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.
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.
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.
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).
The i-DTEC has better drivability while the CRDI feels punchy
Performance – The Hyundai Elite i20 comes with a 1.4-litre, CRDI Diesel engine which puts out 89 HP and 220 Nm and this engine is known for its refined nature. I can easily say that refinement levels are best in class because the vibrations and clatter are so nicely controlled. In comparison, the 1.5-litre, i-DTEC mill on the Honda Jazz makes 99 BHP and 200 Nm and is also quite noisy and even with this updated version, it was hard to notice any improvement in NVH levels. The Jazz diesel offers very good drivability thanks to the limited turbo lag and linear power delivery thereafter while the i20 has relatively more turbo lag but the pull after the turbo starts spooling is also far more aggressive in the Hyundai, giving it that extra edge of excitement. Both these cars reach speeds above the ton fairly quickly. In terms of efficiency, it is Honda that has an upper hand with the Jazz delivering anywhere between 16-22 km/l while the Elite i20 is capable of giving out 14-18 km/l.
The i-VTEC feels dull in comparison to the Kappa VTVT
Hyundai’s engines pack more grunt than its Japanese rival’s
The petrol engines on both the cars are highly refined. The i20’s 1.2-litre Kappa VTVT unit produces 82 HP and 115 Nm while the 1.2 i-VTEC unit on the Jazz churns out 89 HP and 110 Nm. The petrol i20 feels more responsive than the Jazz and the engine also feels a bit more enthusiastic while the Jazz petrol has a laid-back nature with the engine feeling lazy at the lower RPM band while slowly gathering pace in the mid-range and the top-end having most of the grunt and thus it is the i20 here which is more drivable. Fuel efficiency is more or less similar on these cars, with the figure hovering between 9-12 km/l in the city and between 12-14 km/l on the highways.
None of these cars get a diesel auto variant
One thing common between these premium hatchbacks is that they both come with a CVT gearbox with the petrol engine. The one on the Jazz is a 7-step unit while the i20 makes do with a 6-speed unit. Both of them come with an S mode but only the Jazz gets paddle-shifters. The i20 CVT is quicker off the line and is a smooth performer. The Jazz CVT performs similar, with smooth driveabilty but again as I mentioned earlier, it is the engine which feels lazy. If we talk about manual gearboxes, thankfully both the cars come with a light clutch. The Jazz has shorter throws than the i20 but the i20 too feels slick.
The i20 has a better ride than the Jazz
Driving Dynamics – The Hyundai Elite i20 has a softer suspension set up compared to the Honda Jazz and that translates into better ride quality for the Hyundai. The i20 is quite absorbent, not saying the Jazz has bad ride quality but it is just a bit stiffer and now as comfy as the i20 in the city. On the highways, the Jazz feels very stable but so is the i20 which holds on to the road nicely and doesn’t feel unsettled by any means.
The Jazz is more engaging to drive than the i20
Talking about steering, the i20 has a lighter unit but even at high speeds it doesn’t weigh up enough to give an extra boost of confidence while the one on the Jazz feels much more well-weighted. In terms of steering feedback, it is the Jazz which is much ahead of the i20 and the former is also more fun to drive. Braking performance is better in the i20 since it has a sharp bite and stopping power is very good. Meanwhile, the Jazz has good stopping power but the bite isn’t as sharp as its rival and it happens quite gradually. However, the tyres on the Jazz have marginally lesser grip than the i20.
Both automakers are fairly good in terms of service
Safety and After Sales Service – The Hyundai Elite i20 and the 2018 Honda Jazz, both get safety features like a rear parking camera with sensors, rear defogger, seatbelt reminder, speed sensing auto door lock and ABS with EBD. But the i20 takes it a notch higher by offering six airbags compared to the Jazz’s two. There’s also a smart pedal which during simultaneous operation of the brakes and acceleration pedals, overrides the accelerator pedal and applies brakes only.
Buy the Jazz if you want that space, else go for the i20
Verdict – Both these premium hatchbacks have different USPs. The Hyundai Elite i20 scores high on looks, features, performance and quality while the Honda Jazz has an upper edge when it comes to space, practicality and efficiency. However, the Japanese hatchback is priced rather dearly when compared to its rival and this update isn’t really something that can be counted as significant. For most users out there, we feel the i20 will exceed all expectations but if you’re a family who loves travelling with lots of luggage and want that extra space, the Jazz won’t disappoint.
What would be your choice out of these two?
Further Reading –
Honda Jazz vs Hyundai i20 – Video
2018 Honda Jazz Review
2018 Hyundai Elite i20 Video Review
2018 Hyundai Elite i20 Review
2018 Hyundai Elite i20 CVT Review
Honda Jazz vs Hyundai Elite i20 vs Maruti Baleno
Hyundai Elite i20 Long Term Review – Initial Report
Hyundai Elite i20 Long Term Review – Final Report
Honda Jazz Long Term Review – Initial Report
Honda Jazz long Term Review – Final Report