Hyundai i20 vs Maruti Suzuki Baleno vs Toyota Glanza (2026)
The classic premium hatchback shortlist, settled with numbers (October 2026):
- Pick the Hyundai i20 if you want the most power (118 bhp), the best crash-test score (3 stars).
- Pick the Maruti Suzuki Baleno if you want the lowest starting price (₹5.99 Lakh), the best claimed efficiency (up to 33.61 kmpl), the biggest boot (318 L).
- Pick the Toyota Glanza as the balanced middle path — it wins no single spec outright but concedes little anywhere.
Three-Way Specification Comparison
Hyundai i20 in short
The i20 is Hyundai's premium hatchback flagship, taking on the Maruti Baleno, Toyota Glanza and Tata Altroz. It stands out for its European-inspired styling, a genuinely upmarket cabin with a 10.25-inch touchscreen, and the sporty i20 N Line turbo-DCT for enthusiasts. The 2023 facelift sharpened the design and made six airbags standard on top trims.
Full i20 prices & variants →Maruti Suzuki Baleno in short
The Baleno is Maruti's Nexa premium hatchback, comprehensively facelifted on 5 September 2026. The new car swaps the old 90 PS K12 for the Swift's 82 PS 1.2L Z12E engine (with a big mileage jump to 23.8-24.77 kmpl), adds segment-first Level 2 ADAS on the new Alpha (O) trim, six airbags standard, a 9-inch touchscreen, ventilated front seats and CNG on both Delta and Zeta trims. The 11-variant lineup runs ₹5.99–9.99 lakh — the base is actually ₹11,000 under the widely reported ₹6.10 lakh launch figure, per Maruti's own pricing feed.
Full Baleno prices & variants →Toyota Glanza in short
The Toyota Glanza is the badge-engineered sibling of the Maruti Baleno, pairing the same frugal 1.2 DualJet petrol with Toyota's longer standard warranty and service network. It fights the Baleno, Hyundai i20 and Tata Altroz in the premium hatchback space with six standard airbags and a factory-fitted CNG option. For buyers wanting Baleno practicality with Toyota ownership peace of mind, it is a straightforward pick.
Full Glanza prices & variants →Head-to-head pairs
Frequently Asked Questions
i20 vs Baleno vs Glanza — which should I buy?
Pick the Hyundai i20 if you want the most power (118 bhp), the best crash-test score (3 stars). Pick the Maruti Suzuki Baleno if you want the lowest starting price (₹5.99 Lakh), the best claimed efficiency (up to 33.61 kmpl), the biggest boot (318 L). Pick the Toyota Glanza as the balanced middle path — it wins no single spec outright but concedes little anywhere. Test-drive at least two before deciding — ride and dealer experience differ by city.
Which is the cheapest among i20, Baleno, Glanza?
The Maruti Suzuki Baleno starts lowest at ₹5.99 Lakh, against ₹6.00 Lakh for the i20 and ₹6.73 Lakh for the Glanza (ex-showroom, October 2026).
Which is the safest of the three?
Hyundai i20: 3 stars; Maruti Suzuki Baleno: not yet NCAP-tested; Toyota Glanza: not yet NCAP-tested.