New Hyundai Santro vs Tata Tiago – Comparison

New Hyundai Santro vs Tata Tiago make for a tasty comparison as both are well sorted affordable hatchbacks in India to buy

Hyundai revived the Santro nameplate with good initial success as the small hatchback has received high tally of bookings and sales numbers in the opening couple of months have been impressive. With 8,535 and 9,009 units respectively in October and November 2018, the Santro is a force to reckon with in the New Year as well.

In contrary, the Tiago did not burst out of the scenes with big chunk of sales. Instead, Tata had to work their way for its recognition and when it got going, the volumes started coming in with ease. It is the top-seller for Tata Motors for well over a year now and is a closely matched rival to the new Santro. Here’s how they compare:

Exterior and Dimension:

The 2018 Hyundai Santro has adorned a new face compared to rest of the range with a gaping front grille with Cascade styling while the Tiago, on the other hand, has a compact car appeal courtesy of the Impact Design philosophy. It is largely down to the customers’ preference of which to choose as both the hatchbacks have appealing stances.

As for the dimensions, the Tiago wins over by being 136 mm longer and 2 mm wider allowing for better space inside the cabin. The Santro is the taller by 25 mm sticking with the original Santro’s tallboy routes but shares same wheelbase as the Tiago at 2,400 mm. The Santro and Tiago do run on 14-inch wheels but the top-spec Tiago can be had with 15-inchers as well.

Engine, Specifications and Mileage:

The Korean hatchback uses the updated 1.1-litre, four-cylinder petrol engine developing 69 PS and 99 Nm torque and is connected to a five-speed manual transmission as standard with Hyundai’s first five-speed AMT as optional. The CNG version generates 59 PS and 84 Nm and is mated to a five-speed manual gearbox only. The regular petrol has claimed mileage of 20.3 kmpl and the CNG is ARAI-certified to return 30.5 km/kg.

The Tiago gets powered by a larger 1.2-litre Revotron petrol and 1.05-litre Revotorq diesel engines. The former produces 85 PS maximum power and 114 Nm torque while the latter develops 70 PS and 140 Nm. As the Santro, they are mated to either a five-speed manual or a five-speed automatic transmission. Amidst having the advantage of being sold in diesel engine, the Tiago does outshine Santro in both power and torque parameters.

Moreover, the petrol engine of the entry-level Tata hatchback is more frugal than Santro by over 3.5 kmpl. The presence of CNG allows Santro to have a 30.5 km/kg claimed mileage and the diesel variants of Tiago are good enough for 27.28 kmpl. The Tiago definitely has the upper hand in terms of performance but Santro is a good city runaround and is decently economical too.

Hyundai Santro vs Tata Tiago Interior and Features:

As has been the case with Hyundai models, the Santro comes packed with features but in comparison, the Tiago is as good. The new generation Santro comprises of seven-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, segment-first rear AC vents and reverse parking camera among others.

The Tiago features adjustable headrests, electrically foldable ORVMs, a seven-inch touchscreen and a lot more along with ABS, seat belt reminder and pre-tensioners, rear defogger, etc. The Santro only offers dual front airbags in the top-end variants though, but overall both the hatchbacks are VFM prospects on their own in terms of equipment onboard.

Hyundai Santro vs Tata Tiago Price:

When only the petrol variants are compared, the Tiago does have cheaper price tag at Rs. 3.4-5.63 lakh, as the Santro costs between Rs. 3.90 lakh and Rs. 5.47 lakh. Tata has actively been adding new variants into the Tiago lineup and it has been working well for them. Considering the overall range, the Tiago offers many options within the Rs. 3.4-6.38 lakh range while the Santro’s top-end CNG costs Rs. 5.65 lakh (all prices, ex-showroom).

Hyundai Santro vs Tata Tiago Verdict:

The Tiago definitely makes for a complete package with a more spacious interior and a well-packed equipment list. The Santro is no slouch either and despite being less powerful than the Tiago, it does have fun riding capabilities and a good car to own especially if you live in the urban environment or want a factory-fitted CNG hatchback with good mileage.

If we had to choose, it would definitely be the manual Tiago petrol, as the diesel is kind of uninspiring to drive. If AMT is part of your contemplation, the Santro will come in handy over the Tiago.