Yes |
| Push-button start |
No |
Yes |
| Sunroof |
No |
No |
| Cruise control |
No |
No |
| Air purifier |
No |
No |
| Power windows |
Front & rear |
Front & rear |
| Adjustable steering |
Tilt & Telescopic |
Tilt & Telescopic |
| Wireless Charging |
No |
No |
| Cooled glovebox |
Yes |
No |
Verdict: The Baleno continues to be our pick here. Despite being more affordable, it offers a lot more useful features than the i20. Sure, it misses out on rear AC vents and a tyre pressure monitoring system, but it makes up for them with auto AC, ISOFIX anchorages, auto-dimming IRVM, and projector LED headlamps.
2020 Hyundai i20 Sportz iMT vs Maruti Baleno Alpha CVT
| Hyundai i20 Sportz |
Rs 8.80 lakh |
| Maruti Baleno Alpha |
Rs 8.96 lakh |
| Difference |
Rs 16,000 (Baleno is more expensive) |
Features:
| Safety |
Hyundai i20 Sportz |
Maruti Baleno Alpha |
| Airbags |
2 |
2 |
| ABS with EBD |
Yes |
Yes |
| Rear parking sensors |
Yes |
Yes |
| ISOFIX child seat anchors |
No |
Yes |
| Day/night IRVM |
Manual |
Auto-dimming |
| Central locking |
Yes with remote keyless entry |
Yes with remote keyless entry |
| Tyre pressure monitoring system |
Yes |
No |
| Exterior |
||
| Headlamps |
Halogen |
LED projectors |
| Auto headlamps |
Yes |
Yes |
| Fog lamps |
Projector |
Yes |
| DRLs |
Yes |
Yes |
| Wheels |
16-inch styled wheels |
16-inch alloys |
| UV Cut glass |
No |
Yes |
| Rear washer and wiper |
No |
Yes |
| Rear defogger |
Yes |
Yes |
| ORVM |
Electrically adjustable with auto fold |
Electrically adjustable with auto fold |
| Interior |
||
| Digital instrument cluster |
Yes |
No |
| Height adjustable driver’s seat |
Yes |
Yes |
| AC |
Manual |
Auto AC |
| Rear AC vents |
Yes |
No |
| Adjustable headrest |
Yes (front only) |
Front and rear |
| Front armrest |
Yes (fixed) |
Yes |
| 60:40 split rear seats |
No |
Yes |
| Infotainment |
8-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Bluetooth |
7-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Bluetooth |
| Apple CarPlay and Android Auto |
Yes (Wireless) |
Yes |
| Parking camera |
Yes with a rearview monitor |
Yes |
| Steering mounted controls |
Yes |
Yes |
| Push-button start |
No |
Yes |
| Sunroof |
No |
No |
| Cruise control |
No |
No |
| Air purifier |
No |
No |
| Power windows |
Front & rear |
Front & rear |
| Adjustable steering |
Tilt & Telescopic |
Tilt & Telescopic |
| Wireless Charging |
No |
No |
| Cooled glovebox |
Yes |
No |
Verdict: The Baleno is our pick here. It offers a lot more features than the i20 for a slight premium. It misses out on important features such as tyre pressure monitoring system and rear AC vents but it is a fair trade-off. It is to be noted that the i20 in this variant gets a more powerful turbocharged petrol engine with a first-in-segment clutchless manual gearbox.
Read More on : Hyundai i20 on road price
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