The Top 10 Small Cars in India

Tata Indica

Tata entered the car market in 1998 with the launch of the Indica. Earlier this model had some flaws and was notorious for breaking down, until Tata launched an improved version in the form of Indica V2. Now it comes with a newer face and slightly updated interiors as the Indica Xeta. A 5-speed manual transmission is standard. The Tata Indica plays host to a 1.4L diesel engine that gives 53 bhp and this engines Turbo version churns out 67 bhp. The 1.2L Xeta petrol engine generates 64 bhp. Tata Indica provides a great mileage compared to other cars of the same segment. The estimated fuel economy average is 13 km/l in the city and 17 km/l on the highway. The starting price tag is Rs 2.56 Lakh (ex-showroom Delhi).

Maruti Suzuki Alto

Hyundai Santro Xing

Hyundai Motors India Limited launched its hatch ‘Santro’ in 1999. Along with the Maruti Alto and WagonR, Hyundai Santro is India’s most popular ‘B’ segment car. The Santro was revamped in 2003 and was renamed ‘Santro Xing’. Xing comes with a 1.1L Inline-4 engine that provides 62 bhp and has an estimated fuel efficiency of 9 km/l in the city and 11 km/l on the highway. CNG variants are also available in appropriate cities. Santro Xing comes with a 5-speed manual or a 4-speed automatic transmission. A three-spoke power steering wheel with central locking and front power windows was the selling point when Santro was first launched. The starting price tag is Rs 2.7 Lakh (ex-showroom Delhi).

Chevrolet Spark

GM launched Chevrolet Spark in India as a come-back vehicle to the long forgotten Matiz. Chevrolet Spark is produced at GM's Halol factory near Baroda. The first striking feature in the Spark is its unconventional interior layout with a gracefully designed, clear, and easy-to-read instrument panel placed in the center of the dashboard. Flexible seating options with spacious head and leg room make the drive comfortable. The Spark comes with a 1.0L Inline-4 petrol engine that generates 63 bhp and is coupled to a 5-speed manual transmission. The estimated fuel economy is 12/17 km/l (city/highway). The Spark is easily the cutest looking small hatch today, but the recently launched i10 is definitely a competitor for this position now. The starting price tag is close to Rs 3.1 Lakh (ex-showroom Delhi).

Maruti Suzuki WagonR

Launched in the year 2000, the Maruti WagonR met with a lukewarm response from the market and the initial sales were sluggish at best largely because the Hyundai Santro was launched much before and was still in the spot light. However, in recent times, WagonR has picked up its popularity and become a fast moving car in the small car segment. It is available in petrol and LPG versions with a 1.1L Inline-4 engine that produces 64 bhp (petrol) and 57.5 bhp (LPG). A 5-speed manual and a 3-speed automatic are available as transmission options. Interiors are at its best with a three spoke steering wheel, an auto lock system, enhanced front power windows, and rear door pockets. The car gives fuel economy of 13.1 km/l in LPG variant, 17 km/l in petrol variant with manual transmission and 13.7 km/l in petrol variant with automatic transmission. The starting price tag is Rs 3.28 Lakh (ex-showroom Delhi).

Hyundai i10

The Korean auto major launched the Hyundai i10 at the end of 2007 to bridge the gap between the Getz Prime and the Santro Xing. Compact cars being India's favourite, Hyundai has chosen the right place to launch the model. The wheels pushed out to the corners to maximize interior space. i10 is available in two major choices: iRDE and Kappa. The basic variant level includes air-conditioning, electric front windows, central locking, tinted glass, body-coloured bumpers, and an integrated six-speaker CD/MP3 stereo. Sunroof, auto dimming interior lights, and a rear-window wiper are optional features available in the car. Doors are large with body-coloured door handles and power door locks. It has total five doors including a large hatchback door in the back. The 5-speed manual transmission is standard with a choice of two engines: 1.1L iRDE I4 and 1.2L I4. i10. The car gives an impressive fuel economy of 12/15 km/L (city/highway). The price starts with Rs 3.39 Lakh (ex-showroom Delhi).

Skoda Fabia

The Czech car manufacturer, Skoda Auto of the Volkswagen Group has introduced its second generation Skoda Fabia in India as a 2008 model. Fabia comes in both diesel and petrol variants with 4 options: Classic, Ambiente, Elegance and Active. Fabia offers a choice of one diesel and 2 petrol engines. A splendid 70bhp 1.4-litre PD TDI Inline-3 diesel engine, an 86bhp 1.4-litre MPI Inline-4 and a 70bhp 1.2 MPI I4 petrol engine are available across all four variants. The engine is mated to a 5-speed manual transmission. The Skoda Fabia stands apart for its plush interiors include convenient height-adjustable driver and co-passenger seats, easy-to-read instrumentation with multi-information display system, power windows, optional parktronic rear parking display, optional electric sunroof and lots more. Standard features in the Fabia are fog lamps, rear defogger, power steering wheel, and single CD/MP3 audio player with 4 speakers. The starting price tag is Rs. 5.38 Lakh (ex-showroom Delhi).

Hyundai Getz Prime

Hyundai Motors India Ltd (HMIL), the third largest car manufacturer in the country and the largest exporter of cars from India, launched the new and improved hatchback called Getz Prime to replace its not-so-hot Getz model to compete with the Maruti Swift and Chevrolet Aveo U-VA. Engine options of the Prime include a 1.3L petrol engine that produces 82 bhp, a 1.1L petrol engine that churns out 66 bhp, and a 1.5L diesel engine that generates 108 bhp. The Prime comes with a 5-speed manual transmission and an estimated fuel efficiency of 12/15 km/l (city/highway). It is one of the most spacious cars in its segment. A tilt steering ensures easy maneuvering. The starting price tag is Rs 3.95 Lakh (ex-showroom Delhi).

Maruti Suzuki Swift

Maini REVAi

Reva, the India’s first electric car is a 2-door fully automatic hatchback that is fun to drive and easy to maneuver. Reva is available in 3 variants: Standard, AC, and Classe. The REVAi runs on batteries that deliver 18bhp peak power with 52 Nm torque and is equipped with an on-board charger that can be plugged into a 15-amp socket. It has a completely automatic transmission involving no clutch or gears. The car delivers an estimated 80kms on full charge. The comfort and convenience on the new REVAi include an on-board mobile phone charger and foldable rear seats for extra luggage space. The Maini REVAi Seats are in dual-tone and the driving position is elevated. Climate controlled seats are optional. The starting price is close to Rs. 3 Lakh (ex-showroom Delhi).

 

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