5 popular hatchbacks featured on CarWale in 2018

When we accounted the yearly sales figures of 2017 in January (you can read about it over here), we found the hatchbacks are an unprecedented choice for car buyers in the country. The hatchbacks are the dominating body style that totalled to 53 per cent of car sales in India last year. They are small, convenient, easy to park, low on maintenance, and consume less fuel – all of which is an ideal characteristic for our congested roads and lack of parking spaces. With the calendar year coming to an end, we take a look back at all the hatchbacks that garnered interest on CarWale.com. With a million readers on our website, we evaluated the most popular hatchbacks in 2018, here they are:

Maruti Suzuki Swift:

The third-gen Maruti Suzuki Swift was launched at the 2018 Auto Expo, and as expected, it took the market by storm. The Swift moved to the new Heartect platform which means it is now lighter, more spacious and yet as peppy as before. It also comes with AMT transmission across both petrol and diesel engine options. Last month, the Swift also achieved a milestone of selling 20 lakh units since its introduction in India back in 2005. That’s commendable, to say the least. 

Maruti Suzuki Baleno:

The Baleno has been an undisputed champion in the B+ segment without breaking a sweat for almost three years now. It sells more than 17,000 units each month and that too without receiving any updates since its introduction. The Baleno has become a top-choice of car buyers who are in the market for a spacious, feature loaded and good looking hatchback with that peace of mind ownership that comes with Maruti Suzuki badge. However, we expect to see a refreshed Baleno sometime next year. 

Tata Tiago:

Coming in third in the list of most popular hatchbacks on CarWale is Tata Motor’s runaway success – the Tiago. Undercutting its rivals in terms of price, the Tiago is big on features and scores additional brownie points for its decent road manners. Its petite dimensions are a boon for city commutes and it performs well on highway stints as well. It’s been around for a couple of years now, but Tata has kept refreshing it with updates such as the addition of AMT and now a new top-spec XZ+ variant. Not to forget the rugged Tiago NRG and potent Tiago JTP versions.

Hyundai Elite i20:

No list on the Indian car scenes could be complete without the mention of a Hyundai. It’s the Elite i20 this time which grabbed the most attention amongst the Indian car buyers on CarWale from the Korean carmaker’s stable. The facelift launched at the Auto Expo stage got additional features apart from a refreshing exterior design. It is still a handsome car with a very clever package. But then again, it is in a need of generation change which is expected to come around in a few years’ time.

Renault Kwid:

The Kwid came as a champion for Renault in India, locking horns with the undisputed market leaders like Maruti Alto. But it came on top with its rugged SUV-like styling and a very spacious cabin at that price point. It shook up the market a bit with the introduction of a touchscreen in its segment. Now it is available in two engine options with AMT and manual transmission. As Renault's success story in India, the Kwid is likely to spawn two more vehicles for the French carmaker in the country.

Also read - 

Top five popular sedans in 2018

Top 5 popular SUVs on CarWale in 2018