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Welcome to the new era of turbocharged petrol cars in the Indian market. Right now, the two most affordable, and might we add, the only ones happen to be from Volkswagen and Hyundai. The Hyundai Grand i10 Nios turbo and the Volkswagen Polo TSI are the ones. After years of having the TSI brand around, Volkswagen finally downsized the engine and made it available with a 6-speed manual. The Volkswagen Polo TSI can also be had with a 6-speed automatic, however the Grand i10 Nios only has a 5-speed manual. Amongst the two, the Polo can be had with different variants while the turbocharged petrol engine of the Grand i10 Nios is there only in one trim. The more feature-loaded car happens to be the Hyundai and it claims to better fuel efficiency as well.
In the hindsight, both these cars will keep their owners happy, with the Hyundai delighting with its after-sales and relatively easy parts availability. The Volkswagen though offers a higher warranty. Our choice is the Volkswagen Polo TSI. What is yours?
Volkswagen Polo TSI vs Hyundai Grand i10 Nios turbo specification comparison table
| Volkswagen Polo TSI | Hyundai Grand i10 Nios Turbo | |
| Engine Specification | ||
| Type | 999cc | 998cc |
| Number of cylinders | Inline three-cylinder petrol | Inline three-cylinder petrol |
| Max Power | 110PS | 100PS |
| Max torque | 175Nm | 171.61Nm |
| Transmission | 6-speed manual | 5-speed manual |
| Valvetrain | 4 valves/cylinder | 4 valves/cylinder |
| Power to weight | 102.61PS/tonne | NA |
| Dimensions | ||
| L (mm) W (mm) H (mm) | 3,971 1,682 1,469 | 3,805 1,680 1,520 |
| Wheelbase (mm) | 2,470 | 2,450 |
| Boot Space (I) | 280 | 256 |
| Turning Radius (m) | 4.97 | NA |
| Ground Clearance (mm) | 165 | NA |
| Fuel tank capacity (litres) | 45 | 37 |
| Kerb weight (kg) | 1072 | NA |
| Suspension | ||
| Front | McPherson strut | McPherson strut |
| Rear | Semi independent | Coupled torsion beam |
| Brakes | ||
| Front | Disc | Disc |
| Rear | Drum | Drum |
| Tyres | ||
| Front | 195/65 R16 | 175/60 R15 |
| Rear | 195/65 R16 | 175/60 R15 |
| Fuel Efficiency | ||
| Mfg Claim (kmpl) | 18.24 | 20.3 |
| Price (ex-Mumbai) | Rs 8.02 lakh | Rs 7.70 lakh |
