Thus far it would appear that the Hyundai will run away with the prize. However, the real test of a car can only happen once you’ve got past its exterior and interior and have actually driven it. Start the engines simultaneously and you’ll realise that the i20 Active’s 1.4L CRDi unit is a shade less noisy than the Etios Cross’ 1.4L D-4D unit. Get going, though, and the balance swings in the Toyota’s favour almost immediately. Right from the get go, the Etios Cross feels the sprightlier of the two. Apart from the fact that the Etios Cross is lighter than the i20 Active, its engine also suffers from less turbo lag. While in the Toyota, the turbo has spooled up by the time the engine had gathered 1,500 revs, in the i20 Active you will find yourself waiting for another 250-300 RPM, because in the latter the turbo lag exists until nearly 1,800 RPM. Before that, the Hyundai seems to lack purpose in its progress. The test figures, however, tell a slightly different story. Thanks to the higher output of the 1.4L CRDi unit in the i20 Active — 90 PS and 220 Nm as opposed to the Etios Cross’ 68 PS and 170 Nm — the Hyundai posts a marginally quicker 0-100 km/h dash, which it accomplishes in 16.17 seconds compared to the Toyota’s 16.18 seconds. The Hyundai engine is more fuel-efficient as well.
Some of the aforementioned turbo lag can, of course, be remedied by judicious use of gears and the i20 Active’s six-speed transmission is actually quite good. It has short throws and slots in with a nice and positive click. Ratios are well spaced too. However, switch places with the Etios Cross and the Toyota comes up on top. Its five-speed gearbox offers even shorter throws and is as precise as the Hyundai ‘box.
