Spec Comparo: Hyundai Elantra vs Toyota Corolla Altis vs Skoda Octavia

At a time when most manufacturers are shying away from the D segment, Hyundai India has gone ahead and introduced the brand-new Elantra. The sixth-generation of the saloon (third for India), has been launched at an introductory price that starts at Rs 12.99 lakh.

How does it fare against its chief rivals, the Toyota Corolla Altis and the Skoda Octavia? Let's take a quick look at the numbers and find out!

Design and Dimensions:

While design is highly subjective, there's no denying that the Elantra looks evidently fresher. The Fluidic theme is slightly subdued now, and replaces the bulbous curves of the previous edition with a set of straight creases. The Toyota, on the other hand, gets a design theme that is typically Japanese, with a narrow-looking snout and a fuss-free profile. Like most European cars, the design on the Skoda is crisp and minimalistic. We think the Octavia is possibly the only one on this list whose design will age gracefully.

Coming to the proportions, the new Elantra measures 4570 x 1800 x 1465mm (l x w x h), which means that it is both longer and wider than the outgoing model. However, both the Toyota and the Skoda are longer and taller than the Hyundai. As far as width and ground clearance is concerned, the Elantra sits bang in the middle. For reference, the Skoda measures 4659 x 1814 x 1476mm, and the Toyota stands at 4620 x 1775 x 1475mm. Ground clearance is rated at 155mm for the Octavia, 165mm for the Elantra and 175mm for the Corolla Altis.

The Hyundai also has the smallest boot capacity, rated at 458 litres. The Corolla isn't too far ahead with its 470-litre boot, and the Octavia (thanks to its notchback design) leads the pack at 590 litres.

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Engine and Transmission:

While the Toyota and the Hyundai get one petrol and one diesel engine each, the Octavia can be had with either two turbocharged petrol engines or a diesel. Also, all three cars get an automatic transmission in their petrol avatars. A diesel-auto combo is available only with the Elantra and the Skoda. 

The Skoda wins hands down, as far as the number games are concerned. Even the base spec 1.4 TSi is nearly as powerful as the 2.0-litre motor on the Elantra. The Hyundai's claim to fame in this category is the fuel efficiency of the diesel variant, which is a class-leading 22.57kmpl.

Here's a quick look at the specs:

Features:

Hyundai and Skoda are known to pack their cars with a plethora of feel-good features, whereas Toyota always ticks the best feature to have – reliability. Both the Octavia and the Elantra get goodies such as an electric sunroof, leather upholstery and dual-zone climate control in their respective top-spec trims. The Corolla seems slightly spartan compared to the two, getting just electric seats and an automatic climate  (single zone) to boast about. 

On the safety front, the Toyota gets dual airbags, the Hyundai ups the game with six and the Skoda goes one up higher still, with eight airbags bundled as part of the safety kit. All three cars get anti-lock brakes with electronic brake distribution. 

Price:

The Elantra has been priced super aggressively, with prices starting at Rs 12.99 lakhs for the base petrol variant. That is a cool eighty thousand less than the Corolla Altis, and a whopping Rs 2.59 lakh less compared to the Octavia. On the other end of the spectrum, the top-spec diesel variant of the Hyundai is priced at a Rs 53,000 premium compared to the Toyota, but still undercuts the Skoda by Rs 3.22 lakh! 

Ex-showroom Delhi pricing is as follows:

Skoda Octavia: Rs 15.58 – 22.41 lakh

Toyota Corolla Altis: Rs 13.78 – 18.66 lakh

Hyundai Elantra: Rs 12.99 – 19.19 lakh