Check out our spec-sheet comparison of the new-age Maruti Suzuki Baleno and Hyundai i20, with their latest prices listed
Maruti Suzuki introduced the “new age” Baleno in India earlier this year, and the hatchback has already received a price hike! One of its biggest rivals in our market – Hyundai i20 – was updated recently in order to be more competitive, and it has also become more expensive now. With the constantly increasing car prices, it has become hard to tell which car is the best deal in this segment.
Here, we compare the hot-selling Maruti Baleno and Hyundai i20, with their latest prices, to see how well they stack up against each other.
Maruti Baleno vs Hyundai i20 – Exterior and dimensions
The updated Maruti Baleno has a sharper and more interesting design overall, but it maintains familiarity. The headlamps and taillamps have been restyled, and the front grille is different as well, but the new design looks like an evolution of the previous one. The new machine-cut alloy wheels add further sportiness to the hatchback.
The current-gen Hyundai i20 was introduced in the Indian market in 2020, and even after two years, it looks fresh. The sleek headlamps, the gaping front grille, the sporty machine-cut alloy wheels, and the unique taillights, all help Hyundai’s premium hatchback look great.
| Dimensions | Maruti Baleno | Hyundai i20 |
| Length | 3,990mm | 3,995mm |
| Width | 1,745mm | 1,775mm |
| Height | 1,500mm | 1,505mm |
| Wheelbase | 2,520mm | 2,580mm |
Maruti Baleno has a fresher design in comparison, which is quite attractive. However, Hyundai i20 has a sharper design overall and slightly larger dimensions, which help it grab eyeballs on the road. Overall, both cars have a great road presence, with none having a clear advantage.
Maruti Baleno vs Hyundai i20 – Interior and features
Maruti Baleno has an extremely upmarket design, and it even gets leatherette wraps on the door panels for an improved cabin feel. The dark blue and black interior theme (with silver highlights) adds a touch of sportiness to the interior. The free-standing infotainment system (with a 9-inch touchscreen on the top variant) also looks good.
There are a lot of features available on Baleno, like a heads-up display, 360-degree camera, automatic climate control, keyless entry and go, Suzuki Connect (connected car tech, with Alexa support), a TFT MID, power-operated windows (auto-folding), all power windows, cruise control, etc.
Hyundai i20 also has a great interior design, with the black colour theme feeling extremely sporty. The butterfly steering wheel is unique in this segment, while the widescreen 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment system and all-digital instrument console look great as well. The front AC vents are neatly integrated into the ridges on the dashboard, which is a great design detail.
The equipment list includes features like an electric sunroof, climate control, keyless entry and go, rear parking camera, cabin air filter, cruise, control, BlueLink (connected car tech), power-operated windows (auto-folding), all power windows, cooled glovebox, etc.
Maruti Baleno vs Hyundai i20 – Engine and transmission
Maruti Baleno is powered by a 1.2-litre petrol engine, which can be had with either a 5-speed manual transmission or a 5-speed AMT. The powerplant features the carmaker’s ‘Dual-jet’ technology, along with an idle start-stop system, to offer brilliant fuel economy.
| Specifications | Maruti Baleno | Hyundai i20 (petrol variants) |
| Engine size | 1.2-litre | 1.2-litre/1.0-litre |
| Engine type | Naturally aspirated, inline-4, petrol | Naturally aspirated, inline-4, petrol / Turbocharged, inline-3, petrol |
| Max. power | 90 PS | 83 PS/120 PS |
| Max. torque | 113 Nm | 114 Nm/172 Nm |
| Transmission | 5-speed MT, 5-speed AMT | 5-speed MT, CVT (1.2L) / 6-speed iMT, 7-speed DCT (1.0L) |
Hyundai i20, on the other hand, has three engine choices available. The first one is a 1.2L petrol unit, which can be had with a 5-speed manual gearbox or a CVT. The second one is a 1.0L turbo-petrol unit, which is available with a choice between a 6-speed manual transmission and a 7-speed DCT. The third one is a 1.5L turbo-diesel unit, mated to a 6-speed manual transmission.
| Specifications | Hyundai i20 (diesel variants) |
| Engine size | 1.5-litre |
| Engine type | Turbocharged, inline-4, diesel |
| Max. power | 100 PS |
| Max. torque | 240 Nm |
| Transmission | 6-speed MT |
Maruti Baleno vs Hyundai i20 – Price
Maruti Suzuki Baleno is significantly more affordable than Hyundai i20, and even the automatic variants aren’t too expensive. Maruti’s premium hatchback has all of its rivals beat in terms of sheer value for the money.
| Maruti Baleno vs Hyundai i20 price comparison – petrol variants | ||
| Maruti Baleno | Hyundai i20 (1.2L petrol variants) | Hyundai i20 (1.0L petrol variants) |
| Rs. 6.49 lakh (Sigma) | Rs. 7.03 (Magna) | – |
| Rs. 7.33 lakh (Delta), Rs. 7.83 (Delta AMT) | Rs. 7.93 lakh (Sportz), Rs. 8.95 (Sportz CVT) | Rs. 8.84 lakh (Sportz iMT), Rs. 9.81 lakh (Sportz DCT) |
| – | Rs. 8.08 lakh (Sportz Dual-tone) | – |
| Rs. 8.26 lakh (Zeta). Rs. 8.76 lakh (Zeta AMT) | Rs. 8.81 lakh (Asta), Rs. 9.95 lakh (Asta CVT) | Rs. 10.05 lakh (Asta iMT), Rs. 10.81 lakh (Asta DCT) |
| – | – | Rs. 10.20 lakh (Asta iMT Dual-tone) |
| Rs. 9.21 lakh (Alpha), Rs. 9.71 lakh (Alpha AMT) | Rs. 9.55 lakh (Asta Opt), Rs. 10.57 lakh (Asta Opt CVT) | Rs. 11.39 lakh (Asta Opt DCT) |
| – | Rs. 9.70 lakh (Asta Opt Dual-tone), Rs. 10.72 lakh (Asta Opt CVT Dual-tone) | Rs. 11.54 lakh (Asta Opt DCT Dual-tone) |
Hyundai i20 may be more expensive, but it also has multiple engine choices. The diesel and turbo-petrol version offers significantly better performance, making them a little more fun to drive. However, if performance is what you truly seek, better go for i20 N Line!
| Hyundai i20 other variant prices (1.5L diesel variants) |
| Rs. 8.34 lakh (Magna) |
| Rs. 9.20 lakh (Sportz) |
| Rs. 10.75 lakh (Asta Opt) |
| Rs. 10.90 lakh (Asta Opt Dual-tone) |
It is hard to select a clear winner between the two, as both are very upmarket hatchbacks with a fun-to-drive nature. For affordability, the Maruti is the winner, but if you want power and performance, the Hyundai is the default choice.