Natural Aspirations
Auto Today|June 2022
The last hope of the frugal motorist looking to make the most of every drop of fuel seems to be the manual naturally aspirated hatch, we put the two best-selling of their kind to the test
Dipayan Dutta
Natural Aspirations

Test No. 247 to 248

Maruti Suzuki Baleno 1.2-litre, 4cyl, 90bhp

Hyundai i20 1.2-litre, 4cyl, 83bhp

Maruti Suzuki Baleno vs Hyundai i20

Turbo-charge everything, seems to be the order of the day in the automotive industry. Smaller engines run greener, are taxed lower and forced induction means that they produce more power as well. The problem is despite being touted to be the more efficient option, within city limits where the turbo is constantly spooling up, they end up being exactly the opposite. In 2022, with global fuel prices at an all-time high, there aren’t too many options left for the frugal car buyer. The sort of person that adds everything into their cost of ownership to weigh them against the other options in the market, to ensure minimising cost per kilometre. For this distinguished vehicle owner, the naturally aspirated manual hatchbacks are the last bastion of hope to ensure that the bottom line stays low. The best that the market has to offer in those terms are splashed on this page, the Hyundai i20 and the all-new Maruti Suzuki Baleno.

In this test, the Hyundai i20 from late 2019 takes on an old rival with new clothes and some new tech, the all-new Maruti Suzuki Baleno. This new Baleno is the first new generation of the car since its launch in 2015, and even though it shares the same silhouette as the outgoing car this is a brand new car from the ground up. Yes! We double-checked.

This story is from the June 2022 edition of Auto Today.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the June 2022 edition of Auto Today.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM AUTO TODAYView All
MG Comet
Auto Today

MG Comet

The Comet continues to be a workhorse for the entire Auto Today team, and this was proved quite clearly when the team head out to a celebratory lunch.

time-read
1 min  |
August 2024
Dirty Dancer
Auto Today

Dirty Dancer

Does the Yezdi Adventure live up to its name? Can it be all the ADV you'll ever need? We headed out to Pune to hit up some trails, highways and twisties to find out

time-read
4 mins  |
August 2024
Linea Urus
Auto Today

Linea Urus

While on a visit to Lamborghini HQ at Sant'Agata Bolognese, Yogendra Pratap got close to the production line that has helped revolutionise the brand and produced over 30,000 Urus super SUVs

time-read
1 min  |
August 2024
MUSEO LAMBORGHINI
Auto Today

MUSEO LAMBORGHINI

At its headquarters in Sant'Agata Bolognese where it also has its production facilities, the super car manufacturer, Lamborghini also runs a small museum that houses some of the most iconic names in automotive history. Yogendra Pratap dropped in to check out not only the iconic names but also some of the concepts and art that draws thousands of car lovers to this sleepy little town just outside of the Italian city of Bologna

time-read
2 mins  |
August 2024
#OdeToOutstanding - south
Auto Today

#OdeToOutstanding - south

The longest leg of the #OdeToOutstanding drive had Dhruv Saxena drive the dynamic Mercedes-Benz GLA from the literal edge of the Indian mainland surrounded by the Indian Ocean across the heart of the country to the national capital marveling at the incredible natural beauty, diversity and history of south and central India

time-read
4 mins  |
August 2024
#OdeToOutstanding - west
Auto Today

#OdeToOutstanding - west

The western leg of the #OdeToOutstanding drive had Anagh Bhaskar take on the mighty desert region with the electric Mercedes-Benz EQB 350

time-read
3 mins  |
August 2024
#OdeToOutstanding - east
Auto Today

#OdeToOutstanding - east

The eastern leg of the #OdeToOutstanding drive starts in the lush green forests of West Bengal. But there is more than just that. Rahul Ghosh tells you all about the outstanding drive in the Mercedes-Benz GLC

time-read
5 mins  |
August 2024
#OdeToOutstanding - north
Auto Today

#OdeToOutstanding - north

The northern leg of the #OdeToOutstanding drive saw Dipayan Dutta take on the mighty Himalayas with the equally intimidating Mercedes-AMG GLE 53 4Matic+ Coupe

time-read
4 mins  |
August 2024
Dirt magnet
Auto Today

Dirt magnet

The Lexus NX has a new trim called the Overtrail. We took the SUV to a few trails and drove through mud to put its name to the test

time-read
4 mins  |
August 2024
MORE FIREPOWER
Auto Today

MORE FIREPOWER

Alongside the EQA that featured in the last issue, Mercedes-Benz also launched the facelifted EQB. Here is how the updated SUV holds up

time-read
3 mins  |
August 2024