July 8, 2014

2014 Hyundai Grand i10 1.2 vs 2014 Toyota Wigo 1.0 G A/T

Photos by Ulysses Ang
Oh my, how the world turns. Hyundai was once known for being value-for-money cars. They were solid but crude cars with a price tag that made it close to being disposable after a couple of years of use (or abuse). On the other hand, Toyota produced refined and quality cars which certainly cost more, but are seemingly built to survive a nuclear war. Today though, the world moves to a different beat. With the Wigo sub-compact Toyota has moved, for the first time in its Philippine history, way into the basic transportation genre; while Hyundai has leveled up several notches with its i10 (now known as the Grand i10). Has the automotive world turned upside down? Is the P 728,000 Hyundai Grand i10 1.2 really worth it against the P 534,000 Toyota Wigo 1.0 G? Well, it’s time to find out.



Exterior

Hyundai and Toyota has taken vastly different approaches when it comes to their sub-compacts, and it’s very clear the moment you stare at them in the flesh. On one hand, you have the Wigo—an angular and sharply-styled hatchback with a striking and spunky face. It doesn’t look as space age, as say, the Corolla Altis or the RAV4, but squint hard enough and you do see some Lexus DNA in there. The carbon fiber inserts in the headlight cluster and the arrow-shaped fog light surrounds cut a memorable presence without being too cartoonish. The rear is much more generic though. If there’s one thing the Wigo can use less of, it’s chrome. There’s way too much of the stuff and it just looks too tacky.

Where the Wigo relies on angularity, the Grand i10 goes for a much more organic shape. There are more sweeps, curves, and flowing lines on the Grand i10’s face alone compared to the entirety of the Wigo. The resulting shape is much more pleasing to the eye and fits much better with Hyundai’s corporate design identity. Unlike the Wigo which relies too much on chrome to spice up the design, Hyundai has actually gifted the Grand i10 with excellent detailing. The Grand i10 goes for pull-type door handles, a “hidden” electric-actuated hatch opener, and even a bee sting-type antenna—things that spell real class and quality. They say, the devil’s in the details, and it’s for this reason that the Grand i10 takes a convincing win over the Wigo in terms of its exterior.

Winner: Hyundai Grand i10




Interior Design and Space

Engineered and built as a basic means of transportation, the Toyota Wigo’s a perfect example of a no-frills design. Like the exterior, the inside feels fairly modern with consistent levels of fit and finish. That said, don’t expect it to be a miniature Camry or even a Vios. Everything’s hard to the touch and quite plasticky, but thankfully Toyota has managed to keep every screw head away from plain eyesight. Despite its engineering and design limitations, the Wigo manages to feel airy thanks to the use of light-colored (gray) materials and thin pillars. Ergonomically, the Wigo is surprisingly quite alright despite the lack of steering wheel adjustment. But, Toyota did pinch every penny possible giving the Wigo fixed front headrests—a recipe for possible whiplash injury for anyone above 175 centimeters. Those in the back fare much better though one or two passengers complained of a lack of hip and bum support.

Whereas the Wigo is “fairly modern” in its interior design, the Grand i10 gets every design know-how Hyundai has in its sleeve. As a result, they have created something seemingly straight out of a concept car. The two-tone orange and black interior scheme is a love-it-or-hate-it affair, but kudos to Hyundai for adding some much needed styling to this segment. The overall look is more on the feminine side, but that shouldn’t matter as you’ll learn to love the higher quality digs. First, the graining effect used on the interior surfaces is convincing enough to make it feel more upscale than it is. Second, the fit and finish are noticeably better. Lastly, the major controls not only work with a nice, tactile feel, but actually are much more solid. The gauges, the switchgear, the shifter, and even the seats—they all feel way, way better in the Grand i10 than in the Wigo. In addition, the seats are supportive. There’s excellent space front or back, and there’s adjustable headrests for everyone (that’s five in total). Again, it’s a hands down victory for the Grand i10 here.

Winner: Hyundai Grand i10




Performance and Fuel Economy

Designed and engineered primarily as a city car, the Toyota Wigo is perfectly at home in the confines of the concrete jungle. The odd-numbered cylinder count (three) sounds just plain unbalanced. The amount of noise and vibration that permeates the cabin makes you wonder if Toyota employed even a gram of NVH isolation. Despite squeezing out just 65 horsepower and 85 Nm of torque from its 1.0-liter displacement, the Wigo feels zippy in city traffic. Of course, compared to the 5-speed manual version, the 4-speed automatic feels noticeably more sluggish, but at least the Wigo makes full use of its limited powertrain. In terms of handling, it’s responsive and easy to maneuver around town. However, push the Wigo just that extra bit, and you’ll start to feel its low-level limits. You can actually hear your inner Captain Kirk yelling to Scotty to give the Wigo “all she’s got” only to get this response: “But she’s going to blowwwwww”. Second, the super light steering and copious amount of body roll don’t exactly help the it through switchbacks. Likewise, the slush box draws a huge penalty to the Wigo’s fuel efficiency, dropping to a surprisingly low 9.82 km/L.

Fortunately, the Grand i10 doesn’t have the same “one trick pony” attitude that affects the Wigo. Though it’s designed primarily for high-density urban settings as well, its performance offers much more flexibility. In the city, the Grand i10 feels remarkably comfortable. It manages to isolate things like unwanted noise and vibration very well to the point it feels like a car a class or two higher. It also rides through the harshest of bumps way better than the Wigo. With an additional 200-cc of displacement and one more cylinder, the Grand i10 doesn’t have any of the rickety noises. The 87 horsepower and 119 Nm of torque feel more if the basis is purely by the “seat of the pants”. Still, the Grand i10 isn’t perfect. The steering is actually much vaguer than the Wigo’s, the brakes are extremely grabby (as in you’ll get caught out multiple times), and the outward visibility isn’t as good (especially with the thin side mirrors). But unlike the Wigo, the Grand i10 retains its composure and remains stable as city roads turn into highways. It feels more planted at higher speeds. As a passenger, it’s also much more refined and quieter (except for tire noise). The bigger engine also keeps the overall experience much more relaxed for everyone on-board. And get this, despite the bigger engine, the Grand i10 1.2 extracts more mileage out of every liter of unleaded: 11.49 km/L.

Winner: Hyundai Grand i10




Value for Money

Now, comes the most interesting bit of this comparison. Priced at P 534,000, the Toyota Wigo is affordable by any car buyer’s standard. It’s designed and engineered to fit the budget of a first-time car buyer and yet comes loaded with all the necessities you can think of. Compared to some of its Japanese and Korean rivals (present company not included), the top-of-the-line 1.0 G trim comes with all its exterior panels painted (most of its rivals will have unpainted plastic panels). Plus, it comes with dual SRS airbags, anti-lock brakes, and a touchscreen audio system that can hook up your Apple iPod, CD, DVD, and can even serve as a Bluetooth hands-free system. You even get front fog lamps and a nifty rear spoiler. Sure, you’ll have to live with a pillar-mounted antenna (an 80’s throwback) and body panels that have the rigidity (or should it be flexibility) of a thin metal sheet, but you can’t fault it for being priced at just a fraction above half-a-million.

On the other side, priced some 27 percent above the Wigo is the Grand i10. At P 728,000, it’s not anymore an affordable sub-B segment hatchback by anyone’s book. In fact, the added length and wheelbase makes it sit almost toe-to-toe with the Honda Jazz and Toyota Yaris. Yet, it’s still smaller and with pricing so very close to the much bigger Japanese, it’s got to make up for it somewhere, right? Aside from the obvious, which is style, the Grand i10 makes up for it with more luxury amenities such as the push button engine start/stop, GPS navigation, tilt adjustable steering, 6-way adjustable driver’s seat, a cooled glove box, and power folding mirrors. But wait—doesn’t the P 648,000 Mitsubishi Mirage GLS have these features too (sans the power folding mirrors and chilled glove box). And it’s still some 11 percent cheaper than the Grand i10. The P 698,000 Grand i10 1.0 is much more palatable in terms of price, but it’s still 23 percent more expensive than the Wigo! In other words, for the added space, comfort, and refinement, you have to pay a hefty premium. In some cases, you might be better off cashing out on a slighter larger sub-compact.

Winner: Toyota Wigo




Verdict

It’s fairly obvious that for both the Toyota Wigo and the Hyundai Grand i10, you get what you pay for. When Toyota makes the Wigo as a no-frills, no-nonsense car, they absolutely nailed it right. Yes, it’s got low mechanical limits, so it’s scary to bring outside the city; but enjoy it in its rightful environment and it’s a winner. It’s loaded with decent features that’ll surprise you. Still, the mechanicals simply need better refinement. Above all though, the main draw here is that it’s a P 534,000 Toyota. The last time there was a Toyota this affordable, it was in the late 1990’s. However, if you’re looking at getting one car and using it for the next five years or so, you’re better off with the Hyundai Grand i10. Indeed, it’s more expensive out of the box, but at least it offers much more solid mechanicals, more amenities, more space, and better fuel efficiency. The pricing certainly makes you look up towards larger sub-compacts (the Accent CRDi to name one), but as far as the Wigo versus Grand i10 is concerned, the Hyundai wins this one.

Winner: Hyundai Grand i10


2014 Hyundai Grand i10 vs 2014 Toyota Wigo
Ownership Grand i10 1.2 Wigo 1.0 G A/T
Year Introduced 2014
Vehicle Classification Sub-Compact
The Basics
Body Type 5-door Hatchback
Seating 5 5
Engine / Drive F/F F/F
Under the Hood
Displacement (liters) 1.2 1.0
Aspiration NA NA
Layout / # of Cylinders I4 I3
BHP @ rpm 87 @ 6,000 65 @ 6,000
Nm @ rpm 119 @ 4,000 85 @ 3,600
Fuel / Min. Octane Gasoline / ~91 Gasoline / ~91
Transmission 4AT 4AT
Cruise Control No No
Dimensions and Weights
Length (mm) 3,765 3,600
Width (mm) 1,660 1,620
Height (mm) 1,505 1,520
Wheelbase (mm) 2,425 2,450
Curb Weight (kg) 998 800
Suspension and Tires
Front Suspension Independent, MacPherson Strut Independent, MacPherson Strut
Rear Suspension Torsion Beam Axle Torsion Beam Axle
Front Brakes Vented Disc Vented Disc
Rear Brakes Drum Drum
Tires 165/65R14 175/65R14
Wheels Alloy Alloy
Safety Features
Airbags 2 2
Anti-Lock Brakes (ABS) Yes Yes
Traction / Stability Control No No
Parking Sensors Yes, Camera No
Exterior Features
Headlights Halogen Halogen
Fog Lamps Yes, Front Yes, Front
Auto Lights No No
Auto Wipers No No
Interior Features
Steering Wheel Adjustment Tilt Fixed
Steering Wheel Material Urethane Urethane
Seating Adjustment Manual Manual
Seating Surface Fabric Fabric
Folding Rear Seat Yes, 60/40 Yes, Bench
On-Board Computer Yes Yes
Convenience Features
Power Steering Yes Yes
Power Door Locks Yes Yes
Power Windows Yes Yes
Power Mirrors Yes, Fold Yes
Climate Control Manual Manual
Audio System Stereo
CD/DVD
MP3
USB
NAVI
Bluetooth
Stereo
CD/DVD
MP3
USB
Bluetooth
No. of Speakers 4 2
Steering Wheel Controls Yes No

38 comments:

  1. Make a comparo review between the Mazda 3 1.5V vs Toyota Altis 1.6V

    Im pretty sure you will get more visitors to your site on that review

    ReplyDelete
  2. It will be more interesting if the mirage made it to this comparo. Despite the price disadvantage, the grand i10 is the most refined and solidly built minicar bar none.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Adding the TOTL mirage to the comparo and the upcoming 1.2 Swift would indeed make things more interesting since they're almost on the same price bracket. Well if only Hyundai kept the initial release price of 688K that is.

    ReplyDelete
  4. The Hyundai Grand i10 1.2 AT priced at P728K vs. the new Honda Jazz 1.5 MT at P768K. A difference of P40K. Which car should I get? I am looking for a fuel efficient vehicle that will be primarily used in the city but will also be taken out-of-town (Tagaytay or Batangas) every now and then. I am used to driving MT vehicles but I'm also open to learn driving an automatic if need be.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. between this two since I had the privilege to drive both and we have a Grand i10

      Grand i10
      advantages compared to the basic Jazz: accessories, since this is TOTL, it has almost everything, back up camera, parking sensors, push start, GPS, etc..

      Jazz
      advantages compared to the TOTL Grand i10: better interior space, 1.5 engine

      Between the two, my choice would be the Grand i10 as it gets the job done even if just City driving or Tagaytay/Batangas trip and offers more value for the things you get.

      I think the strength of the new Jazz would be the new CVT transmission, I will choose the Jazz without hesitation if it was A/T.

      Good Luck!

      Delete
  5. At the same time, what would make you choose this Grand i10 as your first car over Vios 1.3E AT after the 35K discount this July?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. My wife chose the Grand i10 as her first car simply because she wanted a different city car that has all the luxurious accessories she needed for daily drive.. like Navi, parking sensor and back-up camera which she finds very useful especially as a new driver

      Though being practical, the Vios after discounts really offers incredible value

      Delete
    2. Maybe you should have given your wife some advice instead of letting her choose her car. Women doesn't give a rat's ass about a car's capabilities and instead are easily swayed by accessories and toys. I mean what the hell does she know about cars compared to you?

      Delete
  6. for the next five years or so.. I'm better off with a Toyota than a Hyundai.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I like this comment. Because its reality. The grand i10 is much expensive by 200k but after 5 years, the wigo will be expensive by then, regardless of variant. Ika nga resale value wise, you'll never go wrong with toyota. And its a fact!!!

      Delete
    2. Me too! It is absolutely correct. Even if the wigo is cheaper than any midget out there except the brio, six months thereafter of daily use, the brio would still be a brio, i mean still running, when all those midget are in the shop, again except its god, brio.

      Delete
  7. Buy the June issue of Top Gear Magazine. There's a comparo review there between the Mazda 3 1.5V vs Toyota 1.6V.

    Guess what who won?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Of course, the 3 won! that's a no-brainer choice.

      Delete
  8. How about Suzuki swift 1.2 vs Hyundai i10?

    ReplyDelete
  9. Comparison should be Mitsubishi Mirage vs Toyota Wigo. The grand i10 is a higher class than the wigo.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I disagree with you.

      It should be toyota wigo vs kia picanto or hyundai eon.

      Also mitubishi mirage vs hyundai grand i10 is a more fair comparison.

      Delete
  10. Now that the Suzuki Swift 1.2 is out, it would be interesting to compare Hyundai i10 vs Swift 1.2

    ReplyDelete
  11. I think it would have been more fair if you compared Hyundai Eon vs the Toyota Wigo - their prices are quite close. Of course, the i10 is so much better than the Eon and the Wigo because of the almost 200k difference :) #justsaying

    ReplyDelete
  12. it should have been:

    Toyota Wigo vs Hyundai Eon vs Kia Picanto...
    Hyundai Grand i10 vs Mitsubishi Mirage GLS.... =)

    ReplyDelete
  13. i am batting for toyota aigo but it is not coming in the philippines.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Aigo is "I go" and Wigo is "We go". They are one and the same made by Daihatsu, a subsidiary of Toyota.

      Delete
    2. "I go", single-seater? *haha*

      Delete
  14. Hyundai Grand i10 1.0S vs. Toyota Wigo 1.0G vs. Mitsubishi Mirage GLX

    ReplyDelete
  15. need suggestions guys.
    lil bt confuse what to choose among these four (WIGO, EON, MIIRAGE & G.i10)
    now, i feel to choose wigo because it's toyota.
    wanted a fuel efficient car
    Note: 1st time to buy brand new car. :D
    Thanks sirs/madam for the help. God Bless u all

    ReplyDelete
  16. If you want real value for money get the wigo. No more questions asked. And i think this review is a little bit biased against the smaller and cheaper toyota wigo...

    ReplyDelete
  17. Most of you who comment here about toyota being better after five years should know better. This wigo is just a Toyota badge; it's engine is daihatsu similar to avanza. "Look within and you will see what essentially it is." Read a review about wigo in Topgear and it says that this car is not ideal for a five or more years because of its engine.

    ReplyDelete
  18. I'm still confused which one would I get. lol
    Whether the Grand i10, Wigo, or Eon.

    For the Grand i10, confused due to that an Agent told me, they have stopped the production because of Eon's trend in the market.

    While on Eon, confused because of the gear lever vibration still present due to it engine, right?

    And for Wigo, the interior, which I kinda don't like, just for me though.

    Any suggestion guys?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. i own a 2013 eon and i have not experience this gear lever vibration

      Delete
  19. Get the grand i10!!!!

    ReplyDelete
  20. why grand i10 vs toyota wigo? instead compare grandi10 vs toyota yaris

    ReplyDelete
  21. What the heck this comparison review is! Wigo is actually a mini hatchback and should be compared with the likes of hyundai eon, mirage, alto/celerio, picanto..and not with the grand i10 or other cars in its class..stupid! Grand i10 should be compared with jazz, yaris, and etc.
    This comparison is kind of a trash. And whoever did this has no brains at all.

    ReplyDelete
  22. My Hyndai i10 is stuck in Hyundai EDSA Balintawak service center for 2 weeks now and another 2 weeks more because they don't have alternators in stock. Why don't they stock a basic alternator and customers like me have to live without a car for a month due to their inefficient stocking policies. I'm not happy with Hyundai's after sales service. Will never buy or recommend a Hyndai again!

    ReplyDelete
  23. Hi guys i need your help i want to buy car this coming may for installment ..i want HYUNDAI I10 1.2L or SUZUKI SWIFT DZIRE,this my first time to buy a car so i want to make sure i get the right car.thanks for the comment.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. How about considering Toyota Vios almost same price of Hyundai I10 1.2L.. :)

      Delete
    2. dont you like the suzuki swift 1.2? is cheaper that grand i10 TOTL

      Delete
  24. Wisdom. Sila ang nag review bakit marunong pa kayo sa kanila, basahin na lang natin respect na lang sa bawat isa, ang Topic nila ang masusunod at hindi tayo... Respeto lang mga partner.

    ReplyDelete
  25. What do you mean it has no aspirations? So both cars dont take in air?

    ReplyDelete

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