Hatchbacks have always been custom made for developing economies like India and the same has been evident when it comes to the market share distribution as well. Hatchbacks in India sell more than any other segment and automakers aim to bank on the same for the year 2016. Recent trends have shown that compact sized cars like the new SUV crossovers have done extremely well in the Indian market and the same can be expected for the hatchbacks too in the current year. So let us take a look at some of the most eagerly awaited cars of the year 2016.
1. Maruti Baleno BoosterJet Variant
Baleno has proven to be highly successful in the Indian market and Maruti is cashing on the same by introducing the 1-litre petrol Booster Jet variant. The engine can generate 110bhp power along with a 170Nm torque. The vehicle will soon make its way in the Indian market with its global production being in India itself. The new variant will surely enable it to counter Honda Jazz, which has a powerful engine underneath.
2. Tata Zica
A lot of Indian car enthusiasts are excited about Tata Zica as the hatchback is a ‘never before seen product’ from the stables of Tata. The upcoming car promises to offer a lot of segment-first elements including an eight-speaker Harman sound system in addition to various connectivity features like Bluetooth, USB port and AUX. Other crucial elements include alloy wheels, dual front airbags and ABS. The vehicle will come with a Juke-car app as well which is quite handy for users to share and access playlist wirelessly. To add to this, there will also be a navigation app which would be self-explanatory ensuring ease of use. As far as engine is concerned, the car will feature a 1.05 litre motor with 3-cylinder Revotorq technology that can deliver 69bhp power and torque of 140Nm. The petrol trim would be slightly different though with a 1.2 litre Revotron motor generating 83bhp power and 114Nm torque.
3. Honda Brio Facelift
The B-segment hatchback from Honda would be coming out with refreshed design and features for both inside and out. The engine would remain untouched, but there would be some refinements. The diesel variant of the car produces 100PS, but unfortunately, will not be available for the smaller version of the hatch. Honda Brio currently competes with Hyundai Grand i10 and Maruti Swift in the segment.
4. Datsun REDI-GO
Renault Kwid received a fantastic response among the Indian audience which has propelled other automakers to come out with their own version of small hatchback. Dastun is looking to capitalise on the same by introducing REDI-GO that will also fall into the entry level hatch category. The vehicle will use the Renault-Nissan low-cost CMF-A platform which is the same one used by Renault Kwid. However, in terms of aesthetics, Datsun REDI-GO is different from the SUV-inspired Renault Kwid. The engine will also be the same working in Kwid.