Bhai, there are various factors involved in it. Lack of budget may be one, but not the ultimate reason, for not opting for 1.8. Resale is another vital factor, where we all know 1.6 wins over 1.8. I was earnestly thinking of going for 1.8 non grande variant, but switched to 1.6, not because of budget but because of resale factor. 1.8, no doubt, is the best of all variants though in terms of value for money.
PS: I do know in auto tranny cars introduced by IMC, GLI 1.3 auto does enjoy best resale, but seriously speaking, driving such a huge body with a 1299cc engine coupled with auto tranny is an injustice to the car itself