Baleno vs i20 top variants: which offers more value for money

The Maruti Suzuki Baleno and Hyundai i20 have been going head to head in the Indian market for over a decade. Hyundai updated the i20 earlier this year, while Maruti recently launched a long-awaited facelifted version of the Baleno. For buyers considering the top-end models in this segment, a comparison of the Baleno's top-spec Alpha(O) and the i20's Asta(O) variant is useful.

On dimensions, the Baleno is 3,990 mm long against the i20's 3,995 mm, making the i20 5 mm longer. In width, the Baleno measures 1,745 mm and the i20 1,775 mm, with the i20 ahead by 30 mm. In height, the Baleno at 1,530 mm is 25 mm taller than the i20's 1,505 mm. The Baleno's wheelbase is 2,520 mm against the i20's 2,580 mm, a difference of 60 mm in the i20's favour. Boot space is 318 litres in the Baleno against 311 litres in the i20, a 7-litre edge for the Baleno. Overall, the i20 is longer, wider and has a longer wheelbase, while the Baleno is taller and has slightly more boot space.

Both cars get a 1.2-litre naturally aspirated petrol engine. The Baleno has a 3-cylinder unit while the i20 has a 4-cylinder engine. On power, the Baleno makes 83 hp, while the i20 makes 83 hp in the manual and 88 hp in the CVT variant. Torque is 112 Nm for the Baleno and 115 Nm for the i20. Both offer a 5-speed manual gearbox as standard; for the automatic, the Baleno gets a 5-speed AMT and the i20 gets a CVT.

On the exterior, both cars get LED light setups, power-folding ORVMs and 16-inch dual-tone alloy wheels. The Baleno has LED fog lamps, while the i20 has puddle lamps with a welcome function. The Baleno is available only in monotone colours, while the i20 offers monotone as well as dual-tone and matte-finish colour options.

Inside, the Baleno has an analogue instrument cluster with an MID, while the i20 gets a digital cluster. The infotainment screen is 9 inches on the Baleno and 10.25 inches on the i20. The audio system is a 6-speaker Clarion unit on the Baleno against a 7-speaker Bose system on the i20. The Baleno has a head-up display and ventilated front seats, while the i20 offers a single-pane sunroof, ambient lighting and a factory-fitted dashcam. Both get wireless Android Auto/Apple CarPlay, a wireless charger, automatic climate control, rear AC vents, semi-leather seats, connected car tech and 60:40 split rear seats.

On driving and safety, the Baleno does not offer drive modes, while the i20 has Sport and Normal modes. The Baleno gets adaptive cruise control, while the i20 has standard cruise control. Both cars get 6 airbags, a 360-degree camera, rear parking sensors, TPMS, an auto-dimming IRVM, ESC and hill-hold assist. The Baleno additionally offers a Level 2 ADAS suite and a 3-point seatbelt with adjustable headrests for the rear seat, while the i20 has 4 adjustable headrests and a built-in dashcam.

On price, the petrol manual variant of the Baleno costs Rs 9.60 lakh against Rs 9.24 lakh for the i20, making the i20 cheaper by Rs 36,000. In the petrol automatic, the Baleno costs Rs 9.99 lakh against Rs 10.43 lakh for the i20, making the i20 costlier by Rs 44,000 in this case.

In the manual petrol variant, the Hyundai i20 is Rs 36,000 cheaper than the Baleno while offering premium features such as a sunroof, Bose sound system, ambient lighting and a dashcam. The Baleno's head-up display, ventilated seats and Level 2 ADAS features are useful, but may not be essential for every buyer. The i20's automatic version is slightly costlier than the Baleno's, but its CVT gearbox offers a smoother driving experience than the Baleno's AMT. Taking all this into account, the Hyundai i20 comes out as the more value-for-money option between the two.