Toyota Taisor vs Maruti Fronx vs Citroen C3 vs Tata Punch vs others

The other cars that have been included in this comparison include Renault Kiger, Nissan Magnite and Hyundai Exter.

BHPian Ripcord09 recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Toyota Urban Cruiser Taisor

Review Link

Maruti Suzuki Fronx

What you'll like:

• Smart-looking crossover with sharp & attractive styling
• Feels better built than some other Maruti cars
• 1.0L Boosterjet turbo-petrol engine is quick and has minimal turbo lag. Driveability is satisfactory
• Smart Hybrid system ensures excellent fuel efficiency. ARAI = 20.01 to 22.89 km/l
• Nicely tuned suspension glides over small bumps, potholes and road imperfections
• User-friendly cabin with loads of space! Can easily seat 5 adults (unlike many competitors)
• Long feature list includes LED auto headlamps, LED DRLs, cruise control, 9-inch touchscreen HU paired with an Arkamys sound system, 360-degree camera, head-up display, rear A/C vents, wireless charging, footwell lighting, tilt & telescopic steering adjustment, connected car features etc
• Safety kit includes 6 airbags, 3-point seatbelts for all, ESP, traction control, hill-hold assist and ISOFIX
• Maruti’s excellent after-sales service, wide dealer network & fuss-free ownership experiences

What you won't:

• On the inside, it’s almost identical to the regular Baleno. Differentiation should’ve been more
• Quality of some plastic parts and fabric upholstery is mediocre
• 1.0L turbo-petrol although quick, is not exciting enough for enthusiasts
• 308-litre boot is among the smallest in the segment
• No diesel option like some rivals
• Rear seat’s under-thigh support is lacking for taller passengers
• A few missing features like sunroof, TPMS, rear armrest, drive modes, auto wipers and front parking sensors
• Lesser height means, despite the smart styling, it doesn’t have the road presence of typical crossovers

Review Link

Citroen C3

What you'll like:

• Striking design! Very funky, yet likeable at the same time
• Good-looking cabin that is practical too
• Fast 1.2L turbo-petrol is genuinely fun-to-drive, while the 1.2L naturally-aspirated engine offers excellent driveability
• 6-speed MT is slick and light to operate. Definitely one of the better gearboxes in the segment
• Sorted suspension offers a very good ride & handling package
• Compact size and light controls are perfect for the urban environment
• 10-inch touchscreen with wireless Android Auto & Apple CarPlay is excellent to use
• Lots of customization options and accessories to make your car truly unique

What you won't:

• No automatic transmission on offer - a big miss when ATs are rapidly gaining popularity in India
• Quality of cabin materials doesn't feel great; cost-cutting is pretty evident in certain areas
• Some ergonomic issues like the placement of rear power window switches, unusable rear headrests…
• 1.2L NA petrol’s highway performance is mediocre; 5-speed MT is notchy too
• Cabin width makes the interiors suitable for 4 adults, not 5
• Missing features like climate control, tachometer, decent sound system, LED headlamps, etc.
• Long-term reliability & after-sales service quality are big unknowns; dealer network is tiny

Review Link

Tata Punch

What you'll like:

• Snazzy styling! We love the mini-Harrier face and tight rear end
• Well-designed & practical cabin with enough space for 4 adults
• 366-liter boot is accommodating
• 1.2L NA petrol offers good driveability in the city. Performance is acceptable • Sorted road manners & reassuring high-speed stability
• Enjoyable Harman 6-speaker ICE. One of the better systems in this segment
• Features such as auto headlamps & wipers, cruise control, Traction Pro (AMT), cooled glovebox…with factory customization packs too
• A full 5 stars in the GNCAP! Safety package includes dual airbags, CSC, brake sway control, ISOFIX etc.

What you won't:

• 1.2L NA petrol’s highway performance is weak. At 100 km/h & up, more noise than action
• Suspension has a firm tune (R16 variants). It is compliant & liveable, but you do feel bad roads
• Jerky and slow AMT gearbox when competitors offer you smoother CVTs and torque converters
• 3-cylinder petrol cannot match the competition’s 4-cylinders in refinement & NVH
• No turbo petrol or diesel option. Period. Rivals & other Tata cars offer both
• Cabin width makes 4 adults welcome, not 5
• Some missing goodies such as an auto-dimming IRVM, splitting rear seat, rear AC vents, full-size spare…
• Tata's after-sales service quality is a hit or miss. Remains a gamble

Review Link

Renault Kiger

First Drive Review

Ownership Review

Nissan Magnite

What you'll like:

• The Magnite looks really good…that handsome face is a head-turner
• Sheer value-for-money pricing. Turbo-petrol with a proper AT under 10 lakhs!
• Peppy performance from the Magnite’s 1.0L turbo-petrol engine
• Smooth well-tuned CVT in a sea of jerky AMTs. Has Sport and L modes too
• Healthy legroom for rear passengers. Space packaging is brilliant
• Impressive kit (cruise control, LED headlamps, rear air-con vents, 360-degree camera, wireless charger, wireless Android Auto & Apple CarPlay)
• 205 mm of ground clearance is more than enough for any kind of bad roads
• Safety kit includes ESP, TPMS, ABS, EBD & hill start assist
• Base variant also gets a reasonable kit, including a rear wiper. It’s not poverty-spec

What you won't:

• Stiff & basic ride quality. You feel each and everything on the road
• The Magnite is built to a cost and it does show, especially in the budget-grade cabin
• Lower variants’ 1.0L naturally-aspirated petrol is a boring, unimpressive engine
• Clunky, firm MT gearshift & a clutch pedal that has more weight than it should
• No diesel option available on the Nissan Magnite
• Cabin is narrower than some competitors. Narrow width makes it best for 4 adults
• Missing features such as an auto-dimming IRVM, full-size spare tyre…
• Doesn't have the finesse or quality of premium crossovers like the XUV300, Sonet etc.
• Nissan's tiny dealership network & lousy after-sales quality

Review Link

Hyundai Exter

What you'll like:

• Well-positioned overall package. Priced competitively against rivals
• Unique looks with the H-shaped LED DRLs & tail-lamps and crossover styling
• Super-refined 4-cylinder engine offers good driveability and satisfactory fuel efficiency. AMT and CNG versions are available too
• Hyundai AMTs have superior tuning as compared to the AMTs of Maruti, Tata etc.
• Well-tuned suspension absorbs bumps well and delivers acceptable high-speed stability
• Precise build & quality (including interiors) are among the segment's best
• Excellent ergonomics with light and well-placed controls
• Spacious interiors with very good legroom and headroom for a car in this segment
• Accommodating 391-litre boot is among the largest in the segment
• Loaded with features such as a sunroof, keyless entry & go, dashcam with dual camera, auto headlamps, cruise control, paddle shifters, connected car features (BlueLink), wireless charger, rear A/C vents, multi-lingual voice commands, etc
• Safety kit includes 6 airbags, 3-point seatbelts for all 5 occupants, ISOFIX child seat mounts, ABS, EBD, ESC, VSM, hill-hold assist, rear parking sensors and camera, TPMS, emergency stop signal, SOS call and more
• Hyundai's wide service network & up to 7-years extended warranty

What you won't:

• Edgy looks & funky styling may not be to everyone's liking. Cuts and creases are overdone
• Despite the unique styling, it’s not really a head-turner. Small size robs the Exter of road presence
• 1.2L NA petrol’s highway performance is adequate, but not exciting
• No turbo-petrol or diesel engine on offer
• Not as engaging to drive as the Citroen C3 Turbo. Handling, steering and thin tyres won’t appeal to enthusiasts
• Light-coloured interior theme isn’t available. Black interiors may not be to everyone's liking. Hyundai should’ve offered a beige option
• Back seat is more suitable for 2 healthy adults and a child. Not 3 healthy adults
• Rear seat is placed on the lower side, and its under-thigh support is average (taller folk will find it to be less)
• Average sound system is no match for some of the rivals (e.g. Punch & Fronx have better ICE)
• Some missing features like fog lamps, rear centre armrest, auto-dimming IRVM, 60:40 split rear seat, 6-speaker sound system (Exter has just 4), full-sized spare tyre, etc.

Review Link

Here's what BHPian CentreOfGravity had to say about the matter:

This is a tough one! Having considered all options, my first choice would be the Fronx turbo MT, or the Citroen C3 turbo (but strictly as a secondary vehicle).

• I prefer the Fronx's design over its Toyota counterpart and I think it is one the best-looking hatches (I refrain from calling any car in the list an "SUV"). The engine seems to be fun too. Downside = it's quite expensive for what is essentially a Baleno on steroids.
• The C3 is my second pick only because of its engine and chassis - 110 PS and 190 Nm of torque are big numbers for this class! However, I'd choose this strictly as my secondary car for the city. Reasons = lack of basic features + 0 star NCAP rating.
• Although the Punch looks very good, the weak powertrain is a deal breaker. Not to mention Tata's poor ASS and the free niggles that come with the car.
• The Kiger and Magnate are quite competent and VFM, but they are ageing badly and aren't as polished as the others. Plus, the competition has m-o-v-e-d on.
• The Exter looks weird to me even today. As competent a car as it is, I cannot live with a car whose design doesn't appeal to me.

All said and done, in real life, I'd be better off with a proper hatch like the i20 N Line / Altroz turbo or sedans like the City / Virtus GT.

Here's what BHPian FAIAAA had to say about the matter:

Voted for the Taisor.

Rationale - I am only into automatics now. Of the list:

• Punch and Exeter go out because of AMT gearboxes
• Kiger and Magnite go out because of inconsistent product quality and questions about their future in India
• C3 seems to have a good powertrain (engine and gearbox) but is let down by a limited feature set and service network and questions around their viability and future in India.

That leaves the Fronx and Taisor. Personally, I like the Fronx's looks but will go with the Taisor because of the Toyota brand and service quality. That is if I am shopping in this segment.

However, I feel that if one is shopping with around ~15 lacs today for the top-end Fronx/Taisor, one will be better off with an entry-level, reasonably loaded City V CVT or a Kushaq Onyx edition AT and so on.

Here's what BHPian TorqueAddict007 had to say about the matter:

Taisor, and by extension Fronx, offers too little for too much price. The 1.2L engine is good, but I'd rather just buy the Baleno if I wanted that engine and its refinement and frugality. And the 1.0l turbo petrol AT is pretty good, but it's so expensive for what it offers, I could just stretch a bit and go with the Brezza, which has better handling, more space, and is also built on a safer platform. Fronx is legitimately a car that puzzled me when I test drove it because I couldn't understand what role it served in the market that wasn't already occupied by another car which did the job better.

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