I tried a test drive of the Baleno vs Punch 2026. I felt the Baleno was more comfortable to ride in, and the engine was very smooth. I could really feel the vehicle, whereas the Punch felt boxy, with some body roll, and I couldn’t feel the engine as much, though the overall package is good. I am a family of five, and this will be my first car. Which one should I choose? Are there any other cars I should consider? I felt the Hyundai i20 might be pricey and lower in mileage, so I didn’t check it.

Autocar India

•1d

There's actually quite a variety of automatic hatchbacks within your budget. The Maruti Suzuki Baleno and its twin, the Toyota Glanza, are well-rounded products. Good ride comfort and excellent fuel economy are highlights, and the AMT gearbox is good enough for average driving. However, gearshifts aren't the smoothest, and you'll feel this over a quick overtaking manoeuvre. If you are open to the Citroen brand, the C3 is a great option. Its 1.2-litre engine and torque converter auto gearbox combo is excellent, and ride comfort is also very good.You could also look at the Tata Altroz DCA in Creative S trim. The dual-clutch auto gearbox is very smooth and well-suited to city use. There's also a toughness to the package that gives great confidence at highway speeds.We are also fans of the smooth and polished Hyundai i20 CVT, but the Sportz(O) that fits your budget isn't an ideal choice as it misses out on the safety of a rear wiper. Finally, if you have the option to install an EV charger at home or office, the Tata Tiago EV is also an option to consider. Being all-electric, it's super smooth and very refined. However, it works best as a city car.

Maruti Suzuki Baleno

Toyota Glanza

Citroen C3

Tata Altroz

Hyundai i20

Tata Tiago EV

Autocar India

•7h

Unfortunately, Toyota has absolutely no plans to launch the GR Corolla hatchback in India. This is a car with very limited demand, so it would not be worth Toyota's time and effort to launch such a low-volume model. Go ahead and buy the Hyundai i20 N line, which, though nowhere near as exciting or powerful as the GR, is nonetheless a fun-to-drive car.

Hyundai i20

Autocar India

•1d

For a Maruti Suzuki Baleno with two people in the city, set 29 PSI in all four tyres, checked cold; for occasional highway runs with two onboard, use 30-31 PSI cold. Maruti’s placard (fuel-lid/door frame) for most Baleno trims lists 29 PSI for normal load, which balances ride comfort and steering feel in city speeds under 60 km/h. On highways, adding 1-2 PSI helps the tyre run cooler (due to less sidewall flex) at sustained 80-100 km/h and can improve straight-line feel slightly without making the ride harsh. In fact, a note, most people fearing high speed blowouts lower tyre pressure on highways, this is very dangerous and can actually lead to blowouts on older and weaker tyres, due to heat build up. This happens as with lower pressures, sidewalls flex a lot, leading to internal friction. Thus, raising pressure by 1 or 2 PSI is actually better. If you’re carrying 4-5 people or luggage over 50-80 kg in the boot, go to 32 PSI cold. Always set pressures cold (after the car has been parked for at least 3 hours or driven under 2 km), because heat can raise readings by 2-3 PSI; don’t bleed air from hot tyres.The one thing you give up by running 30-31 PSI on the highway is a touch of softness over small bumps; expect a firmer feel over sharp joints compared to 29 PSI.Once a month, use a digital gauge with ±1 PSI accuracy, check all four tyres and the spare, and rotate every 8,000-10,000 km to keep wear even and pressures consistent.

Maruti Suzuki Baleno