The hatchbacks in India can outnumber the population of many countries.
It is no secret that hatchbacks are dearly loved in the country, perhaps because of their small size, ease of manoeuvrability or simply because they provide better mileage.
With almost every automaker offering a hatchback, the race to be the best has many competitors. We took a look at them and have come up with a list of the best hatchbacks to hit the Indian roads in 2015.
Coming up with this list was a difficult task and choosing one of these cars over the other was even more difficult. So for the sake of ranking logic, we chose to list them by their popularity.
Maruti Suzuki Baleno
A few months ago, the name ‘Baleno’ would bring to mind an old sedan that people had lost interest in, but all of this changed when Maruti Suzuki decided to bring the car back in the form of a hot hatchback.
The new Baleno, launched under the Nexa brand, came loaded with technology and managed to look as impressive in real life as it did on paper with offerings like Dual Airbags, ABS and EBD as standard. It managed to get attention from consumers and rivals alike and has been running successfully in the country ever since.
Ford Figo Hatchback
Another surprise this year was the redesigned version of the Ford Figo hatchback. This time, Ford seems to have got it right in almost every way.
The large grille and muscular lines on the Figo look aggressive and make it stand out of the crowd. The car is identical to the Ford Figo Aspire in all but its length; it’s shorter than it’s elder sibling.
As we mentioned in our review of the Ford Figo hatchback, the only thing that you really need to decide when buying this car is if you like the way it looks (which you probably will).
Honda Jazz
It was the second time that Honda placed its bet on the Jazz to establish itself as a serious competitor in the hatchback market and it seems like it paid off.
The new Jazz has sharp curves in all the right places to make it one of the best-looking cars – a considerable upgrade from the old one. Available in both, petrol and diesel engines, with the option of automatic transmission, Honda made sure that the car caters to a wide audience. It’s also priced aggressively – a formula that seems to work well in the Indian market.
Fiat Abarth Punto
When we talk about hot hatchbacks, looks and speed play a crucial role.
The Fiat Abarth Punto seems to tick both boxes and in style at that. Tuned to perform by Abarth, the 145 bhp monster can go from a standstill to 100 km/h in 8.8 seconds, a figure that can put much more expensive sedans to shame.
Being one of the most powerful hatchbacks available in the country, the Abarth Punto just had to be on our list.
Renault Kwid
Yes, we know that the Renault Kwid is an entry level car but based on the way it looks and the popularity it has gained, this one is a hot hatchback nevertheless.
The Kwid offers everything that you would want in a hatchback at a much lower cost. The car promises to give the best mileage figure in the country and looks significantly better than its rivals in the same price range.
Starting at Rs 2.57 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi), the car is a steal.
(At The Quint, we question everything. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member today.)