Dimensions – Lengthwise, Fiat Punto EVO is longest measuring 3,989 mm. Hyundai Elite i20 comes second with a difference of 4 mm. Third longest is Volkswagen Polo facelift and shortest by length is Maruti Swift at 3,850 mm.
Though shortest by length, Maruti Swift is widest of the lot at 1,695 mm. Closely follows Punto EVO, then VW Polo and Elite i20 (1,734 mm) respectively. Swift is also the tallest measuring 1,530 mm and Punto EVO is again just behind the Maruti. Hyundai Elite i20 is third tallest and 2014 VW Polo is shortest of them all with measure of 1,469 mm.
Wheelbase of Hyundai Elite i20 surpasses the rest of premium hatchbacks with 2,570 mm (45 mm longer than first generation i20). Punto EVO is second, followed by Volkswagen Polo, and Maruti Swift at 2,430 mm.
Ground clearance of Punto EVO 1.2 litre petrol variant is 195 mm, rest of variants hosting 1.4 PDA petrol and 1.3 MultiJet diesel engines measure 185 mm. Maruti Swift and Hyundai Elite i20 stand at 170 mm and Volkswagen Polo features 165 mm only.
With rest of rivals in the post are already up to date, Swift facelift, to be launched by November 2014, could show some difference in overall dimensions compared to outgoing model.
Boot volume of Hyundai Elite i20 is highest at 285 litres. Fiat Punto EVO and Volkswagen Polo have identical volumes of 280 litres, followed by Maruti Swift at 210 litres.
Engine (Petrol) – While first generation Hyundai i20 was offered with two petrol engine options, the 1.2 litre Kappa and 1.4 litre Gamma, Hyundai Elite i20 comes with only one petrol engine, the former. This is because Hyundai no longer offers automatic transmission variant in premium hatchback segment in India, and since the 1.4 Gamma petrol engine was offered only with 4 speed AT in older i20, it had to go off the new launch. There is no change in tune of 1.2 Kappa.
Fiat Punto EVO gets same two petrol engines – 1.2 FIRE and 1.4 PDA, as in earlier model. Volkswagen Polo facelift has two choices of tune in petrol variants from same 1.2 litre engine. 1.2 MPI is regular tune and 1.2 GT TSI (to be launched in last week of August 2014) with higher power output. Maruti Swift is only premium hatchback in comparo with only one petrol engine / tune, the K12 engine.
Hyundai Elite i20 gets same 5 speed manual gearbox. Volkswagen Polo GT TSI will get 7 speed DSG (Direct Shift Gearbox) automatic transmission only. Rest of hatchbacks feature 5 speed transmission.
Performance (Petrol) – Polo GT TSI will be the most powerful, with 105 PS max. power @ 5000 rpm. Out of currently available ones, Punto EVO 1.4 PDA model is the most powerful, pushing out 89.5 PS @ 6000 rpm.
Maruti Swift K12 petrol producing 87 PS @ 6200 rpm stands next, followed by 1.2 Kappa version of new Hyundai i20, with 83 PS @ 6000 rpm. 2014 VW Polo 1.2 MPI model is not the least powerful with 75 PS @ 5400 rpm, there is 1.2 FIRE trim of Fiat Punto EVO giving out 68.22 PS @ 6000 rpm.
Engine (diesel) – Second generation Hyundai i20 gets same 1.4 litre U2 CRDi diesel engine that powered earlier generation i20 hatchback. Volkswagen Polo facelift’s new 1.5 litre TDI engine will be offered in second tune, GT TDI variant, to be launched at end of this month. Fiat Punto EVO already has one engine in two tunes, the 1.3 litre MultiJet a.k.a national engine of India.
Maruti Swift hosts 1.3 litre D13A DDiS diesel engine. Except Hyundai i20 featuring 6 speed manual gearbox, rest of hatchbacks in this segment sport 5 speed manual setup only; no automatic variants on offer.
Performance (diesel) – Volkswagen Polo GT is again top performer with 1.5 litre GT TDI engine producing 105 PS @ 4400 rpm. Regular Polo diesel generates 90 PS @ 4200 rpm, which is pretty close to max. power of Hyundai Elite i20, 90 PS @ 4000 rpm and Punto EVO Sports variant’s 92.72 PS @ 4000 rpm. Lower end Punto EVO has output of only 76 PS @ 4000 rpm and Maruti Swift diesel pushes similar 75 PS @ 4000 rpm.
Also read:
Hyundai Elite i20 Brochure and Configurator goes LIVE
Hyundai Elite i20 petrol, diesel variant wise features, prices
Fiat Punto EVO Petrol Review – First Drive
Fiat Punto EVO Review – Diesel, First Drive
2014 Volkswagen Polo Review (first drive) – 1.5 TDI got game?
