Best hatchback cars in India, 2021

The smaller the car, the easier it is to drive. That's one of the reasons why you find so many hatchback cars on the road. They are ideal for beginner drivers or for someone who is buying their first car. Nowadays, hatchbacks come with bells and whistles like any bigger car, such as sedans and SUVs (Sports Utility Vehicles). Hence, it has become a sensible option, especially for people residing in urban areas due to the vehicle's compact dimensions. This article brings you the list of the best hatchback cars in India.

List of top 15 hatchback cars in India

Here’s the list of top 15 hatchback cars in India based on the price, engine options, features and fuel efficiency.

Advantages of hatchback cars

Before going into details of the best hatchback cars in India, let’s look at some of the advantages of hatchbacks.

• Easy to drive: Hatchbacks are compact in dimensions, making them an easy-to-drive vehicle. Manoeuvring the car in traffic is a lot easier, and the simple vehicle controls also make for an enjoyable driving experience.

• Compact design: Hatchbacks are convenient to drive in narrow spaces where a sedan or SUV may be challenging to drive. Especially on crowded city roads, hatchbacks are a lot easier to manage.

• Affordable: Hatchbacks are affordable than sedans and SUVs. There are several options in the hatchback segment under different price brackets. From the entry-level model to the premium hatchback, you can pick the best car that suits your budget.

Now, let’s dive into the details of some of the best hatchback cars available in India.

Note: The cars are not ranked as per the numbering.

1. Maruti Alto

Price: Rs. 3.15 lakhs to Rs. 4.82 lakhs

Key specifications

Reasons to buy Maruti Alto

• The Alto is an affordable entry-level hatchback.

• It is an easy-to-drive car for beginner drivers and an ideal option for budget-friendly buyers.

• It gets all the essential safety equipment such as dual airbags, ABS, EBD, etc.

• The hatchback is available in petrol and CNG fuel options.

• It is an easy-to-maintain vehicle with low maintenance cost.

2. Maruti Wagon R

Price: Rs. 4.93 lakhs to Rs. 6.45 lakhs

Key specifications

Reasons to buy Maruti Wagon R

• The Wagon R is a tall boy hatchback with a spacious interior.

• The hatchback offers good headroom, especially for rear passengers.

• The Wagon also sports best-in-class boot space.

• It comes with features such as a Smartplay touchscreen infotainment system.

• The safety features include dual airbags, rear parking sensors, ABS, EBD, etc.

• The hatchback gets powerful petrol engines with manual and AMT gearbox choices.

3. Maruti Celerio

Price: Rs. 4.99 lakhs to Rs. 6.94 lakhs

Key specifications

Reasons to buy Maruti Celerio

• The new Celerio comes with an updated exterior design and gets black alloy wheels.

• The interior is spacious and loaded with features such as a Smartplay infotainment system, engine start/stop button, etc.

• The hatchback is equipped with safety equipment such as dual front airbags, rear parking sensors, front disc brakes, hill-hold assist, etc.

• The Celerio is available with a reliable petrol engine mated to a manual or AMT gearbox.

4. Renault Kwid

Price: Rs. 4.11 lakhs to Rs. 5.59 lakhs

Key specifications

Reasons to buy Renault Kwid

• The Kwid is a crossover hatchback with an SUV-like exterior design.

• Due to the SUV-like stance, the interior is spacious.

• Despite being an entry-level offering, it gets features such as a touchscreen display for infotainment system, a digital instrument cluster, etc.

• The Kwid comes with dual front airbags, ABS, EBD, reverse parking sensors, etc.

• The hatchback is available with a petrol engine mated to a manual or AMT transmission.

5. Hyundai Santro

Price: Rs. 4.76 lakhs to Rs. 6.44 lakhs

Key specifications

Reasons to buy Hyundai Santro

• The Hyundai Santro is a compact hatchback with a modern design language.

• It features Hyundai’s signature cascading grille that enhances the looks of the hatchback.

• It gets a modern dual-tone interior with silver accents.

• The hatchback features rear AC vents, touchscreen infotainment system, etc.

• The safety features of the Santro includes dual-front airbags, ABS, EBD, rear parking camera, rear parking sensors, etc.

• It is available in petrol and CNG fuel options.

6. Tata Tiago

Price: Rs. 4.99 lakhs to Rs. 7.04 lakhs

Key specifications

Reasons to buy Tata Tiago

• The Tiago is an elegant hatchback with tri-arrow design elements at the front.

• The hatchback comes with a contrast black roof and sporty alloy wheels.

• It sports a spacious interior with premium features such as a touchscreen infotainment system, automatic AC control, etc.

• The Tiago is one of the safest hatchbacks with dual airbags, rear parking camera, ABS, EBD, etc.

• The hatchback is available with a powerful petrol engine.

7. Maruti Swift

Price: Rs. 5.85 lakhs to Rs. 8.53 lakhs

Key specifications

Reasons to buy Maruti Swift

• The Swift is a sporty compact hatchback that is popular in India.

• The chrome accent on the front grille, alloy wheels and blacked-out roof are the highlights of the hatchback.

• The interior is elegant and features a sporty flat-bottom steering wheel.

• Other features include cruise control, touchscreen display for the infotainment system, sporty front seats, etc.

• Maruti Suzuki offers safety features such as dual front airbags, ESP, hill-hold assist, reverse parking camera, etc.

• It comes with a powerful petrol engine that delivers a peppy performance.

8. Maruti Ignis

Price: Rs. 5.10 lakhs to Rs. 7.47 lakhs

Key specifications

Reasons to buy Maruti Ignis

• The Maruti Ignis is a crossover hatchback with a rugged exterior design and SUV-like stance.

• It sports design elements such as roof rails, body cladding and faux skid plates.

• It features a dual-tone theme for the interior.

• It comes with premium features such as a touchscreen display for the infotainment system, automatic climate control, MID, etc.

• Coming to safety features, it gets dual front airbags, ABS, EBD, ISOFIX child seat mounts, etc.

• It is available with a petrol engine mated to a manual or AMT gearbox.

9. Hyundai Grand i10 Nios

Price: Rs. 5.28 lakhs to Rs. 8.50 lakhs

Key specifications

Reasons to buy Hyundai Grand i10 Nios

• The Grand i10 Nios is an elegant hatchback with a premium exterior design.

• It features LED DRLs, alloy wheels and dual-tone colour options.

• It sports a stylish dual-tone dashboard and spacious seats for rear passengers.

• The hatchback comes with features such as automatic climate control, cooled glovebox, touchscreen information display, etc.

• In the safety department, it gets dual front airbags, rear parking sensors, rear parking camera, ABS, EBD, etc.

• It is available in petrol, diesel and CNG fuel options.

10. Tata Altroz

Price: Rs. 5.84 lakhs to Rs. 9.59 lakhs

Key specifications

Reasons to buy Tata Altroz

• Tata Altroz is a premium hatchback that sports the new Impact 2.0 design language.

• The exterior of the car features dual-tone alloy wheels, projector headlamps, rear spoiler, etc.

• It gets a neatly laid out dashboard with a floating display for the infotainment system.

• It is one of India’s safest hatchbacks, with a 5-star Global NCAP safety rating.

• The safety features include dual front airbags, corner stability control, ISOFIX child seat mounts, rear parking camera, etc.

• The Altroz is available with powerful petrol and diesel engine options.

11. Hyundai i20

Price: Rs. 6.91 lakhs to Rs. 11.40 lakhs

Key specifications

Reasons to buy Hyundai i20

• The new i20 premium hatchback features an all-new design language.

• It sports premium design elements such as a cascading grille, chrome accents, LED DRLs and alloy wheels.

• The interior is spacious with superior legroom for rear passengers.

• The premium features of the hatchback include ambient lighting, a large touchscreen infotainment system, sporty meta pedals, etc.

• The i20 also gets an electric sunroof and connected car technology.

• The hatchback is available with a potent turbocharged petrol engine.

12. Maruti Baleno

Price: Rs. 5.99 lakhs to Rs. 9.45 lakhs

Key specifications

Reasons to buy Maruti Baleno

• The Baleno is a premium hatchback from the stable of Maruti Suzuki.

• The exterior of the car sports features such as LED projector headlamps, alloy wheels and chrome accents on the front grille.

• The interior offers best-in-class space.

• The prominent highlight of the Baleno is the mild-hybrid technology for improved fuel efficiency.

• The car's safety equipment includes dual front airbags, ISOFIX child seat mounts, ABS, EBD, etc.

13. Volkswagen Polo

Price: Rs. 6.27 lakhs to Rs. 9.99 lakhs

Key specifications

Reasons to buy Volkswagen Polo

• The Polo hatchback features classic Volkswagen design language.

• It gets a simple yet elegant dashboard and a spacious interior.

• Other car features include cruise control, rear AC vent, a touchscreen infotainment system, automatic AC control, Blaupunkt audio system, etc.

• The Polo gets dual front airbags as standard.

• The Polo comes with an efficient petrol engine.

14. Honda Jazz

Price: Rs. 7.65 lakhs to Rs. 9.89 lakhs

Key specifications

Reasons to buy Honda Jazz

• Honda Jazz is a premium hatchback with excellent build quality.

• The car's exterior features a gloss black grille with chrome accents and LED headlamps with LED DRLs.

• The interior offers ample space for rear passengers.

• The hatchback also gets an electric sunroof, which only a few cars offer in the segment.

• Other features of the Jazz include cruise control, paddle shifters, auto AC control, etc.

• The Jazz comes with dual front airbags, a rear parking camera, a rear parking sensor, ABS and EBD on the safety front.

15. Ford Freestyle

Price: Rs. 7.28 lakhs to Rs. 9.03 lakhs

Key specifications

Reasons to buy Ford Freestyle

• The Ford Freestyle is a crossover hatchback with a rugged exterior design.

• The exterior features roof rails, body cladding and faux skid plates.

• It features a high ground clearance, and suspension is suitable for bumpy and smooth roads.

• It features an elegant interior design with a touchscreen infotainment system taking centre stage.

• Other features include engine start/stop button, automatic AC control, front power windows, etc.

• The Freestyle comes with safety equipment such as ABS, EBD, dual front airbags, side and curtain airbags, rear parking camera, etc.

• The hatchback is available with petrol and diesel engine options.

Note: Fuel efficiency figures are as of ARAI (Automotive Research Association of India) rating. All prices are ex-showroom Delhi.

List of top automatic hatchback cars in India

Below is the list of best automatic hatchbacks available in India.

• Maruti Swift

• Hyundai i20

• Volkswagen Polo

• Maruti Baleno

• Hyundai Santro

• Renault Kwid

• Maruti Wagon R

• Hyundai Grand i10 Nios

• Maruti Celerio

• Maruti Ignis

• Honda Jazz

List of the best mileage hatchback cars in India

Below are the hatchbacks that deliver best mileage.

• Maruti Wagon R

• Maruti Alto

• Hyundai Santro

• Maruti Celerio

• Hyundai Grand i10 Nios

• Tata Altroz

• Hyundai i20

• Maruti Baleno

• Maruti Swift

• Tata Tiago

• Ford Freestyle

List of upcoming hatchback cars in India, 2021-2022

Here’s the list of upcoming hatchbacks in India.

• 2022 Maruti Alto

• 2022 Maruti Baleno

• 2022 Volkswagen Polo

• 2022 Skoda Fabia

• Renault Zoe

• Nissan Leaf

• MG 3

• Citroen C3

Also read: Hatchback vs sedan - What are the differences?

Frequently asked questions

Below are some of the most commonly asked questions and their answers related to hatchback cars in India.

Which hatchback cars are best suited for long drives?

Hatchback models such as Volkswagen Polo, Maruti Baleno, Hyundai i20, Honda Jazz, Tata Altroz and Maruti Swift are suitable for long drives.

Which are some of the best diesel hatchback cars in India?

Hyundai Grand i10 Nios, Hyundai i20, Tata Altroz and Ford Freestyle are some of India's best diesel hatchback cars.

Which hatchback cars offer the most comfortable driving experience?

Premium hatchbacks such as Maruti Baleno, Hyundai i20, Tata Altroz, Honda Jazz, Volkswagen Polo and Ford Freestyle offer a comfortable driving experience on Indian roads.

Disclaimer: The above content is for informational purposes only. It is recommended to take the help of an expert before making a decision. ACKO Drive is not responsible for any action taken based on the information mentioned here.

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