While not much has changed in new 2020 Jazz, it gets addition of a new electric sunroof and the gloss black grille up-front
Competition in the premium segment hatchback just intensified with the arrival of the new BS6 compliant Honda Jazz. This segment already had a number of offerings in the form of the Maruti Suzuki Baleno, its rebadged Toyota version- Glanza, Tata Altroz and Volkswagen Polo. The rivalry will stiffen up even more with the launch of Hyundai’s next generation i20 which is expected to launch next month.
A comparison is in order to find out how well the newly introduced Jazz fare against its closest rivals in the segment. We haven’t considered Glanza since it’s essentially a Baleno in disguise of Toyota and Polo because, well, it just doesn’t fit in terms of features or practicality in this segment. Let us find out between the Baleno, Altroz and Jazz who ends on top.
Engine & Transmission
While Baleno and Jazz are petrol-only models in their BS6 guise, the Altroz is the only car in this segment, for now, to offer a diesel variant as well. All three cars are powered by 1.2-litre naturally aspirated petrol units, a reason why outputs of all three cars are nearly similar. The Altroz also offers a 1.5-litre diesel unit which churns out 90 bhp and 200 Nm of torque.
A 5-speed manual gearbox is standard for all three models. Only Jazz and Baleno offer an automatic transmission in form of a CVT. Altroz, sadly, doesn’t offer the option of an automatic yet but a DCT gearbox is reportedly under development. The Baleno offers the best fuel efficiency in a petrol motor with 21 kmpl whereas, the Altroz diesel offers the best overall mileage of 23 kmpl( ARAI rated).
| Factors | Honda Jazz | Maruti Baleno | Tata Altroz |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engine | 1.2-litre N/A petrol | 1.2-litre N/A petrol | 1.2-litre N/A petrol/ 1.5-litre diesel |
| Power | 89bhp@6000rpm | 89bhp@6000rpm | 86bhp@6000rpm |
| Torque | 110 Nm | 113 Nm@4400rpm | 113Nm@3300rpm(petrol); 200Nm@3000rpm(diesel) |
| Transmission | 5-speed MT/ CVT | 5-speed MT/ CVT | 5-speed MT |
| Fuel Efficiency | 16.6kmpl for MT, 17kmpl for CVT | 21kmpl for MT, 19kmpl for CVT | 20kmpl for petrol, 23kmpl for diesel |
Dimensions
The Baleno at 3995mm is the longest and Altoz is the widest at 1755mm. The new Jazz is the tallest measuring 1544mm. Despite having the smallest length, Jazz offers the longest wheelbase of 2530mm. The Baleno is also the lightest at 910 kg whereas the boot spaces of all these cars are a near-identical with Jazz offering the best storage space of 354 litres.
| Measurements | Honda Jazz | Maruti Baleno | Tata Altroz |
|---|---|---|---|
| Length(mm) | 3989 | 3995 | 3990 |
| Width(mm) | 1694 | 1745 | 1755 |
| Height(mm) | 1544 | 1510 | 1523 |
| Wheelbase(mm) | 2530 | 2520 | 2501 |
| Kerb Weight(kg) | 1063 | 910 | 1036 |
| Boot space(lit) | 354 | 339 | 345 |
Features
All three products in this segment are fairly well-kitted as expected from any premium hatchback. They all offer common features such as power windows for front and rear, automatic climate control, adjustable headrests, engine start/stop button, cruise control(for AT variants in Baleno), a touchscreen infotainment system and much more.
The 2020 Honda Jazz offers creature comforts such as Gloss black grille with chrome elements, Flippy key, Flush-fit parking sensors, LED headlamps and fog lights with integrated LED DRLs and a soft-touch dashboard. The new Jazz also becomes the first car in the B2 hatchback segment to offer an electric sunroof. When it comes to safety, the new Jazz offers ABS with EBD, Dual Airbags as standard, rear parking camera and rear parking sensors.
The Maruti Baleno is still the same, in terms of features as compared to its BS4 predecessor. It comes with features such as key-less entry and go, LED projector headlights with DRLs, power-adjustable and folding ORVMs, dual-tone alloy wheels, automatic climate control and a 7.0-inch Smartplay infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Safety-wise, Baleno offers dual front airbags, rear parking sensors, ABS with EBD and seat belt reminders as standard.
Tata Altroz is arguably the best kitted out of the three. It is equipped with a 17.78cm TFT Digital Instrument Cluster, a 7.0-inch infotainment system, a cooled glove box with retractable tray, a Classique Satin Chrome Finish Dashboard, an audio system with 4 speakers and two tweeters from Harman, a flat-bottom steering wheel and rear AC vents. Being a 5-star rated car in safety, the Atroz offers many features which make the passengers safe in a ride. These include dual front airbags, ABS with EBD, automatic headlamps, rear parking camera and much more.
Price
The Altroz has the most affordable base variant at Rs 5.44 lakh whereas the Jazz is the most expensive top-spec model in this comparison. The Jazz also has the dearest base variant at Rs 7.49 lakh. All prices are ex-showroom. Overall, the Altroz turns out to be the most value for money product however it is yet to offer an automatic transmission.
| Honda Jazz | Maruti Baleno | Tata Altroz | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ex-showroom price | Rs 7.49 – 9.74 lakh | Rs 5.63 – 8.96 lakh | Rs 5.43 – 9.48 lakh |
Things will get more interesting with the launch of Hyundai i20 which is slated in the coming few months. The i20 is expected to offer a lot more- both in terms of features and powertrain options.
