While SUVs are some of the best-selling vehicles in the country today, hatchback cars still dominate the Indian automobile market. Their small footprint, fuel efficient powertrains, and aggressive pricing makes hatchbacks a great choice for first-time car buyers.
2022 saw a number of new hatchbacks being launched across different segments. Today we take a look at the ‘Top 5 Hatchback Cars Launched in India in 2022’.
Maruti Alto K10
In its over two-decade lifespan in the Indian automotive industry, the Maruti Suzuki Alto has become the most successful car in the country, selling over 4.3 million units. It was the highest-selling car in India as recently as October 2022 with over 21,000 units sold.
Maruti recently launched the New Alto K10 this year, with prices ranging from Rs 3.99 lakh to Rs 5.95 lakh (ex-showroom). The cheerful design, peppy powertrain, spacious interior, and attractive pricing make it a great choice for a first time car buyer.
The Alto K10 is also well specced given its price. You get a Smartplay touchscreen infotainment system, digital instrument cluster, keyless entry, steering mounted controls, a 4-speaker audio setup, and more.
Maruti Baleno
The New Maruti Suzuki Baleno is the highest-selling hatchback in India. In November 2022, the automaker sold 20,945 units of the Baleno, seeing an almost 111 percent growth year on year. It has become one of the go-to choices in the premium hatchback segment due to its eye-catching design, spacious interior, and efficient powertrain.
The automaker updated the hatchback for 2022, by providing it with a redesigned exterior featuring a new front grille, new projector headlights with DRLs, a sculpted front bumper, dual-tone alloy wheels, and new set of LED tail lights.
The interior of the new Baleno has been updated as well. The dashboard has been redesigned with a blue and black theme. New features include a 9-inch Smartplay Pro+ touchscreen infotainment system, an audio setup from Arkamys, a 360-degree camera, flat-bottomed steering wheel, HUD, auto climate control, and more.
Prices for the Maruti Baleno Facelift start from Rs 6.49 lakh for the entry-level Sigma variant, going up to Rs 9.71 for the flagship Alpha AMT trim.
Toyota Glanza
The Toyota Glanza is the sibling of Maruti Suzuki Baleno. Both look very similar, but the brand has given the hatchback a few visual differences like a different front grille that follows Toyota’s design language and a different front bumper. The only other exterior change are the diamond-cut alloy wheels.
Moving to the interior, the Glanza comes equipped to the brim with features like a 9-inch touchscreen infotainment system with integrated Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, auto climate control, audio system from Arkamys, HUD, and more.
Prices for the Toyota Glanza range between Rs 6.59 lakh to Rs 9.99 lakh (ex-showroom).
Citroen C3
The Citroen C3 is one of the latest entries in the hatchback segment. Being French, the C3 looks quite different from its rivals, and has its own quirky touches.
Design wise, it looks like a cross between a hatchback and an SUV. The front-end gets a slim twin-slat chrome grille that splits off into the LED DRLs while the headlights sit right below it. The bumper gets a large air dam and a faux skid plate finished in silver. The side profile offers sharp creases and flared wheel arches while the rear end sees the boot lid having cut outs for the taillights.
On the inside, the Citroen C3 provides a gray dashboard which can be finished in orange as an option. Feature-wise it gets a 10-inch infotainment system with wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, a digital instrument cluster, steering mounted controls, and more.
Prices for Citroen C3 start from Rs 5.88 and go all the way up to Rs 8.15 lakh (ex-showroom). The automaker is expected to showcase an EV version of the hatchback at the 2023 Delhi Auto Expo.
Tata Tiago .EV
The latest offering from Tata Motors, the Tiago .EV is the first sub-Rs 10 lakh pure electric hatchback in the Indian market. With the new model, the brand is looking to succeed in another class after dominating the electric sedan and SUV segments with the Tigor EV and Nexon EV.
Differences between the New Tiago .EV and the ICE-variant are minimal. There is new .EV badging all round while the front grille has been closed off. A thin blue stripe runs below the grille and around the fog lamps.
The interior of Tata Tiago .EV gets a two tone black and white theme alongside white leatherette upholstery with blue stitching. Equipment list here includes a touchscreen infotainment system with connected car features, a digital instrument cluster, climate control, an eight-speaker setup from Harman, flat bottomed steering wheel, and more.
Prices for the Tata Tiago .EV start from Rs 8.49 lakh, going up to Rs 11.79 lakh (ex-showroom).
