Hyundai Grand i10 Nios Turbo vs VW Polo TSI
Affordable and fun, but which one is better?
The past year has been one to forget so you might not have landed that dream job or gotten that hopeful promotion and that SUV you so meticulously planned on buying, now has to wait for some more time. But you’ve also grown tired of the dreary old hatchback sitting in the parking lot, waiting for another weekday and its arduous commute. A bit of zing, a boost of excitement seems to be the need of the hour and while the daydreams can continue speccing that elusive SUV, reality begs for a shiny new hatchback to replace the older one.
Replace the old hatch with another one and save up for the dream car. Makes perfect sense doesn’t it? A natural upgrade would be jumping to a higher segment but with a sub-10 lakh rupee budget, a different reality seems unlikely, until you discover two hidden gems in an overcrowded product portfolio. The Hyundai Grand i10 Nios and the Volkswagen Polo currently offer a host of variants and trims to choose from and while the VW Polo has been known for its TSI engine, Hyundai is a fairly new entrant in the segment.
Turbo-charging smaller engines is a sure shot way to force feed more air in exchange for loads of horsepower and torque. So much so that 1.0-litre turbo-petrols are comparable to naturally aspirated 1.4 to 1.6-litre engines. Then of course, they are more expensive to produce, require careful calibration to not overstress the internals or employ stronger engine components. Increasingly tighter emission norms have forced manufacturers to adopt this technology, once only reserved to performance cars and make it mainstream for daily drivers. To keep cost in check, most of these engines are choosing to ditch four-cylinders for three, thus making for a compact yet powerful engine that’s kinder to the environment and is just as fuel efficient as their NA equivalents.
Since this concept of making mass consumers adopt and adapt to this not so new tech, is going to be a gradual process, it’s best to associate them with existing products rather than an all-new model. Win-win for you if you’re looking for a modest upgrade right now.
VW went the downsizing route with the 1.0-litre, NA, MPI engine for the Polo but quickly realised that the ethos of the car was being challenged at a time when a decade old model still needed to rake in the moolah for the company. The Polo, when launched, was quick to establish itself as a premium European hatchback with performance to boot along with the obvious people carrying duties it had to perform. Professionals found a new tool to race in, tuners were modding them by the dozens and piggyback ECUs were flying off the shelves. The Polo would compete with the likes of the Swifts and the i20s of the time,
till the clock started slowing down for VW as the competition started offering bigger and better cars. This left VW to now make the Polo a value proposition to a lower segment. The MPI engine fulfills that just like the NA 1.2 Kappa engine does for the Grand i10. The solution to VW’s predicament with the Polo however, came after the 1.0-litre TSI engine debuted last year.
This engine mated to a 6-speed gearbox makes the Polo the most well-rounded hatchback in its segment with reason to justify drawing this conclusion so early on. The acceleration numbers have a clear story to tell but its the minimal turbo lag, the linear kick in of power around the 1,700rpm mark and the thick of its torque curve laying seamlessly till the higher reaches of its rev range make this engine a pure delight to drive. The short accelerator pedal travel, the slick 6-speed gearbox and its thought out gear ratios mean that when you’ve got to get a move on, the 1.0-litre TSI engine in the Polo will more than impress. Part credit is also due to the suspension setup. Great low-speed damping, stiff springs and anti-roll bar setup, quick and accurate steering not only makes the Polo turn on a dime, it can even manage a tripod around tight corners when pushed hard. And push hard is what you’ll always be tempted to do once you’re addicted to this cocktail of cohesiveness of the responsive chassis, taut suspension, punchy engine and smooth gearbox.
For a seasoned driver to an enthusiast, the Polo satisfies your need for a quick set of wheels on a budget. Budget being the keyword here, you then forgive the bland interiors harking back to forgettable times and designs against the timeless exterior aesthetics. Clean and minimal lines, classic shape of a European hatchback, the Polo stills looks appealing. It’s only when you shift focus to the Hyundai, that the realisation of the Polo being a decade-old design dawns on you.
Projector headlights and matching fog lights, DRLs, flowing lines and contours, the Grand i10 Nios holds its head high against the Polo. The Turbo is available in a single Sportz variant sans excessive chrome to tell itself apart. It looks like it means business and you wouldn’t get tired of looking at it parked outside your window, at least not soon enough. Step inside right after getting out of a Polo and you’ll experience time travel with what Hyundai offers in the interiors of the Grand i10 Nios. Lighter interior colours, tallish design and more glass area make the Nios feel much airier while tech like wireless charging, digital instru
STEP INSIDE RIGHT AFTER GETTING OUT OF A POLO AND YOU’LL EXPERIENCE TIME TRAVEL WITH WHAT HYUNDAI OFFERS IN THE INTERIORS OF THE GRAND I10 NIOS
FOR A SEASONED DRIVER TO AN ENTHUSIAST, THE POLO IS A QUICK SET OF WHEELS ON A BUDGET
mentation and rear view camera remind you of what we’ve come to expect of sub-10 lakh rupee hatchbacks in 2021. Sure, the VW is built solid and feels so but the Hyundai isn’t behind at all and far exceeds the modernity in its dashboard layout, design elements and features.
What the Grand i10 Nios Turbo lacks however, is the feel of the Polo. The 1.0 Turbo GDi engine can’t battle turbo lag as well as the TSI but once it wakes up near the 2,000rpm mark, it darts like a Jack Russell Terrier. The steering is quick and the short wheelbase that makes up a very stable chassis creates this urgency that’s extremely likeable to make the daily commute all the more exciting. It’s the nuances of a sporty setup that the Nios misses out on and makes this fun slightly short-lived. The tall ratios of the 5-speed gearbox makes for lazier acceleration, the long clutch and throttle travel add to the laziness, the chair-like driving position, it eventually doesn’t add up for the enthusiast in you but for everything else, it’s a rev happy little runabout. The suspension setup is comparatively softer than the Polo’s thus making the Nios Turbo more versatile over various surfaces and that makes it nearly impossible to drive slowly.