The premium hatchback segment now accounts for more than half of the sales of cars in India. In coming years, the portion of sales in only going to increase and there would be even more competition as we see more options from manufacturers. So far, Maruti Suzuki Swift along with the Hyundai i20 Elite have been the leaders in this segment and are outselling other cars by large margins.
We do a specification comparison of Hyundai Elite i20 and Toyota Etios Liva and see which one is the better car.
Hyundai i20 Elite exteriors Vs Toyota Etios Liva exteriors
Hyundai i20 Elite strikes as a very sharp car from every angle. From the side the car looks sleek and sporty, the C-pillar has been blackened which creates an impression of semi-floating roof. The nose of the car has been redesigned extensively, which is sharper, has a new hexagonal grill with chrome accents and elongated swept back headlamps.
The new i20 has perhaps the longest wheelbase in its category, it helps boost the interior space in the car. The rear end of vehicle has been designed interestingly too. The taillight cluster stands out with its boomerang shape in terms of design. The overall design of the car is nothing less than outstanding.
We do not find the styling of Toyota Etios as inspiring though the car has been interestingly designed and is really an attractive hatchback. It is very well balanced and is neither too curvaceous nor too sharp. The front of the car houses a sleek and bold grille at the centre that has a brilliant chrome finish to it. The front fog lamps housed in the bumper look brilliant and complement other styling cues. The ORVMs come with built-in turn indicators that are functional and look stylish too. The rear of the car has fin-patterned taillights that go very well with the overall styling of the car. The blackened-out B-pillar and 12-spoke 15inch alloys make the car look sporty and stylish.
Hyundai i20 Elite interiors Vs Toyota Etios Liva interiors
The plastics used in the Elite i20 have a very premium quality and the switches and buttons are well placed too. The multifunction 3-spoke steering wheel is wrapped in leather with the mid and top-end trims. The interiors are done in dual tone black and beige scheme. There are front & rear door map pockets, passenger seat back pocket, rear parcel tray, and sunglass holder and the boot is spacious too at 285 litres. The driver’s seat is height adjustable, there’s front center console armrest with storage, a power outlet, a rear AC vent, engine Start/Stop button as standard feature.
For entertainment, there’s an integrated 2 Din MP3 Audio system with USB, Aux-in and 1 GB internal memory which supports bluetooth connectivity and controls are mounted on steering wheel.
The interiors of the Etios Liva are spacious and comfortable and provide abundant legroom, headroom and shoulder room to the passengers. The two-tone interiors are well built and have a beautiful texture. The tri-spoke steering wheel and the shift knob have silver accents on them and the door trims have a wood-finish that adds a premium touch. The driver’s seat is height-adjustable. The hatchback comes with power windows, front cabin lights, a 12 V power outlet, cooled glove box, day/night inside rear-view mirror, and sun visors for the driver and the co-passenger.
The car also comes with refined audio system with remote and 4 speakers. The audio controls are mounted on the steering wheel too. The boot of the car is of 251 litres capacity; in addition, the car also has 7 bottle holders and front & rear door pockets for added convenience.
Hyundai i20 Elite engine Vs Toyota Etios Liva engine
Hyundai i20 is available with two engine options – 1.4-litre diesel and 1.2-litre petrol. The 1.4-litre diesel produces a maximum power of 88.73bhp at 4000rpm and peak torque of 220Nm between 1500-2750rpm. The petrol motor produces 81.86bhp at 6000rpm and peak torque of 114.73Nm at 4000rpm. The diesel engine uses a 6 speed manual gearbox and the petrol motor uses a 5 speed manual transmission.
The Etios Liva offers a petrol and a diesel variant. The diesel engine is a 1.4-litre (1364cc) 4-cylinder motor, SOHC engine. It generates a maximum power of 67.06bhp at 3800rpm and produces a maximum torque of 170Nm in the range of 1800-2400rpm. The petrol engine is a 1.2-litre (1197cc) 4-cylinder motor. It generates a maximum power of 78.9bhp at 5600rpm and gives a maximum torque of 104Nm at 3100rpm.
Hyundai i20 Elite mileage Vs Toyota Etios Liva mileage
The 1.2-litre petrol engine variant of Hyundai i20 Elite delivers fuel efficiency of 18.6kmpl on highways and 13.3kmpl in the city. The 1.4-liter diesel engine promises to deliver 22.54kmpl of mileage on highways and 18.4kmpl in city traffic conditions.
Toyota Etios diesel engine delivers a mileage of 23.08kmpl on highways and 20.3kmpl in the city conditions. The petrol variant of the car should be able to deliver 15.03kmpl in the city and 16.7kmpl on highways.
Hyundai i20 Elite safety features Vs Toyota Etios Liva safety features
The i20 Elite uses disc brakes on front wheels and drum brakes on rear. The car is also equipped with ABS (Anti-lock Braking System), central locking, child safety locks, power door locks, airbags, seat belts for all passengers, keyless entry, engine immobilizer, etc. which further help to enhance the safety.
The Etios Liva also uses disc brakes at front and comes with all safety features like central locking, child safety locks, seat belts, keyless entry, engine immobilizer, airbags, ABS, EBD etc.
Verdict
No doubt, the i20 is a winner and it sells deservedly well in those large numbers. Hyundai’s cars have always been great in terms of the overall equipment level that they offer. However, in terms of styling, they have outclassed themselves with the Elite i20. The Toyota Etios is an underdog here, essentially a nice car that does not charts as impressive numbers as the Elite i20 perhaps due to its not-so-impressive looks and somewhat conventional styling.
The Etios Liva is indeed a great car and offers generous equipment level besides what it does not offer in terms of exterior styling. You should seriously consider it as an option if you wish to purchase a premium hatchback.
You may want to watch a full video review of the Hyundai Elite i20