Skoda Kylaq vs Hyundai i20 N Line vs Maruti Suzuki Fronx Turbo: Best Budget Hot Hatch?

Hot hatchbacks are a dying breed in India. Not too long ago, we had the VW Polo GT, Fiat Punto Abarth, Maruti Suzuki Baleno RS, and more lighting up our streets, but take a look around now, and you’ll realise that they’ve vanished into thin air. So, if you’re a car enthusiast – or more specifically, a hot hatch aficionado – your only option today seems to be the Hyundai i20 N Line. Or is it?

You see, the arrival of the brand-new Skoda Kylaq may have thrown a curveball in India’s hot hatch scene. That’s because while Skoda markets and sells the Kylaq as a ‘compact SUV’, everyone and their grandma knows that it’s a hatchback underneath – well, frankly, that’s true for virtually all compact SUVs today. Need proof? The Kylaq is underpinned by Volkswagen’s MQB AO IN platform – which is basically a more cost-effective version of the group’s global MQB AO platform. To put it simply, it’s fundamentally the same platform with different-grade materials due to the localisation and cost constraints of the Indian market. Now, here’s the kicker: the MQB AO platform also underpins the sixth-gen Polo – a name still synonymous with the term hot hatch in India. Sadly, though, the Polo is unlikely to make a comeback anytime soon. So, if that’s the case, can we consider the Kylaq its spiritual successor? I’d say yes, we absolutely can!

It’s a similar story with the Maruti Suzuki Fronx Turbo. Its maker may call it a crossover, but if you scratch the surface, you’ll find a Baleno RS underneath – same platform, same Boosterjet engine; essentially, a hatchback on stilts.

So, the question is – can the i20 N Line still reign supreme? Can the Hyundai continue to be the go-to hot hatch for the masses, given the fresh competition from Skoda and Maruti Suzuki? Well, we lined up a series of tests to find out which one of these ticks the most ‘hot hatch’ boxes in the country.

Testing Times

A hot hatch in India is expected to double up as your daily driver. So, while it should offer thrilling performance and stellar handling, it also needs to be practical and fuel-efficient. Remember, for most buyers, it’s going to be their only car, so factors like comfort, space, fuel efficiency, and practicality also matter. That’s why, we’ll take all these aspects into account before declaring the winner of this test.

Enough talking – let’s begin the actual test. May the hottest hatch win. Amen!

Performance: Got the go?

All three contenders are powered by 1.0-litre three-cylinder turbocharged petrol engines, although each goes about doing its business a bit differently. The i20 N Line is the most powerful of the lot, as it produces 118bhp, followed by 114bhp of the Kylaq and 99bhp of the Fronx Turbo. In terms of torque, the Kylaq’s TSI motor leads the pack with 178Nm, just edging out the Hyundai’s GDI unit at 172Nm. The Fronx, once again, trails with only 148Nm.

However, while the Fronx may seem to be left for dead in the game of top trumps, it’s significantly lighter than the other two, which gives it some serious advantage in terms of power-to-weight ratio. Tipping the scales at 1,030kg (kerb weight), the Fronx is nearly 200kg lighter than the i20 (1,210kg) and Kylaq (1,255kg). If you do the math, that translates to a power-to-weight ratio of 96.12bhp/tonne, which is substantially higher than the Kylaq’s 90.84bhp/tonne and quite close to the i20’s 97.52bhp/tonne. But, then, it’s all on paper, and things can change pretty quickly when rubber meets the road.

Before we get to performance numbers, here’s a crucial detail – the Fronx Turbo we tested was a manual version, while both the Kylaq and i20 N Line were automatics. Now, we specifically requested all the manufacturers to provide us with the manual versions of their cars, but Skoda and Hyundai couldn’t provide them. When we asked Maruti for an AT version of the Fronx Turbo instead, they couldn’t manage that either. So, it is what it is…

In terms of outright acceleration, the Fronx Turbo MT didn’t disappoint. Despite being the only manual, it posted the second quickest 0 – 100km/h time. The Boosterjet loves to be revved – it’s undoubtedly the most free-revving unit of the trio. That said, it does suffer from a fair bit of turbo lag below 2,000rpm and feels the weakest at those low engine speeds. To counter this, Suzuki engineers have made the first and second gear ratios short, and suffice it to say, this results in some spirited performance. With the traction control off, the Fronx couldn’t stop spinning its wheels during the acceleration run in its first gear. Interestingly, the limiter is set at just 6,000rpm, meaning you have to be quick with your shifts. That’s not a problem at all because the 5-speeder here is a peach, thanks to its short throws and light clutch. It’s truly a driver’s delight. That said, I couldn’t help but notice that the Boosterjet has a narrow powerband, and the top-end performance feels a bit compromised. It becomes even more apparent once you taste the Skoda’s TSI motor.

If you ask me, VW / Skoda’s 1.0 TSI engine is currently the benchmark for three-cylinder turbo engines in the country. The way it revs, sounds, and performs – it’s pure magic. Sure, it too suffers from turbo lag at low rpm, but once the tach goes past 1,500rpm, this motor comes on song and how! There’s a surge of power that builds steadily as you approach the redline at 6,200rpm. It’s unbelievably smooth and relentless all the way to the top. The drivability is stellar and so is the refinement, especially in the AT version. However, since this is a torque converter and not a DSG, it doesn’t hold gears near the redline and shifts up automatically. That said, the paddle shifters are responsive and make for an engaging drive. If there’s one gripe, it’s that the transmission feels quite jumpy at low or stop-and-go speeds. It’s almost too eager to lurch the car forward. On the flip side, this eagerness helps it during full-bore acceleration runs, as there’s no delay from the transmission – something that dual-clutch transmissions (DCT) often suffer from.

This was glaringly evident in the i20 N Line as the engine couldn’t be revved beyond 1,800rpm during hard launches and there’s a brief pause before its DCT allows the engine to unleash its fury. This delay costs it some ground initially, but thanks to its superior power-to-weight ratio and lightning-quick shifts, it quickly claws back the advantage, ultimately emerging as the quickest car here in the 0 – 100km/h sprint. But that’s not the whole story.

Sure, the N Line’s drivetrain is the most potent in terms of outright performance, but it has its flaws. You see, while this three-pot motor has superb mid- and top-end, and it’s the highest revving engine of the bunch – it revs all the way to 6,500rpm – it somehow doesn’t feel engaging. It doesn’t like to be thrashed. That’s primarily down to its refinement, as it feels overly thrummy at high rpm. On the other hand, while the DCT is quick during outright acceleration, it becomes a bit dim-witted when left to its own devices during cruising. During a quick overtake, you’ll notice that the kickdown is slow and it doesn’t drop gears with the kind of urgency you expect from a hot hatch. Thankfully, the large and chunky paddle shifters come to the rescue, as they are quite responsive.

All said, if I have to rank these drivetrains based on performance and engagement, my first choice would be the Kylaq – even though it was the slowest – followed by the Fronx Turbo and the i20 N Line. Yes, the i20 is technically the quickest of the trio but not by a meaningful margin.

Handling: Go-kart-like?

Which one of these handles like a go-kart? Well, to find out we took all three to an actual go-kart track. Thanks to our friends at Formula Karting, we were back at their Noida facility for yet another ‘scientific’ test. The plan was simple. Three laps each – one standing start and two flying laps – in all three cars, followed by a comparison of lap times.

Location Courtesy: Formula Karting, Noida.
Formula Karting runs go-karting facilities at Noida & Pune. At 770m long & 8m wide, the Noida track is one of the largest go-kart tracks in India. Its tight & technical layout makes it ideal to test the agility & performance of small cars. Not to mention, it’s also a heck of a lot fun to drive here!

First up was the i20 N Line. Given its lowered and stiffer suspension, better aerodynamics, and performance figures, the i20 N Line was expected to own the track. And it turned out to be the case for the most part, but, surprisingly, the i20 N Line wasn’t as dominant as we had thought. From a standing start, the Hyundai posted a lap time of 38.63s ahead of the Kylaq’s 38.83s and the Fronx Turbo’s 41.41s. The i20 N Line’s fastest rolling lap time was 35.30s – nearly 0.8s slower than the Kylaq’s 34.56! The Fronx, again, was the slowest at 36.06s. So, how did it happen? Let’s break it down.

While the i20 N Line’s stiff suspension and sharp steering were best suited for the job, it was let down massively by its Ceat SecuraDrive tyres, which squealed and screeched all the way, resulting in catastrophic understeer. The i20 undoubtedly felt the most agile during quick direction changes and had the sharpest turn-in, but there was simply no grip from the tyres. The transmission also shares some of the blame – in the tightest part of the track, it lacks the intuition to downshift quickly, costing it precious time on corner exits.

The Kylaq matched the i20 pound-for-pound in terms of handling, without being all over the place. Despite being a high-riding ‘SUV’, the Kylaq exhibited minimum body roll, and the suspension felt taut yet absorbent when it was thrown into corners. The chassis balance and the grip levels were astonishing, to say the least, giving me the confidence to carry more speed into Turn 1 – the fastest corner of the track. There was zero drama in the way it attacked corners. It posted the fastest lap time with clinical precision. The steering, too, was direct and precise, offering impressive feedback – it almost felt like a hydraulic unit. Similarly, the engine and transmission were inch-perfect. Whether going up or down the gears, the drivetrain was almost telepathic. It knew precisely what to do at each instance. And while the i20 N Line has discs on all four corners, it was the Kylaq’s brakes that felt stronger and offered a more progressive pedal feel. I expected the Kylaq to surprise us – just not to this extent!

The biggest fly in the ointment, however, was the steering. Even though it’s acceptably precise, it feels lifeless and slow to self-centre. Being the only manual here, the Fronx did offer more control over proceedings, but the turbo lag, followed by a sudden burst of power at 2,000rpm, resulted in a hairy experience. And to make matters worse, the twiddly pedals with virtually no gap or foot grip made hunting for a fast lap time even more difficult. Make no mistake, the Fronx Turbo is a quick car, but it demands tidy, measured inputs to extract the best from it.

Sense & sensibility

Words: Aakash S Paul

Built to impress

While the build quality of the cabins of all three cars is great, they all have different approaches to their respective designs. The i20 N Line has a dark and sporty theme befitting a hot hatch. The all-black interior is accented by red highlights on components like the AC vents, seats, and even ambient lighting. It looks cool, but it can make the cabin feel a bit claustrophobic. The Kylaq, on the other hand, features a much brighter colour scheme with some cool styling on the dashboard. However, the all-plastic build detracts from the premium feel. Meanwhile, the Fronx takes a more comfort-oriented approach. The design of the steering and dash are modern, and the soft-touch materials on the door panels give it a nicer feel. It feels like the most geared option for everyday comfort.

Feature Fishing

Being the newest and also the most expensive (when comparing top variants), the Kylaq has an edge over the other two. It comes with ventilated and powered front seats – features that are practical for everyday use. It is also the only car here to come with an armrest at the rear and a 5-star BNCAP safety rating. The Kylaq and i20 N Line come with six airbags as standard, but the Fronx does not. The Fronx is also the only car to miss out on a sunroof; the i20, in contrast, even offers voice-controlled sunroof operation.

While the Fronx may not be the most feature-rich option here, it does have two aces up its sleeve – a 360-degree camera and a head-up display (HUD). The surround-view camera is very helpful when parking the car. That said, the i20 has the best camera quality, and the Kylaq’s feed is the worst – it’s grainy and lacks detail. In terms of screens, the Fronx has the smallest at 9-inch, followed by the Kylaq with a 10-inch unit, while the i20 leads the pack with a 10.25-inch display. While the touch response is great on all three, the UI of the Kylaq’s screen is the best and most modern-looking, thanks to its vibrant icons. Surprisingly, the i20 does not come with wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay – a bit of a miss, in my opinion.

Chasing Comfort

In terms of ride quality, the i20 is the stiffest of the three. Despite this, it still absorbs enough not to be completely unusable in the city. The Fronx is better at absorbing undulations at low speeds but as the speed rises you will notice a lot more vertical movement. The Kylaq offers the most composed and supple ride. However, the picture changes when you shift focus to second-row comfort. The Kylaq feels the tightest there, while the Fronx provides the best experience – it can even seat three adults comfortably. The i20 isn’t as tight as the Kylaq but its lower seat does require a little more effort while getting in and out.

Overall, while the ride quality in the Kylaq is the best, the Fronx offers the best balance between space and comfort, with the i20 falling somewhere in between.

Kitna deti hai? Depends on your right foot inputs. If you drive them hard, the Kylaq’s TSI motor will be the thirstiest (7-8km/l), while the Fronx, with its mild-hybrid setup, offers the best fuel efficiency – around 10km/l. The i20, on the other hand, sits in the middle with around 9km/l.

Verdict

Time to wrap up and pick the winner of this test. The Fronx Turbo is a great all-rounder for the masses, but a hot hatch it is not. It has got the right ingredients but you can tell that it’s aimed at someone who leans more towards the practical side of things. It’s not made for enthusiasts.

The i20 N Line, on the other hand, is a serious effort from Hyundai to please the enthusiasts, and it still has my heart – it feels the most hot hatch inside-and-out, and it clearly has the performance and handling to back that claim, but there’s no denying that it has its flaws.

And that leaves us with the winner of this test – the Kylaq. Not only did it top the timesheets at the go-kart track, but its drivetrain felt the most engaging of the lot, and it is without doubt the most superior. On top of that, it has best compromise between a hot hatch and a daily driver. However, what ultimately seals the deal for the Kylaq – at least for me – is the fact that it’s the most accessible ‘hot hatch’ for the masses here. You see, while it happens to be the most expensive car in its top-spec variant, its base variant – which starts at just 8.25 lakh – makes it substantially more affordable than the base versions of the Fronx Turbo (₹9.75 lakh) and i20 N Line (₹9.99 lakh). Sure, you do miss out on a lot of creature comforts in the bare-bones Kylaq, but that saves you nearly 2 lakh, which you can then use for serious mods to turn it into an actual hot hatch! I don’t know about you, but as far as I can tell, it is as good as it gets for hot hatch enthusiasts on a budget.

Formula Karting runs go-karting facilities at Noida & Pune. At 770m long & 8m wide, the Noida track is one of the largest go-kart tracks in India. Its tight & technical layout makes it ideal to test the agility & performance of small cars. Not to mention, it’s also a heck of a lot fun to drive here!