Top 10 Small Cars In India

Top 10 small cars in India

1 Maruti Suzuki Celario

Rs. 3.76 - 4.79 lac(s)

The Celerio is a B-segment hatchback from Maruti Suzuki launched mainly to replace the A-Star. The Celerio plugs the gap between the Wagon R and the Ritz with a car that provides decent cabin and boot space. Launched at the 2014 Auto Expo, this hatchback armed with AMT transmission is one of the best options for urban commuting.

The Maruti Suzuki Celerio is 3.6-metres long (2.4 metre wheelbase), 1.6-metres wide and 1.5-metres high, making it much larger than the outgoing A-Star. Its silhouette has all the elements of the small Suzuki hatchback language, but the fascia and the design is completely new. The front design is part of Suzuki’s new design language with a curved two stat grille connecting the headlamps. The headlamp console and the front bumper are angular giving it a modern feel.

Both the shoulder-line and waist-line are bold, but they don’t add much value in this small car. The top-end variant gets a nice set of alloy-wheels. The rear is typical Maruti with the tail lamp cluster similar to that of the bigger siblings. There are multiple horizontal lines here that actually make the car look more compact from this angle.

Inside, the top-spec Celerio gets beige and black upholstery, Bluetooth enabled music system and electric OVRMs. On the safety front optional features include ABS and dual front airbags. Two passengers can comfortably sit at the back for a long journey, the third passenger won’t have too many issues during sit rides. The Celerio provides ample leg room and knee room for the rear bench, but it is the width that is the main issue. The boot space of 235 litres is actually more than the space available in the Swift or most other hatchbacks in its segment, also the rear seat can be folded almost doubling the storage space. The Celerio is not a feature-rich car, however, the dealers will offer many company approved accessories.

The Celerio is available in four manual and two AMT variants with both gearboxes mated to a 1.0-litre K10B engine that produces 67bhp and 90Nm torque. The Japanese carmaker is also offering a VXi CNG variant with a manual transmission. The manual is a standard five-speed unit available with all Maruti products in that range. The AMT unit on the other hand is a segment first, offering the interface of an AT gearbox on a manual. The AMT is becoming a hit with the city dwellers delivering decent performance without much compromise on efficiency (ARAI efficiency: 23.1kmpl).

The Maruti Suzuki Celerio competes with the Hyundai i10, Chevrolet Beat, Nissan Micra Active and others in the entry-level B-segment.

2 Maruti Suzuki Stingray

Rs. 4.01 - 4.56 lac(s)

Maruti Suzuki Stingray is a cosmetic update of the Wagon R with aggressive styling and premium features. The new hatchback is positioned above the Wagon R to compete with the Ford Figo, Hyundai i10 and Tata Indica eV2.

The basic design of the Stingray is similar to that of the Wagon R; however there are stark differences between the two models. The front of the new car gets refreshed bumpers with large air damps and new fog lamp housings that give it an aggressive look. Also part of the standard features lists is the sleek headlamp cluster, along with the projector unit (first in segment). The car looks identical to Wagon R from the side, if you ignore the alloy-wheels. The rear of the car gets some chrome treatment coupled with roof-spoiler and clear lens tail lamps.

The Stingray interiors look a little premium when compared to the Wagon R and it boasts of lot more features. The new hatchback gets steering adjustment, rear wiper, integrated music system with AUX/USB and steering-mounted audio controls. The top-end version also gets ABS-EBD and driver air-bag for additional safety.

This B-segment hatchback is powered by 1.0-litre three-cylinder petrol engine from the Wagon R that develops 67bhp and 90Nm of torque. The engine is mated to five-speed manual gearbox powering the front wheels and has an ARAI approved efficiency of 20.51kpl. Although the length of the Stingray is more compared to Wagon R, it is due to the cosmetic upgrade and the cabin space remains the same.

The Stingray is available in three variants – Lxi, VXi and VXi (Opt). The projector unit and front fog lamps are standard on all variants, while premium features like the alloy-wheels, fog lamps, rear wash-wipe and music system are available on the other two variants. The VXi (opt) comes equipped with ABS-EBD and driver-side airbag.

3 Tata Vista Tech

Rs. 4.78 - 5.90 lac(s)

The Tata Indica Vista has been on sale in the Indian market since late 2007 and has been a decent seller for the Mumbai-based automaker and is currently being exported to a variety of markets in and around Europe.

However, with adverse economic climate and age showing in the hatchback, Tata is believed to be working on a replacement for the Indica Vista which is currently called Project Falcon and will see the light of the day sometime in 2015-2016.

As an interim, it is expected to launch a facelifted Indica for 2014 which will give us a preview of what the Falcon will look like when it is unveiled. This strategy is very similar to what Hyundai did with the Verna Transform before launching the Verna fluidic. It is also possible that both cars will exist together but in different price ranges.

The facelifted Tata Indica has the same overall stance and shape as the current car but will get certain new elements in a bid to differentiate it from the current car. These changes are expected to include double barrel headlights and revised bumpers by which we mean more chrome both in the front and back much like how they have with their current revised line-up of vehicles. The most significant change however, is that this car will get a slightly altered roofline which now appears to be lower and gives the impression that the new car has increased in length.

At the back, the facelifted Indica Vista also gets a new design for the tail lamps and is this expected to be a non-Christmas tree design which will be the first for any Indica since the original hatchback was launched in 1998.

The facelifted Tata Indica Vista is expected to retain many of the features and design of the current car but is expected to get many upgrades in terms of features like touchscreen music system, rear AC vents and reverse parking sensors. It is almost certain that the interiors will continue to be in a beige trim with the dashboard and steering wheel in black but we expect the quality of plastics to improve considerably.

The Tata Indica Vista is expected to continue with the 1.2-litre petrol engine that produces 64bhp and 96Nm torque and two diesel engines- a 1.4-litre BS3 compliant that produces 70bhp and 135Nm of torque as well as a 1.3-litre BS4 compliant unit that produces 74bhp and 190Nm of torque. All three engines have been mated to a five-speed manual gearbox. We also expect a facelifted version of the D90 hot hatch whose engine is expected to produce 89bhp and 200Nm of torque.

The facelifted Indica Vista will be priced in the range of Rs4.75 lakh to Rs7 lakh. It will compete with the Hyundai i20, VW Polo TDI, Chevrolet Sail U-VA, Maruti Suzuki Swift, Chevrolet Beat, Fiat Punto, Toyota Etios Liva, Renault Pulse and Nissan Micra.

4 Chevrolet Beat

Rs. 3.97 - 5.94 lac(s)

The Chevrolet Beat facelift is the first major upgrade for the American automaker’s compact offering since it was brought into the market in early 2010. The new car has got mostly cosmetic changes both inside and outside but remains the same mechanically. It is available in 10 variants and with two engine options.

The Chevrolet Beat retains the same overall design as the outgoing model but gets a new front bumper, two piece chrome grille with Chevrolet bow tie logo, roof rails and a roof mounted spoiler. The housing for the fog lamps have also been revised and now get a more triangular design. On the sides the car retains its flared wheels arches and vertically stacked tail lamps.

The Beat now gets a revised dashboard but retains the same console and overall design in terms of buttons and stalks placement. It also gets a host of new storage shelves as well as new option for the upholstery trim.

The Chevrolet Beat is powered by a 1.2-litre petrol/LPG engine that produces 79bhp and 108Nm of torque as well as a 936cc diesel engine that produces 57bhp and 150Nm of torque. Power is transmitted to the front wheels via a five-speed manual.

The Chevrolet Beat is the smallest diesel passenger car in the market today. It competes with the Maruti Suzuki Celerio, Hyundai Grand i10, VW Polo and the Nissan Micra Active.

5 Toyota Etios Cross

Rs. 5.76 - 7.41 lac(s)

Toyota recently launched the Etios Cross for the Brazilian market and it is expected to now make its Indian debut. Much like the Volkswagen Cross Polo and the Ford EcoSport, it will be the Japanese automaker’s entry into the rapidly expanding compact crossover segment. It has been spotted running in and around Pune which means that it is likely to have got its ARAI approval and will go on sale shortly after the Auto Expo.

The Toyota Etios Cross is a beefed up version of the standard car and much like the Cross Polo, it gets a large plastic based body kit. This is further enhanced in terms of overall toughness through the use of taller wheels and contrast coloured roof rails which can hold luggage up to the range of 50kgs-55kgs. The overall design of the car is pretty much the same as the Etios Liva hatchback. Other changes from the standard car include the Etios Cross lettering on the side.

The interiors and the feature list remain the same as the standard car with the exception of some new seat fabrics and trim accents. We expect that Toyota will offer the Etios Cross only in the top spec petrol and diesel variants which means that it will get the same feature list and cabin design including the centrally mounted speedometer and gauges. This is currently the case with the Brazilian spec car so we expect that the Indian one will be no different.

The India spec Etios Cross will get the 1.2-litre petrol unit that produces 79bhp and 104Nm of torque as well as the 1.4-litre diesel unit that does 67bhp and 170Nm of torque. Both engines have been mated to a five-speed manual. There is a possibility of a TRD Sportivo unit that will get the 1.5-petrol engine and the same 1.4-litre diesel unit.

The Toyota Etios Cross will compete with the VW Cross Polo, Ford EcoSport, Renault Duster and the Nissan Terrano of which the latter two will be in the lower spec variants. It is also expected to get competition in the form of the Mahindra S-101 which will see the light of the day sometime this year. It is expected to be priced Rs 20,000 to Rs 30,000 more than the standard car. The model sold in India will be locally produced at Toyota’s factory outside Bengaluru and so will have a large amount of localisation, definitely more than the Cross Polo and so that should give it an advantage.

6 Hyundai Grand i10

Rs. 4.33 - 6.35 lac(s)

Hyundai Grand i10 is the new entry-level diesel model for the Korean manufacturer. The Grand i10 slots-in between the i10 and the i20, offering stylish looks and many segment first features. The new model is developed in India and will soon be exported to European markets. The highlight of the next-generation car is the all-new 1.1-litre diesel engine developing 70bhp and 160Nm.

The all-new Grand i10 follows Hyundai’s fluidic design philosophy. The front of the car is dominated by a standard hexagonal grille and well sculpted headlamps that resemble the design of the i20. The fog lamps are big with bold black surrounds adding more aggression to the fascia. The Hyundai Grand i10 resembles the current i10 from the side, but it is noticeably wider, longer and taller than the current model. This car has side moldings – but these are not standard puny strips, but shapely wide black belts that add character to the car along with roof rails. The rear of the Hyundai Grand i10 looks like a shrunk version of the i20 and the overall design makes it evident that the car will slot in between the current Korean hatchback siblings – the i10 and the i20.

The Grand i10 is lot bigger than the i10 hatchback and hence offers lot more cabin space, along with 258 liters of boot space. In fact Hyundai has really worked on providing comfortable car for India and this version is 100mm bigger (wheelbase) than the car that will be exported to Europe in the coming months. The beige-black interiors make the car roomier and the cabin is long enough for full sized adults in both front and rear seats.

Hyundai is known for offering segment-first features and the Grand i10 is no different. The top-end variants – the Asta, gets climate control, rear parking sensors, steering mounted audio controls, driver seat height-adjustment, tilt-steering and integrated music system that has segment first 1 GB internal memory to store songs. However, the most interesting addition to the Hyundai Grand i10 is the rear AC vents, which is not only a segment first feature but something that is not available even on the bigger i20 hatchback. To summon up the interiors – the Hyundai Grand i10 will seat three people on the rear-bench and still have space in the boot for week’s shopping.

The next generation Grand i10 is powered by a 1.2-litre four-cylinder kappa petrol engine developing 80bhp and 112Nm. The same unit powers the smaller i10 hatchback and it has an ARAI efficiency of 18.9kpl. The diesel engine is all-new with displacement of 1.1-litre via three-cylinders and produce close to 71bhp and 160Nm of torque. Looking at the numbers it feels a bit underpowered but it will have decent performance owing to its light weight and has brilliant ARAI efficiency of 24kpl. The Grand i10 is the third car in the segment after the Chevrolet Beat and the Ford Figoto a have diesel engine option.

The Grand i10 is available in four trims – Era, Magna, Sportz and Asta. With the current pricing the car sits above the Ford Figo and the Chevrolet Beat, but undercuts the segment leader Maruti Swift. We think the features list on the car is brilliant, but Hyundai should have offered at least a few safety features as standard. Both ABS and two airbags are only optional extras that are available on order for extra price with the top-end Asta petrol and diesel variants.

7 Volkswagen Polo

Rs. 4.96 - 8.11 lac(s)

After Volkswagen unveiled the Polo at the Auto Expo in Delhi earlier this year, the Polo has already garnered much attention among car enthusiasts and a lot of people who have been looking at purchasing a hatchback have put their decisions on hold in anticipation of this 'little' VW.

The Polo is certainly a very handsome looking car and unmistakably a VW. Granted, it doesn't have the same design flair and pizzazz as some of the more recent entrants like the Grande Punto or the rather aggressively styled i20. However, in typical German fashion, it is rather mature looking and has just that right balance of sportiness without being overly yuppie in its demeanour.The Polo has a very aggressively chiselled front end, with smart headlamps which really sweep from around the front fenders to merge with the slim grille. The big shiny VW badge sits in the centre of the grille and the two chromed horizontal slats do add a bit of sparkle to the front of the car. Also adding to the sharp looking front is the crisply cut chin and front bumper which houses a pair of neatly styled fog lamps, which are standard on the loaded Highline variant. Interestingly VW decided that the slightly smoked effect headlamps which are available on the Polo worldwide may not go down well with the Indian consumer's psyche and went with a shiny one instead.

The Polo will be available in three trim levels, namely the Trendline, Comfortline and Highline. Common across all the variants is power steering with a tilt and telescopic adjustment, manually adjustable side-view mirrors, HVAC, front power windows (with an Auto down), central locking, body coloured bumpers, tachometer, engine immobilizer, chrome finished door handles on the inside, prismatic rear-view mirror, tinted glasses, height adjustable headrests for the front and rear and a fully folding rear seat (only on the Trendline).

The interior of the Polo is a two-tone affair. You've got the top half of the dashboard in a durable (but hard) black plastic, and the bottom is beige and merges seamlessly with the doorpad design. The beige interior does make the car feel far more airy on the inside than a grey one might, but it is going to need constant attention to keep it looking spotless. The chrome finished door release handle adds a slightly upmarket touch.

The Polo comes with two engine options for now, and both are 75bhp, 3 cylinder, 1.2 litre engines! The petrol is 1198cc with an output of 75bhp @ 5400 rpm and churns out 110Nm of torque @3750 rpm. The diesel is a 1199cc commonrail turbo-diesel which churns out 75bhp @ 4200 rpm and a useful torque figure of 180Nm@ just 2000 rpm. There's also interestingly a 1.6 petrol engine which is listed on the VW website which produces just a shade over 100bhp, but VW state that they won't be launching this anytime soon. That would really make this Polo, truly sporty.

Both the 1.2litre engines are mated to a five-speed manual gearbox, which VW says is the same 'box, but because of the different final drive ratios and the way each of these engines produce their power, the car's really do feel quite different when you drive them. VW says that there's going to be no auto-box for a while at least, so it's just the 5-speed manual for now. Incidentally, this new 1.2 diesel engine that we've got here will debut in Europe later this year.

The Polo is really a brilliantly made quality-hatchback with a legendary badge. It has a lot of things going in its favour. Great build quality, a fantastic 6 years Anti Corrosion Warranty, excellent ride and handling package, brilliant chassis dynamics and a badge which really says that you're a cut above the rest. That said, we feel the pricing is a tad high vis-à-vis the features it packs in. At 4.34 - 5.72 Lakh (ex-showroom Delhi) for the petrol and 5.32 - 6.70 Lakh (ex-showroom Delhi), one really wishes that VW would reconsider their pricing for the diesel, which will no doubt see fair numbers.

8 Honda Brio

Rs. 4.00 - 6.00 lac(s)

The stunning model from Honda is loaded with a 1.2-litre, i-VTEC petrol engine with 4 cylinder 16 valves with Single overhead camshaft (SOHC). The 1198cc engine is capable enough to produce 88 PS of peak power at 6000 rpm (MT). While it churns 109 Nm of peak torque at 4600 rpm. Honda Brio is built on superior engineering that makes it fuel efficient and environment friendly. With the help of this and other engine technologies in place, the car returns a mileage of 19.4 kmpl for the manual transmission gearbox and 16.5kmpl for the automatic transmission one . It has a fuel tank capacity of 35 litres.

Honda Brio fitted with 1.2-litre, 4 cylinder 16 valves, SOHC, i-VTEC petrol engine with 6 speed manual transmission and 5 speed automatic. The top power of Honda Brio is 86.8bhp @ 6000 rpm and it has a peak torque of 109 Nm @ 4500 rpm. The power and torque figures are much impressive as against other hatchback in the segment . The powerful engine houses a SOHC system which avails comfortable breathing of engine leading to better fuel efficiency and more power.

The first thing that strikes us more than anything is the space on the inside. The Brio looks small and compact from the outside but on the inside it comfortably seats 4 full-grown adults. Honda has reduced the exterior space by cutting down on the size of the engine bay and the trunk, which immediately increases the space on the inside. The cabin is a well-balanced combination of comfort and style. The interior plastics are not tacky and spell quality. The next striking feature is the ease of drive. Honda’s 5-speed automatic transmission coupled with the decently powered 1.2-litre engine works well to deliver the right amount of power required to commute through the busy city.

The interiors feel genuine and build quality is great. It seems that Honda has not gone cheap with the plastics or the seat upholstery. The dash is large and visible making it easy to use. The inbuilt USB feature is a nice touch. What they could have added was Bluetooth connectivity for phone connections so that calls can be answered while on the move. Most vehicles have that function now days. The A/C cools well but the noise levels of the fan on settings 3 and 4 were quite high. The cabin is insulated quite well. This allows for conversations in the car to go undisturbed by the exterior chaos. The space is great in the car. Four passengers plus one driver can sit easily and it did not seem cramped at all.

9 Ford Figo

Rs. 3.86 - 6.00 lac(s)

Ford brings its small hatch with new features and design which are usually termed as “Kinetic Design”. This makes the Figo look a very rooted, muscular and appealing. The compact size makes it look contemporary, which further serves the need of traveling in heavy traffic conditions, which is usual with Indian roads. The new version gets a redesigned front fascia which is enhanced with a hexagonal grille and newly designed headlamps which now help increase the visibility with their larger reflective surface.

igo has always been known as a spacious car and now with the facelift, it has been enhanced with better comfort levels. The rear seat of the car along with the front seats is quite spacious with ample legroom and headroom. The 284-litres of boot is decent enough to hold enough of luggage. The car now has a much silent cabin with the new additional damping that it has received. The hatch gets new fabrics which are basically a combination of different fabrics which have been seamed together to make a unique style upholstery. The lumbar support has been improved and the seating like always gives the driver a clear view of the road which adds up to the comfort levels.

All new Figo's petrol version is powered with a 1.2-litre Duratec engine churns out a maximum power of 70.03bhp at 6250 rpm and maximum torque of 102Nm at 4000rpm. The 1.4-litre Duratorq diesel Ford Figo produces a maximum power of 68.05bhp at 4000rpm and peak torque of 160Nm at 2000rpm. The engine is powerful and efficient, but the competitors offer a little more. The diesel engine of the hatch feels much better with a good torque, which can be revved up on demand. Though the figures might show a lesser number in comparison to others in the market, but the engine offers one of the best drivability.

Ford Figo is available in both petrol and diesel guise. While the petrol model gets the 1.2-litre Duratec engine producing 70bhp, the diesel version is powered by a 1.4-litre Duratorq engine that develops 68bhp. Engines are mated to a five-speed manual transmission that transmits power to front wheels of the car.

10 Datsun GO

Rs 3.18 - 3.77 lac(s)

Datsun launched its re-entry with the Go hatch. The hatchback, priced competitively at Rs 3.12 lakhs, is expected to effectively compete with Maruti Suzuki Alto and Hyundai Eon. The vehicle comes in proper dimensions allowing it to fit in the Indian roads without creating any problems for parking or any impromptu U turns.

With its 1.2-litre petrol engine along with DOHC (dual overhead cam shaft) valve configuration and 12-valves and three cylinders the car offers an impressive 1198cc displacement. The Datsun hatch proudly offers a maximum output of 67 bhp and the torque created by this beast is nothing less than 104 Nm.

Keeping the Indian roads in mind, Datsun created an apt vehicle to hit the road. Go has a total length of about 3785mm, an overall width of about 1635mm and a height of about 1485mm. With a wheelbase of about 2450mm, the capacious hatch offers an ample leg space in both the front and rear.