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Hyundai Elite i20 vs Maruti Baleno is a detailed specification comparison report in-between two of the largest selling premium hatchback in India.

Maruti Suzuki and Hyundai have been locking horns with each other for a long time. Their rivalry exists in almost each an every segment under which these automakers have one or the other product in the offering. One of the major battle stages for these two automotive giants in India has been the one of the premium hatchback segment. Hyundai’s i20 has been taking the battle to first the Maruti Swift and now in its present generation, with the Baleno. Owing to Maruti’s brand heritage and the sentiment that we Indians have attached with it, the Baleno currently enjoys a comfortable lead over the i20. But with the recent mid-life update, i20 promises to offer a lot more than what it already had and stands as an even tough rival for the Baleno. So, which one out of these two should be your choice based only on their capabilities? We try to find out in this detailed specification based comparison report.

2018 Hyundai Elite i20 Vs Maruti Baleno: Design Comparison

The exterior profile of the Hyundai Elite i20 remains identical to the model it replaces. The front and the rear profile of the vehicle incorporate the majority of the changes. Up-front, the i20 now comes with a slightly restyled bumper which accommodates the new fog-lamps. The headlights remain the same, featuring projector lamps and LED daytime running lights. The side profile continues to feature the sharp shoulder crease and the i20 indigenous sporty appeal. At the rear, you now get a revised tail-lamps. They lit up in horizontal lines. That said, the previous model’s tail-lamps were slightly more appealing.

Also Read: 2018 Maruti Suzuki Swift Vs Baleno- Comparison Report

The Maruti Baleno, in comparison, gets a curvaceous exterior profile. The front features swept-back headlamps and a large grille which has chrome surrounds. Towards the side, you see swelled shoulder lines as opposed to i20’s sharp creases. A similar design language exists on the rear-profile of the car as well. The Maruti Baleno gets projector headlamps and daytime running lights. It also features LED tail-lamps. Overall, the design of the 2018 Hyundai Elite i20 is sporty. On the other hand, Maruti Baleno’s design is slightly premium.

2018 Hyundai Elite i20 Vs Maruti Baleno: Interior Comparison

The cabin of the of the 2018 Hyundai i20 is identical to the pre-facelift version. It continues to feature a beige and black dual tone colour scheme. The quality of the plastics used is very good and the cabin feels quite premium. The touch and feel of the knobs and dials are to very up-market. The seats are broad and comfortable. The Elite i20 can seat three people with each at the back.

Also read: Maruti Baleno Facelift In Works: Launch Likely By First Quarter of 2019

In comparison, Maruti Baleno’s cabin, on the other hand, gets an all-black colour theme along with silver accents for contrast. The dashboard layout is clean. That said, thanks to the radically styled air-vents, it looks a bit funky. The i20’s dashboard and simple and elegant. Baleno’s cabin used good quality plastics. The seats are quite comfortable. The rear bench can swallow three people with ease. The i20, however, comes with a rear seat arm-rest which is missing from the Baleno.

Also Read: 2018 Maruti Suzuki Swift Vs Tata Tiago- Price, Features, Mileage And Spec Comparison

2018 Hyundai Elite i20 Vs Maruti Baleno: Engine Specification Comparison

The 2018 Hyundai i20 is available in both petrol and diesel guises. With this facelift, Hyundai ditched the 1.4-litre petrol motor. The petrol derivative of the Hyundai Elite i20 gets a 1.2-litre Kappa VTVT engine. This motor produces 81.86 BHP of power along with 114 NM of peak torque. The diesel derivative of this premium hatchback gets the U2 CRDi oil-burner. This engine produces 88.7 BHP along with 219.66 NM of peak torque. The petrol engine gets a 5-speed manual transmission. The diesel motor, on the other hand, gets a 6-speed manual transmission.

The Maruti Baleno also comes with petrol and diesel guises. The petrol derivative of this premium hatchback gets the 1.2-litre K Series motor. This engine churns out 83.1 BHP along with 115 NM of peak torque. The diesel derivative of the Baleno gets a 1.3-litre DDiS motor. It churns out 74 BHP along with 190 NM of peak torque. Both the engines get a 5-speed manual transmission as standard. However, the petrol engine also features a CVT automatic unit.

2018 Hyundai Elite i20 Vs Maruti Baleno: Mileage Comparison

The petrol engine of the 2018 Hyundai Elite i20 promises a mileage of 18.6 km/l. The diesel engine, on the other hand, promises a mileage of 22.54 km/l.

Talking about the Maruti Baleno, its petrol engine promises a mileage of 21.4 km/l. On the other hand, the diesel derivative promises a mileage of 23.84 km/l.

2018 Hyundai Elite i20 Vs Maruti Baleno: Dimension Comparison

The 2018 Hyundai Elite i20 measures 3985 mm in length, 1734 mm in width and 1505 mm in height. The hatchback’s wheelbase stands at 2570 mm. The boot space has a capacity of 295-litres.

The Maruti Baleno measures 3995 mm in length, 1745 mm in width and 1510 mm in height. The cars’ wheelbase stands at 2520 mm. Its boot space has a capacity of 339-litres.

2018 Hyundai Elite i20 Vs Maruti Baleno: Feature Comparison

In terms of features, both the cars score equally. They feature projector headlamps, LED daytime running lights, Alloy wheels, LED tail-lamps, rear washer-wiper among the others. The cabin of both the cars offers fabric upholstery, a touchscreen infotainment system, Key-less entry along with push button stop-start. That said, Hyundai i20 gets a rear seat armrest which the Baleno does not.

2018 Hyundai Elite i20 Vs Maruti Baleno: Price Comparison

The 2018 Hyundai i20’s Base petrol variant costs INR 5.35 Lakh. The top of the line variant, however, retails at INR 7.91 Lakh. The base diesel variant of the i20 costs INR 6.73 Lakh while the top-end diesel costs INR 9.61 Lakh.

On the other hand, the base petrol variant of the Baleno costs INR 5.36 Lakh. The top-end petrol, however, costs INR 8.45 Lakh. The base diesel variant of the Baleno retails at INR 8.45 Lakh while the top of the line diesel goes for 8.50 Lakh. All prices are ex-showroom.

2018 Hyundai Elite i20 Vs Maruti Baleno: Comparison Verdict

Both the Hyundai i20 and the Baleno are parallel to each other. One offers premium looks while the other is slightly on the sporty side. The i20’s cabin is slightly more premium than the Baleno in terms of touch and fell. On the other hand, the Baleno offers better mileage figures. In the end, it really is, pick one or the other between the two. That said, Baleno currently has a significantly longer waiting period than the i20, which could be a major deciding factor when buying either one of these cars.

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