India’s premium hatchback space isn’t what it used to be. It has now transformed to a brand battleground where greater features and a lower price means more sales. The latest iterations of the Hyundai i20, Maruti Suzuki Baleno, and Tata Altroz present distinct choices of what buyers seek in a compact-yet-premium everyday car. On paper, all three may seem similarly specced, but scratch beneath the surface and their individual characters emerge. Join us as we find out which one off the lot is the best premium hatchback on sale today.
Starting off with the new kid on the block – The Tata Altroz facelift. Launched a mere 10 days ago, Altroz builds on the strengths of its predecessor. Tata has given the Altroz a comprehensive update both on the outside and the inside. The Altroz wears Tata’s new design language with style. You get a re-designed front facia with the new 2-D Tata logo, in the rear following with today’s design trend the Altroz wears a connected taillamp.
The Hyundai i20 is the oldest player in this segment and has been around since 2008. Now in its third generation, the i20 continues to offer tough competition by playing to its strengths of design, tech, and urban appeal. Hyundai gave it a mild update last year, keeping the core mechanicals unchanged but refreshed the styling with a new grille, sharper LED lighting elements, and subtle tweaks to the bumper and alloy designs. The silhouette remains familiar, but small design touches keep it looking relevant.
The Maruti Suzuki Baleno may not have been the first premium hatchback in India, but it quickly became the best-selling one. The Baleno sticks to a more understated approach compared to its rivals. Maruti hasn’t made dramatic design changes, but the updated model looks sharper with its revised front grille, new LED headlamps, and a more sculpted bumper. The rear too gets tweaked LED elements, though the overall shape remains familiar and conservative—which isn’t necessarily a bad thing in this segment.
Tata Altroz facelift vs Hyundai i20 vs Maruti Baleno: Engine Options
When it comes to powertrain flexibility, the Altroz comfortably leads the pack. It offers the widest range of engine and gearbox combinations in this segment. The lineup starts with a 1.2-litre naturally aspirated petrol engine powered at 88 Hp and 115 Nm of torque, available with a 5-speed manual, a 5-speed AMT, or a 6-speed dual-clutch automatic. Tata also offers a CNG version of this same engine, though it’s only available with the manual gearbox. For buyers still looking for diesel in a hatchback, the Altroz remains the last standing option—with a 1.5-litre turbo diesel paired exclusively to a 5-speed manual. Power output for the diesel stands at 90 Hp and 200 Nm of torque.
The Hyundai i20 keeps its engine lineup simple, offering a single 1.2-litre naturally aspirated petrol motor across variants. It delivers 83 Hp when paired with the 5-speed manual gearbox, while the IVT automatic bumps the output slightly to 88 Hp. The Maruti Suzuki Baleno is powered by a 1.2-litre DualJet petrol engine that produces 90 PS and 113 Nm of torque. Transmission choices include a 5-speed manual and a 5-speed AMT. In addition to petrol, the Baleno also comes with a factory-fitted CNG option, available only with the manual gearbox. In CNG mode, output drops slightly to 77.5 PS and 98.5 Nm.
Tata Altroz facelift vs Hyundai i20 vs Maruti Baleno: Features & Tech
The Tata Altroz, especially after the recent facelift, offers one of the most exhaustive equipment lists in this segment. Across variants, safety is a clear focus—six airbags are now standard, and higher trims add features like ESP, TPMS, a 360-degree camera, blind spot monitoring, and ISOFIX mounts. The cabin sees a significant tech lift with a 10.25-inch touchscreen by Harman, a fully digital instrument cluster with map integration, wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, an air purifier, and connected car tech via Tata’s iRA suite. Convenience features include voice-assisted electric sunroof, wireless charging, rear AC vents, auto headlamps, rain-sensing wipers, cruise control, and even ventilated seats in top trims.
The i20 is positioned as a tech-forward, premium hatchback and largely delivers on that brief. The top variants get a 10.25-inch HD infotainment screen with built-in navigation, Bose 7-speaker audio system, wireless charging, and Hyundai’s Bluelink connected tech suite, which includes features like remote lock/unlock, vehicle status, and over-the-air updates. Six airbags are now standard across the range, along with ESC, VSM, HAC, and a tyre pressure monitoring system. Inside, it offers blue ambient lighting, a digital TFT cluster, leather-wrapped steering and gear knob, and a sliding front armrest. However, some comfort features like ventilated seats or a 360-degree camera are missing
The Baleno focuses on balancing features with accessibility. While it may not go all out like the Altroz or i20, the top-spec Alpha variant comes well-equipped with a 9-inch SmartPlay Pro+ infotainment screen, 360-degree camera, heads-up display, cruise control, auto headlamps, rear AC vents, and a flat-bottom steering wheel with audio controls. Safety has improved with up to six airbags offered in higher variants, alongside ESP, hill hold, ISOFIX, and standard dual airbags across the range.
All three cars bring distinct styling to the table, backed by strong lighting and design elements. The Tata Altroz gets LED headlamps, cornering fog lamps, connected LED tail lamps, and 16 diamond-cut alloys—giving it a sharper, sportier presence. The Hyundai i20 opts for a sleeker look with LED projector headlamps, Z-shaped LED tail lamps, a parametric grille, and diamond-cut alloys. It also gets puddle lamps and a shark fin antenna, though it skips fog lamps entirely. The Baleno keeps things subtle with LED projector headlamps, LED DRLs, LED tail lamps, and precision-cut alloys, while also offering UV-cut glass and auto headlamps on higher trims.
Tata Altroz facelift vs Hyundai i20 vs Maruti Baleno: Dimensions
In terms of dimensions, all three hatchbacks stay within the sub-4 metre mark but differ subtly in proportions. The Hyundai i20 is the widest at 1,775 mm and shares its 3,995 mm length with the Baleno, while the Altroz is slightly shorter at 3,990 mm. The Altroz stands tallest at 1,523 mm, offering better vertical space, while the i20 and Baleno are lower-slung at 1,505 mm and 1,500 mm respectively. The i20 also has the longest wheelbase at 2,580 mm, followed by the Baleno at 2,520 mm and Altroz at 2,501 mm. Boot space is highest in the Altroz at 345 litres, ahead of the Baleno’s 318 litres and the least in the i20 at 311 litres. Fuel tank capacity remains identical at 37 litres across all three.
Tata Altroz facelift vs Hyundai i20 vs Maruti Baleno: Price
Among the three, the Maruti Suzuki Baleno is the most affordable, with prices starting at ₹6.70 lakh for the base variant and going up to ₹9.92 lakh for the top-spec. The Tata Altroz follows closely, beginning at ₹6.89 lakh for the entry-leve variant and extending to around ₹11.49 lakh for the fully-loaded trims. The Hyundai i20 commands the highest starting price at ₹7.04 lakh, with its range peaking at approximately ₹11.25 lakh for the top-end variant.