Peugeot 208 GT-Line v Skoda Fabia 81TSI v Suzuki Baleno GLX Turbo 2016 Comparison

Peugeot 208 GT-Line v Skoda Fabia 81TSI v Suzuki Baleno GLX Turbo
Comparison Test

The name may ring a bell, but Suzuki's all-new Baleno owes nothing to the car last sold here in 2001. Larger than the Swift, the Baleno nevertheless occupies a niche in the same VFACTS light-car segment.

Arriving in Australia at an eye-catching price and specified to the hilt with goodies, the Suzuki is the latest in a series of light cars – 'light' being defined as smaller than 'small' – to change our perception of what a tiny car can offer.

Eyes on the price
All three cars tested were up-spec models, but while the Fabia and Baleno were priced in a band just above $20,000, the 208 came in quite a bit higher. No surprise there, given it's the flagship model in a four-level hierarchy – four levels if one sets aside the GTI.

At $27,490 the 208 GT-Line is $11,500 dearer than the entry-level 208 Access with a manual transmission.

A closer match to the other cars in the test would be the 208 Active at $21,990, but then the buyer misses out on front parking sensors, self parking, an armrest between the front seats, auto-dipping mirror, rear privacy glass, satellite navigation, dual-zone climate control, a chilled glovebox, front-seat map pockets, map lights, premium interior trim (leather handbrake handle, aluminium trim and chrome accents), 17-inch alloys, premium exterior styling details, rain-sensing wipers, auto headlights, height-adjustable front-passenger seat and sports seats!

The Baleno, trimmed to GLX Turbo specification, is priced at $22,990 – and that includes on-road costs ('drive-away'). Deduct those on-roads, however, and the manufacturer's list price for the Baleno comes out at $21,990 – still higher than the Fabia, which is priced at $20,290 before adding registration and third-party insurance.

Currently Skoda is offering the Fabia with Sport Pack colour concept – as specified for the vehicle tested – for a drive-away price of $21,790.

The base Baleno GL is priced at $17,990 drive-away, which equates to $16,990 before the on-road costs. The price gap between the (automatic) Baleno GL and the GLX tested is $5000 either way. It's a big difference, but the turbocharged engine of the GLX is an altogether more sophisticated set-up, and the flagship model also features a lot of additional kit for the money.

Standard features for the Baleno GLX – over and above the base GL model – include xenon headlights, indicators in the exterior mirrors, a tilt and reachadjustable steering column, shift paddles, 4.2-inch colour infotainment display, extended trip computer functions, keyless start and single-zone climate control.

All three cars are on an equal footing for passenger safety, boasting six airbags (including side curtains) and three-point seatbelts for all five positions.

Warranty is pegged at three years for the trio, but the Fabia is the car for drivers who do plenty of travelling during any given year, since the Skoda offers unlimited-kilometre coverage during that three-year period. Both the 208 and the Baleno are limited to 100,000km within the three-year period.

The two European cars are subject to 12-month/15,000km service intervals, a clear advantage over the Baleno's six-month/10,000km intervals.

What's that they say about small packages?
Just as there's valid reason to pose the question: 'why pay $20,000 or more for a light car?' when that sum of money puts a small car well within reach, there's equally a valid reason to ask 'why pay that sort of money for a small car?' when a light hatch delivers similar spaciousness and – often – better equipment.

All three of these cars on test certainly support the latter argument.

Rear-seat accommodation is usually the weak point in small, light and micro cars, but all three of these machines provide spaciousness in the rear to suit adults over an extended journey. This is not about tilting the head on one side and hauling the knees up around the chin, hoping for the torture to end in less than five minutes.

Of the three the Baleno was the roomiest, by a clear margin. The Suzuki's legroom in the back was outstanding; especially considering the wheelbase was marginally shorter than the Peugeot's and the boot space was significantly larger than that of either the 208 or the Fabia.

Rear-seat kneeroom in the Fabia was fair at best, but still adequate for adults. Despite its longest wheelbase status, the 208 was only slightly better than the Skoda.

Headroom didn't really pose much of a problem in any of the three cars. Once again, the Baleno outgunned the other two, but the Fabia earned itself an honourable mention, despite being fitted with a panoramic sunroof.

None of the three cars on test offered HVAC vents for rear-seat passengers, but the Baleno did have a 12-volt power outlet back there. Nice, but a USB port would have been nicer. All three cars did come with USB ports in the front, as well as an auxillary jack and 12-volt outlet.

As long as you can accept the Peugeot's unconventional seat height and low steering wheel, the 208 presents as a more sophisticated, luxurious product. There was more than a smattering of gloss black trim and satin-finish brightwork, plus red stitching for the (optional) leather seats – all reflecting the Pug's pricing against the other two contenders.

The Fabia, particularly in view of its price leadership among this trio, boasted a surprisingly presentable interior. Contrasting fabric upholstery for the seats looked more modern style, versus the 'baroque' style of the 208.

The Fabia was packed with clever little features for the money, like the clip-in bin for the doors, complete with a disposable plastic bag that's easily replaced once it's full. A removable plug designed to sit in one of the cupholders features a rectangular slot to house a smartphone. There were also some not-so-little features, like the sunroof with two-piece blind.

On the whole, the Baleno's interior design didn't feel as classy as either the Fabia's or the Peugeot's. Some of the trim – painted plastics in a metallic-look coating, for instance – appeared a bit chintzy, but that's the choice the buyer makes when opting for the cheapest of the three cars on test.

Credit goes to the two European cars for comfortable and well shaped seats. The Baleno's front seats were soft enough, but not especially supportive under the thighs.

A little 'try-hard', the Baleno's instruments looked busy. In comparison, the Fabia's instrumentation was simple and elegant, although the HVAC controls (for the only car without climate control) looked a little rudimentary. The Peugeot has received some flack in the past for its driving position, but that's more about the location of the steering wheel and the high seat rather than any inherent problem with the clarity of the instruments and ease of switchgear operation.

Both the Peugeot and the Skoda came with fast responding/light touchscreens, but the Fabia's Bluetooth connection occasionally dropped out when streaming music. The Baleno's infotainment screen was half-a-generation behind, in terms of usability. Nonetheless, the Suzuki redeemed itself by offering a view behind the car in the infotainment screen. While the 208 on test also came with a reversing camera, it was an extra-charge option. The Fabia was decked out with rear parking sensors, as was the 208. In an ideal world, target buyers in this market would want both a reversing camera and acoustic guidance.

Firing up the engine was a question of inserting the key in a lock barrel on the right side of the steering column for the 208 and the Fabia. Only the Baleno came with keyless ignition.

Just six litres separates the luggage capacity of the Fabia (305 litres) from the 208's – 311 litres. But the Fabia came to the fore with incredibly sensible and practical features in the boot, for those occasions – most of the time – when users won't be filling it to the brim, but do want to carry small items around without having them rolling around loose and slamming into each other (or the car) while under brakes or cornering.

As well as two luggage nets, an elasticised strap and a couple of bins, the Fabia's boot was also equipped with a removable open-topped semi-circular plastic barrel fastened to the side of the boot. This was suitable for carrying smaller items of food or other perishables.

But for carrying larger items, the Baleno took the top spot on the podium, boasting a luggage capacity of 355 litres – almost levelling next-segment Corolla.

For the 'door slamming' test, the Peugeot scored top points. It delivered the best door closure – solid but requiring little effort. The Fabia felt a bit tinny and the Baleno's door sealing was spongey and the doors needed more of a slam.

Don't doff the driving gloves
When one thinks of light hatchbacks, the common perception is that these are cars designed to be so easy to drive – since they're the first choice of inexperienced drivers. And as with anything easy, if there's no challenge... there's no fun.

So it's pleasing to note that all three of these cars on test are enjoyable to drive, in varying degrees, but they're still good, simple cars to learn in.

In terms of fun-to-drive quotient, the Fabia was the most go-kart-like of the three. Every aspect of its dynamic competence could be described as 'direct'. It was responsive through the wheel and communicative through the seat. However, it also delivered the harshest ride.

The Fabia's steering response was immediate and provided a level of feel that was on the money for precise placement on the road. I found it a little too light for my personal liking, but that assistance is what many target buyers will no doubt want.

Roadholding was tenacious for a $20,000 shopping basket in the light-car segment. Thrown into a corner on a trailing throttle the Fabia exhibited handling traits closer to neutral, but the stability control ensured the tail never stepped out. It was very predictable without being dull.

Ride quality was not only bordering on harsh, but the suspension was more inclined to crash through during high-velocity impacts than the 208 or the Baleno. The Fabia has been set-up to err more on the side of handling and grip rather than ride comfort, although compliance was adequate over the lesser bumps and potholes likely to be encountered on suburban streets.

Despite the displacement – 1.2 litres – the engine in the Fabia 81TSI was blessed with enough power to push the little car up to speed briskly. Power delivery was all about the torque. While the engine would rev out to redline, it felt perkier in the mid-range, up to about 5000rpm – and it would hold higher gears on hills without kicking down frequently, as long as it was spinning at 2000rpm.

The engine sounded sporty at lower revs and was very refined by four-cylinder standards. It would fire-up immediately and without complaint when the idle-stop system detected the driver lifting the foot off the brake. On that point, just easing off the brake pedal slightly was enough to kick the engine back into life, in anticipation of getting away fast from a green light. Lift the foot and the engine was up and running within a blink of an eye – and with very little bump and grind.

There was just the barest hint of driveline vibration at highway speeds. Sitting on 100km/h the Fabia impressed with the way it insulated the cabin from wind and road noise, but there was a persistent rattle in the dash to the right of the steering column at other times.

The Baleno's engine was quieter than the Peugeot's at idle and lower operating speeds, becoming strident under load and at higher speeds. But the compensating factor there is the performance from what is the smallest displacement engine of the three.

The Baleno just gets up and goes. It's blessed with so much torque (and/or so little weight) that Suzuki has been able to calibrate the automatic transmission to hold-off kicking down long after the other two cars have dropped back a cog. According to RedBook stats, the power-to-weight ratio of the Baleno is streets ahead of the two European hatches – and that's how it feels on the road, too.

It also sipped fuel sparingly during the testing, despite being the only car to lack an idle-stop function.

Contrary to first impressions, the Suzuki steered and cornered quite well. Steering response was better at touring speeds than around town. Feedback through the wheel felt natural and consistent across a range of speeds. While the Baleno is not in the same league as the other two cars for body control or roadholding, its wet-weather grip was commendable. Best of all, the Baleno's ride was undeniably superior to the Skoda's and the Peugeot's.

The Peugeot's engine feels and sounds like a velvet bag full of marbles. It's sportier in general and the note is calculated that way. By being a three-cylinder, the Peugeot's engine really lets you know when it restarts.

Where the Baleno delivered all-out mid-range torque and the Fabia was running out of puff above 5000rpm, the 208 was easy to drive at low to middling engine speeds, but whipped up to the redline fast enough to satisfy driving enthusiasts.

Notwithstanding its engine noise, the 208 was one step removed from the action. Its ride comfort was significantly more compliant than the Fabia's, but still considerably firmer than the Baleno's.

I found the Peugeot's turn-in was pleasing, but steering feedback was not as much to my liking as I expected. At parking speeds the steering was unnaturally light, and at certain speeds the weight through the wheel varied mid-corner. The steering also engaged in mini corrections on centre in some conditions, making it a chore keeping the 208 tracking straight at times. It's a little while to acclimatise to the Peugeot's steering after the other two.

But as odd as all that sounds, the Peugeot was still a delight to drive. Once there was some lock applied at higher speeds, it was sharp as a tack in its steering. Handling was on par with the Fabia and the 208 cornered in a flatter stance than the Baleno.

Sportier power delivery and its combination of impressive traction and roadholding in the wet were both highlights, although there's no doubt the 208 in this specification is a chassis that could handle significantly more power without coming unhinged. And the 208's brake pedal feel was easily the best among these three.

Trusting to the accuracy of the on-board trip computer in the three cars, we set about running a brief economy run in convoy. The route comprised a 15km loop through inner suburbs and on Melbourne's Eastern Freeway.

Given it wasn't a terribly scientific test, feel free to discount the results. But for those interested, the Suzuki – without idle-stop – returned a figure of 6.9L/100km. The Peugeot finished next at 7.3, and the Skoda was very close behind at 7.4.

The verdict
The Baleno came out of this impressing more than it had initially. It proved itself sufficiently capable dynamically, to keep up with its two rivals in this test and its inherent ride quality will endear it to more buyers than the cornering ability of the Fabia or the 208.

With the Suzuki, there's a roomier interior and more equipment – but most of all it's the exceptional three-cylinder engine that wins the day. It was powerful when it needed to be, but surprisingly frugal the rest of the time.

There are aspects of the Fabia and the 208 that we really like – and conversely elements of the Baleno that were less than enchanting – but as an all-round package, the Suzuki is our choice for the target buyer.

2016 Peugeot 208 GT-Line pricing and specifications:
Price: $27,490 (plus on-road costs)
Engine: 1.2-litre three-cylinder turbo-petrol
Output: 81kW/205Nm
Transmission: Six-speed automatic
Fuel: 4.5L/100km (ADR combined)
CO2: 104g/km (ADR combined)
Safety Rating: Five-star (ANCAP, 2013)

What we liked:
>> Ride/handling balance
>> Quirky engine note
>> Rich feel inside

Not so much:
>> Would be sportier with more performance
>> Driving position not to everyone's taste
>> Steering is quirky

2016 Skoda Fabia 81TSI pricing and specifications:
Price: $20,290 (plus on-road costs)
Engine: 1.2-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol
Output: 81kW/175Nm
Transmission: Seven-speed dual-clutch
Fuel: 4.8L/100km (ADR combined)
CO2: 111g/km (ADR combined)
Safety Rating: Five-star (ANCAP, 2015)

What we liked:
>> Sporty but refined for the money
>> Very practical packaging
>> Competitively priced

Not so much:
>> Ride is very firm in this specification
>> Not as powerful as the Suzuki
>> Not as economical as expected

2016 Suzuki Baleno GLX pricing and specifications:
Price: $22,990 (plus on-road costs)
Engine: 1.0-litre three-cylinder turbo-petrol
Output: 82kW/170Nm
Transmission: Six-speed automatic
Fuel: 5.2L/100km (ADR combined)
CO2: 121g/km (ADR combined)
Safety Rating: TBA

What we liked:
>> Impressive straight-line performance
>> Appropriate level of ride comfort
>> Very spacious inside

Not so much:
>> Seats lack support in the base
>> Uninviting look to instruments
>> Cheap-looking interior