Ford Figo VS Hyundai i10 VS Skoda Fabia VS Toyota Liva

Overview

Youthful affluence. Toyota is positioning its latest, the Liva, as a car for the well-to-do youth. The question is, with other options available,where it really stands. We find out with the help of three potent competitors.

What we have here are models that the young middle class buyers would ideally like to have as their first cars. Of course, these are a slight stretch over the likes of the Alto K10 and the Chevrolet Spark, but as these offer more in almost every way, including style and snob value, besides better engineering, features, and comfort, these definitely seem worth the extra EMIs. And the latest to join this crowded segment is the Toyota Liva.

But, to gauge the Liva’s worth, we needed some strong competition. So we have brought along two cars that have been selling very well, and then one that the affluent lot would love to show off. We have the Hyundai i10 with the potent Kappa 2 engine. It’s also the highest selling car in this lot. Next we have the current and very popular flavour among hatchbacks, the Ford Figo. It too has been garnering a good share of the sales pie since its launch over a year back. Finally, we have the Skoda Fabia. It doesn’t sell much, especially considering the i10 and Figo sales figures. But then, it has won our comparison tests and is clearly a benchmark car among hatchbacks in a number of areas including quality and dynamics.

Moreover, given that we are talking to the young who thankfully don’t have very conservative spending habits, we have considered all top of the line versions for this test.

Exterior & Interior

Figo's insides, like the i10's, are well put together, but lack the richness of the Fabia. The design is a little staid too.

As an all round product, the Figo still leads the way among hatchbacks. Wish it looked more modern though

The new comer, the Liva, has a lot going for it, but at the end, the others emerge as better buys. For starters, the Liva looks better than its sedan sibling the Etios. Yes, it has the same face, but, beyond that the hatchback look suits the car’s lines and stance much better. In fact, with skirts all round and a roof mounted spoiler, the Liva VX looks sporty as well! However, it’s as disappointing inside as the Etios was. The quality levels, the look and feel of plastics as well as the operability of the controls feel the tackiest in this comparison.

Get beyond that (like many Indian buyers have), and you’d be pleasantly surprised with the space on offer. The Liva is a big car on the inside and feels it too. It is by far the roomiest in this test, particularly at the rear. There are lots of stowage areas too, making its cabin practical. We would nonetheless have preferred better seats; the current ones are just too thin and lack support.

Dynamically, again, the Liva lacks the poise and planted feel of its competitors here. The car moves quite a bit under you and with little sound deadening, leaves you feeling you are travelling much quicker than you are. And even though the Liva registers a short stopping distance under emergency braking, it feels twitchy and unstable, unlike its competition, including the smaller i10.

Everytime I drive the i10, it amazes me. It has its shortcomings, yes; it’s the smallest in this company, be it the exterior dimensions or the space inside. It doesn’t even have a large boot and with the rear seats not folding flat, the usable space is limited. And when the rear seats are in place, their rearward recline cuts into the boot's already shallow depth even more. So, in terms of occupant and luggage space, the i10 clearly is the worst in this bunch.

Interiors are well built and fi nished and there's good equipment too.

The i10 might be the smallest car here, but it is the quickest and the most equipped in Asta trim

But, once inside and particularly behind the wheel, there’s very little to fault. The quality of the interiors, the fit and finish, the look and feel of plastics all round and even the logical placement of the controls is benchmark material.

And in its latest avatar, there’s loads of equipment on offer too. That's of course, when you consider the Asta version on test here. It is the best equipped by the way.

It’s also an easy car to drive. Yes, the steering is heavier than we would have liked and is vague too in its operation, but this apart, the little Hyundai is a delight. The clutch is light and progressive, the visibility, great and the way its engine and gearbox work leave you totally hooked on to it.

The i10 might be the smallest here, but in terms of performance, it’s the quickest off the line, has the highest top speed, good drive ability and fuel economy that’s par for the course. Moreover, it feels more stable under braking than the twitchy Liva.

Interiors are plush and reek of quality and make you feel good every time you step in.

The best looking car here, it is also dynamically the leader, be it in a straight line or around bends.

However, it’s still not a car you’d have fun with driving up the hills. It does feel more planted in a straight line than the Toyota, but around corners, the body roll and the lack of grip from the tyres, put you in cautious mode.

It’s also the best built here. To boot, it has one of the best ride and handling setups that's matched only by Ford's Figo. In addition, it’s the most stable in a straight line and has good steering feel. It brakes well too with the right amount of feel and progression, but in this test, the others are better still. It does have a good gearbox though, and one with great shift quality.

The Fabia isn’t short on comfort either. It has comfortable and supportive seats all round and space up front. Plus,for the luggage it's par for the course, if not better. The rear though is cramped compared to the Liva and the Figo.

But, like we said, it's the engine that mainly lets it down. It’s not as refined as the others and though the engine manages to get the Fabia to 100kmph quicker than both the Liva and the Figo, the difference is almost insignificant.

Interiors are identical to the Etios, so quality, and look and feel of plastics remain sub-standard. The fl at bottom steering looks nice, but offers little feel.

Compared to the Etios sedan, the Liva looks a lot more proportionate and sportier too.

Ditto when it comes to top speed. But, then the Fabia’s engine falls behind in the fuel efficiency stakes. At a fi gure of just under 13kmpl ,including both city and highway runs, it is the least efficient here. Another thing that works against the Fabia is its high pricing.But of course, there’s no denying that one not only gets a better car in the Fabia, but one that feels and drives like a more expensive car as well. And it has the highest snob value too.

The Figo continues its unbeaten track record at AUTO BILD INDIA. The Ford has entered many a test and with a variety of cars, but it has always emerged on top. This probably was its most difficult challenge yet, nonetheless, with only one point separating it from the Fabia.

The Figo has a lot of positives, especially for a youthful owner. It has good dynamics, including a light but quick and precise steering; a gearbox with positive and short throw shift quality; sound handling and then, to top it all, a good ride quality as well. It’s also easy to drive given good all round visibility, the light clutch and a tight turning circle that’s at par with the rest of the cars here. Making things sweeter for the Figo are its spacious insides and a large boot.

It has its short comings nonetheless. Quality levels and the feel and look of plastic aren’t as great as those of the Fabia. It looks a tad dated too, both on he outside and in terms of interior design. And its seats could be larger, more comfortable and supportive.

That Ford is now offering a three-year or 1,20,000km warranty as standard on the car, gives it an added boost.

Engine & Gearbox

Ford Figo Engine isn't great, but is refined and gets the job done.

Begin driving, and unlike the Etios, which made you forget all about its lack of interior finesse, the Liva doesn’t feel special. In fact, it feels ordinary. Yes, the gear shifter is still well located and good to use with its short throws, but the 1.2- litre engine fails to impress. It’s refined and revs freely, but feels stifled beyond 4500rpm. It's not quick either, but is fuel efficient, nonetheless.

Hyundai i10 The Kappa 2 engine is i10's highlight; it's spirited and efficient.

The engine leaves a little to be desired as well. It’s efficient but it lacks go, both under full bore acceleration and where gathering speed through the gears is concerned. With a 0-100kmph time of 15.2 seconds, it is the slowest here. It also takes a yawning 27.2 seconds to go from 80kmph to 120kmph in top gear. Only the Fabia takes longer. At the end though, the Figo’s price advantage sees it finish ahead in this pack. It’s more than lakh rupees cheaper to buy than the Skoda Fabia and the Toyota Liva and about Rs 50,000 less than the Hyundai i10.

Skoda Fabia 1.3-litre diesel engine is a proven performer and works well on the SX4.

If not for an average 1.2-litre petrol engine, the Fabia would have been the best car to buy not just in this test, but even among hatchbacks as a whole. It’s still a great package, mind you with this engine. It feels like the most expensive car here (which it isn’t!), be it the quality of the insides, the choice of controls, and even the interior and exterior design.

Toyota Liva Engine could have been better; it's not refined or very fuel effi cient either

It’s essentially the Etios in hatchback form, albeit sits on a smaller wheelbase, has a smaller boot and to take advantage of government specified excise duty brackets, gets a smaller 1.2-litre engine as well. So, what it means is that quality and interior styling still isn’t great on the Liva, but the equipment list is at par with the competition. And, given our experience with the Etios’ mechanicals – the engine, the gearbox and the underpinnings – we expect the Liva to hold its own come these aspects as well.

Dimension

Ford Figo (mm)
	Boot space again is huge and rear seats fold flat too
Hyundai i10(mm)
	Boot again is the smallest and rear seats don't fold flat either
Skoda Fabia(mm)
	Boot though is huge and is the biggest here by a margin.
Toyota Liva(mm)
	Boot space is limited.

Scorecard & Verdict

Three Ford Figo - The Figo is the car to buy from this group. It might lack a bit in terms of design and comfort equipment, but it makes up for it with engineering, including dynamics, comfort and space.

Two Skoda Fabia - The Fabia is only one point behind but is as much a worthy purchase as the Figo. The only downside is, it costs over a lakh rupees more, which is a huge premium.

Rank 1 Hyundai i10- It's amazing how good a car the i10 is. Even though it's the smallest, it packs many other things to bring it up with competition. Quality, equipment, seats, comfort; it has it all.

Three Toyota Liva - The Liva has its USPs; it's both the most spacious and fuel efficient here. It rides well and has equipment that's par for the course. But, it lacks quality, stability and overall wellness.

Scorecard

Body: The i10 has the least incabin space and the smallest boot. No wonder it finishes last under this head. The Liva though is the most spacious, and by a margin. But its lack of quality ensures it doesn't run away from the others under the Body head.

Drive: With all cars sporting 1.2- litre engines the difference in real-world performance isn't much. Apart from the i10, of course, which feels like a rocket ship in this company. It's the quickest, has the best engine and is efficient too. Liva is slow, but efficient.

Comfort: The Fabia tops the Comfort head. It scores signifi cantly higher points under this head, courtesy good ride and handling and a quiet cabin. The Figo offers the same, but misses out on comfort equipment compared to the Fabia.

Dynamics: The only car to miss out under Dynamics, is the Liva. It has the worst steering response in this test and feels the least stable as well. It's better at cornering than the i10, and stops in the least distance. But, it's too twitchy for comfort.

Cost: Cost was always going to swing Ford's way, and it has. The end result – even though the Fabia scores higher in our tests as a product, overall, it's the Figo that's the best buy.

Verdict

If you are young (in age or heart doesn’t matter), have upto Rs 7 lakh to spare and want a hatchback that ticks as many right boxes as possible, the Figo is clearly the one to buy. It’s very close between the Fabia and the Figo and if you are willing to spend the complete quota of your budget, the Skoda is equally enticing. As for the other two, the i10 is a great car, but in this company, it doesn’t have the dynamic edge to support its lovely engine. Also, space is a constraint. As for the Liva, it has the space, a decent engine and good low speed ride. But, quality isn’t great and if it wasn't the most expensive here, it could have done better. As of now, it doesn’t make a good enough case for itself.