The compact hatchback class is one of the most fiercely-contested segments in the South African market and is second only to bakkies in terms of overall market share. Most of these compact hatchback sales come from the Volkswagen stable, where the Polo and its elder Vivo sibling sell by the thousands, but there are other, equally worthy contenders to consider as well.
Most compact hatchback sales come from the Volkswagen stable, where the Polo and its elder Vivo sibling sell by the thousands, but there are other, equally worthy contenders to consider as well. We selected two alternative choices, to determine which one should get your attention if you don’t want a VW badge. Should you rather consider the new Hyundai i20, or the fifth-generation Renault Clio?
In the interest of fairness, we decided to choose these three competitors around the same price point, all with 1.0-litre turbo petrol engines and manual gearboxes. However, both the Toyota and Hyundai models are represented by their entry-level derivatives, while the Clio is represented by the second-from-bottom variant.
Lining up in this fight is the Hyundai i20 1.0T Fluid, the Renault Clio 1.0T Turbo Intens, and the Volkswagen Polo 1.0TSI Life. All of them are equipped with manual gearboxes, and no option packages are added for the purpose of this comparison. A spread of R12 500 separates this group, with the Clio and Polo both costing nearly the same at R349 900 and R350 000, with the i20 being the least expensive at R337 500.
This is a reasonably small price variation, and these cars appear very similar at face value, but there are some differences Let’s compare the statistics first:
*Manufacturer’s official figures.
Analysis
Size and space
The latest Clio manages the impressive feat of being the second-longest vehicle here but has the largest boot and the lowest kerb weight. As is to be expected, being the shortest vehicle here, the i20 sports the smallest boot and boasts the second-lowest kerb weight. The Polo is the longest vehicle here, but is also the heaviest, and has the second-largest cargo area.
Power, performance and economy
Our trio are perfectly poised for a performance and efficiency comparison, with all three sporting 1.0-litre three-cylinder turbocharged petrol engines and manual gearboxes, with the Clio and Polo featuring five forward ratios and the Hyundai with a superior six.
Power outputs vary with the Hyundai producing the most power at 90kW and the second-highest torque figure of 172Nm, while the Polo has the lowest power figure at 70kW, but the highest torque figure of 175Nm. The Clio sits somewhere in the middle, with 74kW and 160Nm of torque.
The results are interesting, with the Hyundai being the most accelerative, equal with the Polo on CO2 emissions (124 g/km) but has the highest claimed consumption figure. The heavier Polo boasts the lowest claimed fuel consumption figure while the Clio is the second most efficient in terms of consumption but has the highest CO2 emissions figure and the slowest 0-100km/h time.
Standard equipment
All of our contenders feature six airbags and ABS, however, only the Polo and Clio feature stability and traction control. The Clio and Polo also have a 5-star Euro-NCAP safety rating, while the latest i20 is yet to be tested.
As far as comfort- and convenience items go, all three cars have remote central locking, power steering, front and rear electric windows, air conditioning, cruise control and colour touchscreen audio systems with Bluetooth, USB and smartphone functionality. The Clio has the benefit of keyless access and climate control, while the Renault and Hyundai feature 16-inch alloy wheels whereas the Polo gets 15-inch items. The Hyundai is the only model to get artificial leather seats, while the Clio and Polo make do with cloth items.
It is also important to look at the warranty and service plans offered by each vehicle, where the Hyundai well and truly comes out on top, offering the most comprehensive warranty and the longest service plan at four-year/60 000km. The Polo and Clio trade blows here, with the Volkswagen offering the better three-year/45 000km service plan while the Clio offers the better warranty at five-year/150 000km.
On balance, this section has to go to the Hyundai i20, mainly based on its lower price and better warranty and service plan. The Polo and Yaris end up about equal here, with the Polo losing points for its slightly lower spec and the Renault for its slightly higher price versus the Hyundai and its inferior service plan.
Verdict
Overall, when looking at the things of importance to value-minded small-car shoppers, you cannot go wrong with any of our contenders listed here, however, there can be only one winner. Based on its lower list price, better service plan and warranty, middling specification and reasonable performance to consumption ratio, the Hyundai i20 wins this comparison, by the narrowest of margins.
Pricing and specification levels are accurate at the time of writing, but may change without prior notice.
Keyword: Hyundai i20 vs Renault Clio vs Volkswagen Polo: here's our winner