Ten new hatchbacks to be launched in 2018

Hatchbacks comprise the highest selling segment in India accounting for more than 50 per cent market share. They are the bread and butter for the carmakers and comprises of the major share of car sales volume in the country. No doubt the manufacturers are so keen and attentive about their hatches in India. So if you are planning to buy a hatchback anytime soon, make sure you go through the list of the 10 hatchbacks that we expect will be launched in 2018.

Maruti Suzuki Swift

The wait has been long in the tooth now and it’s high time that Maruti Suzuki brought in the new generation Swift in India. One of Maruti’s highly successful model has been on sale internationally. It’s based on an all-new Heartech platform which also underpins the new Dzire. The Swift adopts a new styling along with the best in class features. We expect the Swift to make an appearance at the Delhi Auto Expo with a prompt launch thereafter.

Hyundai Elite i20 facelift

Hyundai’s second-bestselling model is the Elite i20 which got its last major haul two years back. The 2017 Hyundai Elite i20 was launched in April this year, but the Korean carmaker is already preparing a major uplift for its premium hatchback. The test mules have been spotted already and the major updates are expected in the form of a new face and rear section. The cabin too will get updates in the form of a revised feature list.

Tata X-451

Tata’s new modernisation plan is underway with more premium products in the pipeline. One such product comes in the form of the upcoming premium hatchback, the Project X451. The first car to be built on the Tata’s newly-developed Advanced Modular Platform, the X451 will take on the likes of the Baleno, Jazz and Elite i20. We think the X451 might debut at the Auto Expo at least in the concept guise.

Toyota Yaris

Toyota has been chugging along with the Etios and its hatchback guise, the Liva, in India. The Japanese giant might want to ramp up things a bit next year with the introduction of the Yaris hatch and the Vios sedan. The Yaris has been one of the most successful nameplates for Toyota all these years. Introducing it as a premium offering might help Toyota get back into the league.

Datsun Redigo 1.0-litre AMT

Following suit of its Renault counterpart, the Kwid, the Datsun Redigo will also receive an AMT gearbox for its 1.0-litre engine option. The Redigo has been the workhorse for Datsun in India. With the introduction of the 1.0-litre, the Redigo is expected to get the convenience of an AMT in its powerful engine guise. 

Datsun Go-Cross

Datsun showcased a very futuristic looking concept last Auto Expo dubbed as the Go-Cross. Datsun has set eyes on the lucrative crossover and SUV segment in India. And with the success of the Kwid, the Japanese carmaker might want to grab a piece of the pie with the production-spec Go-Cross. If Datsun actually takes a plunge, we believe that this vehicle will be positioned above the Go Plus and become a flagship offering from the slow-selling carmaker in India.

Renault Kwid facelift

The Kwid has been a runaway success for Renault in India when it was introduced back in September 2015. In these two years, the hatchback received a new engine and an AMT as the only major update. So it’s a high time for the French carmaker to introduce a Kwid facelift as a part of its product life cycle. We can expect the new Kwid to come around sometime next year before it enters into an all-new generation. 

Ford Figo facelift/Figo Cross

The Figo has been around for two years now and the American carmaker is preparing an update for its hatchback already. Alongside the Figo facelift, a test mule of the Figo Cross was also spotted near the carmaker’s Sanand factory. The same facility produces Ford’s all-new naturally-aspirated three-cylinder Dragon petrol engine which debuted in the new EcoSport. So we expect the new Figo will also come powered by the new powerplant when it is revealed sometime next year.

Volkswagen PoloGTI

Volkswagen might only introduce the new gen Polo in 2019 but its high-performance brethren, the GTI, might make its way to India sooner. The sixth-gen Polo was introduced internationally this year and it moves to an all-new platform. For India, the Polo is an important car for VW. However, the GTI will always be a CBU offering for us and hence VW might introduce the hot hatch here next year given the demand it received this year.

Mercedes-Benz A-Class

Mercedes is busy preparing an all-new generation A-Class. Once it goes on sale internationally, the hatchback will promptly make its way to India. The A-Class has been the highest selling car for the Three-Pointed Star. It will adopt the new MFA platform with a new design language and improved engine options. There will be better room than before as the spotted test mule seemed to have grown in dimension.