Shootout: 2018 Honda Jazz vs Hyundai Elite i20
Shootout No. 186
Price OTR Mumbai: Rs. 8.61 – 11.08 lakhs (Honda Jazz), Rs. 6.27 – 10.80 lakhs (Hyundai i20)
The Jazz doesn’t get major updates while the i20 feels like a better package
Premium hatchbacks make a lot of sense for our roads because not only are they large enough for most people, they offer good performance and come with features that are usually found on sedans positioned a segment above. With so many cars on offer, it is a buyers’ market out there but there are certain manufacturers who have nailed this segment and how. The Hyundai Elite i20 got a mid-life facelift few months back and now Honda has launched a mildly updated version of the Jazz. Of course, it is the Maruti Baleno which is the segment king but since the car is due for a facelift next year, we’ve compared the Elite i20 and Jazz neck-to-neck and here are our thoughts.
Motor Quest: There are so many choices in the Indian market today, you get hatchbacks for the price of sedans, sedans for the price of hatchbacks and what not. Segments like premium hatchbacks and compact sedans have opened up new markets for buyers and manufacturers alike. While we discussed compact sedans earlier, in this shootout we compare some of the more popular premium hatchbacks.
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The Jazz is carrying the same design since 2015 while the i20 feels fresher
Exteriors – The Hyundai Elite i20 is bigger than the 2018 Honda Jazz and that’s immediately apparent. The i20 has an urban look to it while the Jazz looks like a typical Honda. The i20 gets projector headlamps with daytime running lights while the fog light housings have been made smaller. At the rear, the car has newly designed taillights. A major change is also with the number plate position which has been shifted from the bumper to the tailgate. The i20 now sits on 16-inch alloys which look good. Honda on the other hand has decided to give its 2018 Jazz minimal exterior updates. Yes, the only changes on the exterior are chrome door handles and new LED wing taillights at the rear which too come only with the high-end variants. It continues to ride on the same 15-inch alloys as the outgoing model.
[flickr size=”center” float=”medium”]http://www.flickr.com/photos/motorbeam/30011656618/[/flickr]
The i20’s cabin feels more upmarket than the Jazz
Interiors – While the interiors of the Hyundai Elite i20 have remained more or less the same, the 2018 Honda Jazz has received a majority of the updates there. The Jazz has always had among the roomiest cabins in this segment and that continues to be the case here. The all black interiors come with beige seats and look nice. There is a new touch infotainment system that comes with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto support. It even gets navigation. Features like the keyless entry and go and a start/stop button finally make it to the Jazz. The Hyundai i20 gets various interior colour options. The best one we like is the all black dashboard and doors that come with the dual-tone option. The 12V socket has now been replaced by a USB port. The 7.0-inch touchscreen infotainment is the same but features a revised user interface. Hyundai has also added the AutoLink telematics app that allows users to remotely access information like distance travelled, hard braking or acceleration and travel time.
[flickr size=”center” float=”medium”]http://www.flickr.com/photos/motorbeam/43163834034/[/flickr]
The Jazz has much more space than the i20
The Elite i20 gets better quality materials on the inside
Both these premium hatchbacks are good on space but it is clearly the Jazz which has significantly more space in the cabin. Honda has extracted more knee room and head room for passengers. The seats on the i20 offer very good support and are well-shaped while the Jazz’s seats are larger and a bit softer. The boot on the Jazz (354-litres) is also bigger than the i20 (285-litres).
