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COMPARISONS...
Shootout – 2011 Ford Fiesta vs Fluidic Hyundai Verna
The much awaited all new 2011 Ford Fiesta has been launched in India. The C-segment is now complete with just a car from Nissan scheduled to enter this segment in this year. The Fiat Linea is due for an upgrade soon while the Honda City is not available in diesel, which is a dampener for many. The Maruti Suzuki SX4 too is due for an update early next year while the Volkswagen Vento lacks the features which cars of this segment have started to offer. This leaves us with just two cars, which are all new models and are undoubtedly the pick of the segment. We are talking about the all new Ford Fiesta and the Fluidic Hyundai Verna. But which car should you buy? The very aim of this post is to answer that question.
Styling - Both the new Fluidic Hyundai Verna and the new 2011 Ford Fiesta look stunning. In terms of design there is little to choose between the two cars. Both the cars look like they have been designed by the same design house. The Fiesta’s boot is a bit boxy as compared to the Verna, but overall they share similar design language. When viewed from the front, we would chose the Fiesta, when viewed from the side, we would pick the Verna and when viewed from the rear, we would choose neither. Overall you can’t go wrong with either when it comes to the design of these vehicles. At the end of the day, what appeals more to you would matter, as there isn’t a universal decision on which is the better looking car.
Interiors - The new Fiesta offers first in segment features such as voice dialing, voice assisted climate control and cruise control which are missing in the Verna. On the other side, its the Verna which give a reverse guide camera and push button start. The international Fiesta comes with push button start but this has been omitted for the Indian car, cost cutting maybe? As far as interior quality goes, its the Verna which gets better quality plastics and a better overall interior fit and finish. Even the upholstery feels premium.
The Fiesta’s plastics look like they have been picked up from a segment lower. Coming to NVH, the Fiesta is better insulated than the Verna, in fact the Fiesta is the benchmark in the segment with the lowest levels of NVH. Front seat comfort is evenly matched between the two and possibly the Fiesta edges marginally ahead. Coming to the rear bench, its absolutely the opposite story. The Verna is far superior as far as the rear space goes, the Fiesta falls short with limited legroom. Headroom is marginally more in the Verna.
Performance - In terms of engines, the new Hyundai Verna has twice as many engines on offer than the new Fiesta. On paper, the Verna’s engine looks far stronger in terms of outright power and performance and it’s no different on the road. So it’s difficult to compare the engines due to the different power configuration. The 1.4 Vernas are a better bet for comparison than the 1.6 Vernas. Both pricing and power output wise, it is the 1.4 versions of the Verna which are a right comparison with the new Fiesta. However the base Fiesta offers ABS and EBD as standard equipment, which the Verna 1.4 twins don’t. The Verna 1.6 twins are also available with automatic transmission, while Ford is yet to announce AT variants of the Fiesta. The gearbox of the Verna is smooth and slick, The Fiesta’s is not bad either but engine refinement goes in favour of the Verna
The Fiesta sports 1.5 liter engines and the petrol 1.5 Ti-VCT engine is tuned for efficiency and lacks the power punch but delivers 17 kmpl (ARAI figures). This Duratec Ti-VCT petrol engine gives out 110 BHP @ 6045 RPM & 140 NM of Torque @ 4500. The Diesel is punchy compared to the petrol but as far as performance goes it churns 91 BHP @ 3750 RPM and a torque of 204 NM @ 2000 – 2750 RPM which just does not match to the Verna’s 1.6 diesel powerplant. The Verna does not feel as power hungry and the 1.4 and 1.6 Petrols delivers 106 BHP at 6300 RPM and 122 BHP at 6300 RPM, torque ratings are 138 Nm at 5000 RPM and 155 Nm at 4200 RPM respectively. The CRDI Diesels of the Verna are powerful, the 1.4 delivers 90 BHP at 4000 RPM and torque of 220 Nm at 1750-2750 RPM while the 1.6 Diesel churns out 127 BHP at 4000 RPM and torque of 260 Nm at 1900-2750 RPM. The 1.6 diesel is a rocket, acceleration is brutally quick and the refinement levels are very good too. If you like driving quick in a straight line, simply close your eyes and get the Verna 1.6 CRDi.
Ride, Handling, Braking - Hyundai has never been know for sharp handling cars and the new Verna continues this trend. The suspension is soft and the car lacks the confidence to be be pushed hard. Even with the soft suspension, the ride is average. High speed stability is poor and the Verna is bouncy as speeds build up. Brakes of both the cars are excellent owing to disc brakes and decent width tyres. The Verna even offers disc brakes on all 4-wheels, while the Fiesta has rear drums. Both cars stop quickly but due to the poorly calibrated suspension of the Verna, it tends to switch lanes on extreme hard braking. Even after so many years, Hyundai is yet to balance the ride and handling characteristics of it’s cars. On the contrary, Ford certainly has mastered it.The Verna features 16-inch wheels, while the Fiesta makes do with 15-inch wheels. The new Ford Fiesta features a fantastic ride and handling balance. The EPS on the new Fiesta features pull drift compensation which ensures excellent steering feedback at high speeds. Further more the stiff suspension ensures the Fiesta points in the direction you point it at. The ride is excellent too and rarely do you feel the poor road conditions which our monsoons have to offer. A special mention needs to be made about the NVH levels of the Fiesta, which is extremely silent even on bad roads and high speeds.
Fuel Efficiency, Pricing – Both the Fluidic Verna and new Fiesta boast of excellent mileage figures (ARAI certified).
Article by :- Pranav.R.Ovalekar
Styling - Both the new Fluidic Hyundai Verna and the new 2011 Ford Fiesta look stunning. In terms of design there is little to choose between the two cars. Both the cars look like they have been designed by the same design house. The Fiesta’s boot is a bit boxy as compared to the Verna, but overall they share similar design language. When viewed from the front, we would chose the Fiesta, when viewed from the side, we would pick the Verna and when viewed from the rear, we would choose neither. Overall you can’t go wrong with either when it comes to the design of these vehicles. At the end of the day, what appeals more to you would matter, as there isn’t a universal decision on which is the better looking car.
Interiors - The new Fiesta offers first in segment features such as voice dialing, voice assisted climate control and cruise control which are missing in the Verna. On the other side, its the Verna which give a reverse guide camera and push button start. The international Fiesta comes with push button start but this has been omitted for the Indian car, cost cutting maybe? As far as interior quality goes, its the Verna which gets better quality plastics and a better overall interior fit and finish. Even the upholstery feels premium.
The Fiesta’s plastics look like they have been picked up from a segment lower. Coming to NVH, the Fiesta is better insulated than the Verna, in fact the Fiesta is the benchmark in the segment with the lowest levels of NVH. Front seat comfort is evenly matched between the two and possibly the Fiesta edges marginally ahead. Coming to the rear bench, its absolutely the opposite story. The Verna is far superior as far as the rear space goes, the Fiesta falls short with limited legroom. Headroom is marginally more in the Verna.
Performance - In terms of engines, the new Hyundai Verna has twice as many engines on offer than the new Fiesta. On paper, the Verna’s engine looks far stronger in terms of outright power and performance and it’s no different on the road. So it’s difficult to compare the engines due to the different power configuration. The 1.4 Vernas are a better bet for comparison than the 1.6 Vernas. Both pricing and power output wise, it is the 1.4 versions of the Verna which are a right comparison with the new Fiesta. However the base Fiesta offers ABS and EBD as standard equipment, which the Verna 1.4 twins don’t. The Verna 1.6 twins are also available with automatic transmission, while Ford is yet to announce AT variants of the Fiesta. The gearbox of the Verna is smooth and slick, The Fiesta’s is not bad either but engine refinement goes in favour of the Verna
The Fiesta sports 1.5 liter engines and the petrol 1.5 Ti-VCT engine is tuned for efficiency and lacks the power punch but delivers 17 kmpl (ARAI figures). This Duratec Ti-VCT petrol engine gives out 110 BHP @ 6045 RPM & 140 NM of Torque @ 4500. The Diesel is punchy compared to the petrol but as far as performance goes it churns 91 BHP @ 3750 RPM and a torque of 204 NM @ 2000 – 2750 RPM which just does not match to the Verna’s 1.6 diesel powerplant. The Verna does not feel as power hungry and the 1.4 and 1.6 Petrols delivers 106 BHP at 6300 RPM and 122 BHP at 6300 RPM, torque ratings are 138 Nm at 5000 RPM and 155 Nm at 4200 RPM respectively. The CRDI Diesels of the Verna are powerful, the 1.4 delivers 90 BHP at 4000 RPM and torque of 220 Nm at 1750-2750 RPM while the 1.6 Diesel churns out 127 BHP at 4000 RPM and torque of 260 Nm at 1900-2750 RPM. The 1.6 diesel is a rocket, acceleration is brutally quick and the refinement levels are very good too. If you like driving quick in a straight line, simply close your eyes and get the Verna 1.6 CRDi.
Ride, Handling, Braking - Hyundai has never been know for sharp handling cars and the new Verna continues this trend. The suspension is soft and the car lacks the confidence to be be pushed hard. Even with the soft suspension, the ride is average. High speed stability is poor and the Verna is bouncy as speeds build up. Brakes of both the cars are excellent owing to disc brakes and decent width tyres. The Verna even offers disc brakes on all 4-wheels, while the Fiesta has rear drums. Both cars stop quickly but due to the poorly calibrated suspension of the Verna, it tends to switch lanes on extreme hard braking. Even after so many years, Hyundai is yet to balance the ride and handling characteristics of it’s cars. On the contrary, Ford certainly has mastered it.The Verna features 16-inch wheels, while the Fiesta makes do with 15-inch wheels. The new Ford Fiesta features a fantastic ride and handling balance. The EPS on the new Fiesta features pull drift compensation which ensures excellent steering feedback at high speeds. Further more the stiff suspension ensures the Fiesta points in the direction you point it at. The ride is excellent too and rarely do you feel the poor road conditions which our monsoons have to offer. A special mention needs to be made about the NVH levels of the Fiesta, which is extremely silent even on bad roads and high speeds.
Fuel Efficiency, Pricing – Both the Fluidic Verna and new Fiesta boast of excellent mileage figures (ARAI certified).
Article by :- Pranav.R.Ovalekar
Shootout – Volkswagen Polo vs Fiat Grande Punto
Few people would disagree that the Volkswagen Polo and the Fiat Grande Puntoare the two best hatchbacks one can buy in India today. Both cars have their USPs which make them a desirable option for buyers, but when it comes to choose between them, its extremely difficult to get a winner. If you are in this dilemma, fear not, as we intend to answer this very question in this road test review comparison between the Volkswagen Polo and the Fiat Grande Punto. So grab some pop corn and soda, this is going to be a long one!
Styling - The Volkswagen Polo looks very well proportioned. It is a mini-Golf lookalike with the overall no nonsense, simplistic design. The front looks sharp with the distinctive new Volkswagen family face, whereas the side shows a distinctively sporty front overhang and extremely short rear overhang. The rear shows a broad shoulder line with the Polo’s tailgate being opened with the VW logo. The rear does look a bit old fashioned but overall a pleasing car to the eye, specially in the colour red.
The Fiat Grande Punto was born exactly six years ago and still looks like a masterpiece. If the Polo looks stunning, than the Punto simply looks super-stunning (such a word doesn’t even exist, but as you know, the looks of the Punto can’t be described). The mini-Maserati front and the bold side profile are totally eye catching. The rear could have been better, but we aren’t complaining. The Grande Punto looks smashing from all angles, in all colours. If there is one car we would buy for pure looks, without even bothering to know the specifications and features, it would undoubtedly be the Grande Punto.
Both look equally stunning when viewed from side. The Polo features an in-built rear spoiler. Fuel tank opening on different sides for both the cars.
Interiors - If the styling competition was swept away by the Fiat and your expecting it to perform on similar linesl when it comes to interiors, I have some bad news. The Volkswagen’s interiors are much better. Both cars feature 3-spoke steering wheels, but the Punto’s dashboard does show its age. The Polo’s dashboard design is simple yet elegant, the Punto, whereas looks slightly confused. The black color doesn’t really offer airiness in the cabin, something the beige interiors in the Polo manage very well. But when it comes to function, the Punto performs much better.
Both cars feature foldable keys, but that is all what is common. The Punto is so well loaded with features. For starters, there are audio controls on the steering wheel, Bluetooth connectivity, climate control air-conditioner and electrically operated outside rear view mirrors. The omission of such features on the Polo are very surprising to say the least. Volkswagen will launch an updated version with the addition of a few features but at that time, we will also have the Punto Evo, which has a better looking interior than the Polo. Come to the plastics and one feels that Fiat could have used better quality plastics, come to the Polo and it excels in plastic quality and feel. Everything feels solid and on par with a D-segment car while the Tata influence seemed to reflect on the Punto!
Ride, Handling, Braking - Both the cars featured here ride on 15-inch wheels and have one of the best ride and handling combination. But there has to be one car, which is better than the other. It was difficult initially to judge as both the Punto and Polo are so close in terms of handling and ride balance. However, the Grande Punto emerges as the winner here. The Punto is sharper than the Polo and no matter what, it just never gives up. Whether your throwing the car through a set of curves, or your driving over potholes, the Punto feels right for the job. Mind you, the Polo is no less and handles beautiful too, but tends to loose grip on very sharp turns.
Both the cars feature anti-lock brakes with decent sized tyres. The Punto has wider rubber at 195mm, whereas the Polo makes do with 185mm rubber. Again the Punto is the better decelerating vehicle and stops dead in its track at any given speed without a hiccup, mind you, the Punto is heavier than its competition here. In the Polo though, the car tends to loose its line slightly with the anti-lock system working over time to keep things in check.
Performance - Theoretically it would be unfair to compare these vehicles as both feature very different powertrains. The Polo makes do with 3-cylinder engines, which when read on paper feels slow and noisy. The Punto on the other hand feels decently fast on paper. But come on the road and things change dramatically. The Polo feels the bigger engined car and the Punto seems to lag a bit. The petrol Polo is very revv happy. Although slightly coarse, the Polo’s petrol unit never feels underpowered. On the Punto 1.2, you do feel the lack of thrust. Fuel efficiency of the Polo petrol is much better than the Punto 1.2 petrol, with the car easily returning 14 kmpl compared to the 12.5 kmpl, the FIRE engine offers.
The Polo TDi again features a 3-pot motor, which is very torquey with a hint of inital turbo lag. Power delivery is linear and the car feels quick once the turbo spools up, albeit a bit vocal. Do we even need to talk about the 1.3 liter Multijet unit which does duty in the Punto? In 75hp form, it feels decent and never underpowered. In 90hp form, it feels quick and in-gear acceleration times are vastly improved. Still want more? We even tested a 105hp Punto. Both these engines are very closely matched but the Mutijet is more silent of the two. We choose the Punto 90hp over the Polo for the more power and overall refinements of the national engine of our country.
As can be seen above, the Swift (Our Support Vehicle) is still the king when it comes to engine performance and managed to keep up with us through out the test. But both the Polo and Punto outdo it on the corners. The clutch feel on both the cars is light and well calibrated. The Polo feels so much better going through the gears. The shift action is butter smooth, making the Polo’s transmission easily the best for small cars in the country. The Punto’s shift is decent as well, nothing that we complain about but certainly not butter smooth like the Polo.
Conclusion - Volkswagen offers the Polo in 7 variants, across three engine options. Fiat offers three engine options too but across ten variants. Both these cars appeal to a different class of buyers, but ultimately, it comes to whether you think from the heart or the head. The Polo would appeal to those who want a no nonsense hatchback which would return very good mileage, never break down and offer excellent quality. Servicing a Volkswagen is much more expensive than a Fiat, but you know the dealership will do a better job than what Tata Motors would, as Fiat cars are like step siblings in a Tata workshop.
However, if your the kind of person who thinks from his heart, than the Grande Punto is for you. The Punto is slightly cheaper to buy, much cheaper to service and almost equally cheap to run (the diesel). It also offers you more for what you pay and turns heads where ever it goes. Simply for this reason, if we had to chose between the two cars, it would be the Fiat Grande Punto that would win our vote every single time. Its sad but a car of this potential does not do numbers it should and hopefully once Fiat sorts out the chink in it’s armour, the Punto has what it takes to be a best seller, its done it internationally and there is no reason it shouldn’t in India.
Article by :- Pranav.R.Ovalekar
Styling - The Volkswagen Polo looks very well proportioned. It is a mini-Golf lookalike with the overall no nonsense, simplistic design. The front looks sharp with the distinctive new Volkswagen family face, whereas the side shows a distinctively sporty front overhang and extremely short rear overhang. The rear shows a broad shoulder line with the Polo’s tailgate being opened with the VW logo. The rear does look a bit old fashioned but overall a pleasing car to the eye, specially in the colour red.
The Fiat Grande Punto was born exactly six years ago and still looks like a masterpiece. If the Polo looks stunning, than the Punto simply looks super-stunning (such a word doesn’t even exist, but as you know, the looks of the Punto can’t be described). The mini-Maserati front and the bold side profile are totally eye catching. The rear could have been better, but we aren’t complaining. The Grande Punto looks smashing from all angles, in all colours. If there is one car we would buy for pure looks, without even bothering to know the specifications and features, it would undoubtedly be the Grande Punto.
Both look equally stunning when viewed from side. The Polo features an in-built rear spoiler. Fuel tank opening on different sides for both the cars.
Interiors - If the styling competition was swept away by the Fiat and your expecting it to perform on similar linesl when it comes to interiors, I have some bad news. The Volkswagen’s interiors are much better. Both cars feature 3-spoke steering wheels, but the Punto’s dashboard does show its age. The Polo’s dashboard design is simple yet elegant, the Punto, whereas looks slightly confused. The black color doesn’t really offer airiness in the cabin, something the beige interiors in the Polo manage very well. But when it comes to function, the Punto performs much better.
Both cars feature foldable keys, but that is all what is common. The Punto is so well loaded with features. For starters, there are audio controls on the steering wheel, Bluetooth connectivity, climate control air-conditioner and electrically operated outside rear view mirrors. The omission of such features on the Polo are very surprising to say the least. Volkswagen will launch an updated version with the addition of a few features but at that time, we will also have the Punto Evo, which has a better looking interior than the Polo. Come to the plastics and one feels that Fiat could have used better quality plastics, come to the Polo and it excels in plastic quality and feel. Everything feels solid and on par with a D-segment car while the Tata influence seemed to reflect on the Punto!
Ride, Handling, Braking - Both the cars featured here ride on 15-inch wheels and have one of the best ride and handling combination. But there has to be one car, which is better than the other. It was difficult initially to judge as both the Punto and Polo are so close in terms of handling and ride balance. However, the Grande Punto emerges as the winner here. The Punto is sharper than the Polo and no matter what, it just never gives up. Whether your throwing the car through a set of curves, or your driving over potholes, the Punto feels right for the job. Mind you, the Polo is no less and handles beautiful too, but tends to loose grip on very sharp turns.
Both the cars feature anti-lock brakes with decent sized tyres. The Punto has wider rubber at 195mm, whereas the Polo makes do with 185mm rubber. Again the Punto is the better decelerating vehicle and stops dead in its track at any given speed without a hiccup, mind you, the Punto is heavier than its competition here. In the Polo though, the car tends to loose its line slightly with the anti-lock system working over time to keep things in check.
Performance - Theoretically it would be unfair to compare these vehicles as both feature very different powertrains. The Polo makes do with 3-cylinder engines, which when read on paper feels slow and noisy. The Punto on the other hand feels decently fast on paper. But come on the road and things change dramatically. The Polo feels the bigger engined car and the Punto seems to lag a bit. The petrol Polo is very revv happy. Although slightly coarse, the Polo’s petrol unit never feels underpowered. On the Punto 1.2, you do feel the lack of thrust. Fuel efficiency of the Polo petrol is much better than the Punto 1.2 petrol, with the car easily returning 14 kmpl compared to the 12.5 kmpl, the FIRE engine offers.
The Polo TDi again features a 3-pot motor, which is very torquey with a hint of inital turbo lag. Power delivery is linear and the car feels quick once the turbo spools up, albeit a bit vocal. Do we even need to talk about the 1.3 liter Multijet unit which does duty in the Punto? In 75hp form, it feels decent and never underpowered. In 90hp form, it feels quick and in-gear acceleration times are vastly improved. Still want more? We even tested a 105hp Punto. Both these engines are very closely matched but the Mutijet is more silent of the two. We choose the Punto 90hp over the Polo for the more power and overall refinements of the national engine of our country.
As can be seen above, the Swift (Our Support Vehicle) is still the king when it comes to engine performance and managed to keep up with us through out the test. But both the Polo and Punto outdo it on the corners. The clutch feel on both the cars is light and well calibrated. The Polo feels so much better going through the gears. The shift action is butter smooth, making the Polo’s transmission easily the best for small cars in the country. The Punto’s shift is decent as well, nothing that we complain about but certainly not butter smooth like the Polo.
Conclusion - Volkswagen offers the Polo in 7 variants, across three engine options. Fiat offers three engine options too but across ten variants. Both these cars appeal to a different class of buyers, but ultimately, it comes to whether you think from the heart or the head. The Polo would appeal to those who want a no nonsense hatchback which would return very good mileage, never break down and offer excellent quality. Servicing a Volkswagen is much more expensive than a Fiat, but you know the dealership will do a better job than what Tata Motors would, as Fiat cars are like step siblings in a Tata workshop.
However, if your the kind of person who thinks from his heart, than the Grande Punto is for you. The Punto is slightly cheaper to buy, much cheaper to service and almost equally cheap to run (the diesel). It also offers you more for what you pay and turns heads where ever it goes. Simply for this reason, if we had to chose between the two cars, it would be the Fiat Grande Punto that would win our vote every single time. Its sad but a car of this potential does not do numbers it should and hopefully once Fiat sorts out the chink in it’s armour, the Punto has what it takes to be a best seller, its done it internationally and there is no reason it shouldn’t in India.
Article by :- Pranav.R.Ovalekar
