Some years back the hatchback was mostly seen as a stepping stone to a sedan or SUV and the concept of someone "wanting" a hatchback rather than "needing" one was actually unheard of. Then the earlier crop of desirable hatchbacks like the Fiat Palio 1.6 or later the Maruti Swift changed that thought process. However, the entry of the Hyundai i20 and later the Elite i20 along with the Maruti Baleno gave birth to a segment which is hugely popular today. The premium hatchback segment as the name says is for those who want all of the "big car" features but wrapped in an appealing and compact sized package. But it should also be spacious and doing all this, must also be good to drive along with being reasonably light on the pocket.
The two cars that you see here fulfil that brief the most and that's why we got them together. Both are premium automatic (not AMT) hatchbacks with plenty of space and toys to lure any hatch/compact SUV/sedan buyer. Let us deal with looks first and here both do a pretty good job of convincing your neighbour/office colleagues that there is indeed a method in this madness of spending Rs 10 lakh on a hatchback. The i20 is Rs 11 lakh by the way in this top-spec trim but my point is- it looks expensive and grabs attention. Both the Glanza and i20 are given plenty of chrome and aggressive styling to stand out plus 16inch wheels. They are not small and have a considerable footprint with i20 especially looking slightly bigger and wider. The Glanza due to the familiarity looks slightly less appealing now but the design has aged well and it is a good looking hatchback. The i20 though is edgier and sportier with a more aggressive look.
Inside both offer an all-black cabin but the i20 looks more premium at first glance while the Glanza goes in for a more conventional look. We like the horizontal running strip which lends the cabin a wider look plus is classy while the huge touch-screen, digital dials and overall quality looks a bit on the higher side compared to the more utilitarian Glanza. The Glanza interior is decent on quality and the centre console design is neat along with the instrument cluster- but it does fall short of the overall ambience that the i20 has. The new i20 in this turbo spec offers leatherette upholstery plus the red accents and overall, the switches feel of higher quality to operate- same goes for the well finished steering wheel.
In terms of features, Hyundai is normally known for being the one to give the most and in the new i20, they have pretty much-given equipment which is not there on the Venue or even the pricier Verna. The massive 10.25-inch touchscreen, digital, dials, sunroof, wireless charging, air purifier, connected tech and more is what the i20 has and the Glanza does not. Though both offer you the expected features at this price point including touchscreen, climate control, steering controls etc. However, the i20 clearly takes the win here. In terms of space and practicality, the Glanza bounces back with a large and spacious cabin. In terms of legroom, the Glanza has the slight edge but the i20 has the better shoulder space for three at the back plus of course the actual comfort is better along with an armrest plus ac vents at the rear. The Glanza has the bigger boot though.
In terms of engines, the i20 offers a wider spread with two petrol and one diesel while the Glanza is petrol only though offering a mild-hybrid option too. We have compared the petrol CVT Glanza and the i20 turbo DCT. The Glanza CVT uses a 1.2l petrol with 83 bhp while more impressive is the CVT auto. In the city, the CVT automatic is very smooth and makes for a painless driving experience while the ride along with the ability to absorb bad roads is also impressive. What is the icing on the cake is the 16kmpl you will get in the city. However, ask more and the Glanza loses out here as the CVT does not like to be driven in an enthusiastic manner with the engine getting vocal due to the CVT rubber band effect.The i20 is the opposite of that. In the city, you like the fact that the DCT works well with the turbo and removes lag. We also faced no heating issues with the DCT when we drove the car in thick traffic all day. So, in essence, you get a fast response and smoothness with no dual-clutch jerks or lag of any sort. However, the engine comes alive when pushed and the i20 is seriously quick and fun. The gearbox is responsive enough and fasts for it to be proper fun to drive experience. There is also a sports mode that we used. Amongst all this, the new i20 is not as efficient as the Glanza CVT though it is not that far behind with 10-12 kmpl in the real world. Its handling and steering felt better than the Glanza with being more stable at high speeds.
The Glanza that you see here is Rs 9 lakh and if you want an automatic hatch which is efficient, fuss-free and easy to drive then you can go for this. However, when you are paying this much it might make sense to pay more and get the i20 Turbo because it delivers on being a better premium hatchback. Its interior looks better, it has more features plus tech along with the power of the turbo petrol and the DCT gearbox. Yet it is also spacious and does well on nearly all parameters. Yes, while the fully-loaded i20 might seem expensive at Rs 11 lakh plus; it is currently the most rounded and simply the best premium hatch that money can buy. It wins.
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