The entry-level segments are still the heart and soul of the Indian car market, and a large number of sales continue to come from this space
While the sub-compact and mid-size SUV segments have taken over the entire market as far as sales are concerned, there’s no denying the fact that entry-level cars have equal importance, if not more, in the market. This is one of the reasons why manufacturers continue to work on introducing new entry-level cars or upgrading their existing models from time to time to stay relevant in the respective segments.
However, not all cars have been upgraded in recent times and some of the more affordable cars seem outdated now. Nonetheless, we have put together a list of the 5 most affordable new cars currently on sale in the Indian market, take a look at the list below –
Datsun redi-GO – Rs 2.89 lakh (ex-showroom) onwards
The Datsun redi-GO is the most affordable relatively new car that you can currently buy in the Indian market as of now since the BS6-compliant version of the entry-level hatchback was launched in the country in May last year. The BS6 update also brought along a mid-life facelift with a new, much sharper and stylish design.
Powering the redi-GO are two three-cylinder NA petrol engines. The 0.8-litre unit puts out 54 PS and 72 Nm, while the 1.0-litre motor generates 68 PS and 91 Nm. On the feature front, the redi-GO gets an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, LED tail lamps, LED DRLs and fog lamps, 14-inch wheels with stylish wheel covers, front power windows, remote keyless entry etc.
Renault Kwid – Rs 3.12 lakh (ex-showroom) onwards
The Renault Kwid is Datsun redi-GO’s cousin and makes use of the same 799 cc and 999 cc three-cylinder NA petrol engines as the Datsun hatch. The crossover-styled entry-level car received a facelift in late 2019, and the car currently comes equipped with features like an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system integrated with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, an LED digital instrument cluster, a reverse parking camera with guidelines, a front USB charger, rear armrest, LED DRLs, LED tail lamps, a floor console-mounted AMT dial etc.
Maruti Suzuki S-Presso – Rs 3.70 lakh (ex-showroom) onwards
The Maruti Suzuki S-Presso is an entry-level hatch that has been designed keeping in mind the ever-growing SUV trend. The high-riding position and the funky styling seem to have worked well for the S-Presso, and the car manages to put decent numbers on the sales charts.
Maruti Suzuki retails the S-Presso at a starting price of Rs 3.70 lakh (ex-showroom), and the car offers a digital instrument cluster, a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, front power windows, keyless entry, steering-mounted audio controls, a 12V socket and USB charger up front, manual AC and so on.
Tata Tiago – Rs 4.85 lakh (ex-showroom) onwards
The Tiago is one of the best-selling Tata cars in the country, and the carmaker continues to update the car in order to keep it that way. That said, the most affordable Tata car currently starts from Rs 4.85 lakh (ex-showroom) onwards, and is offered with a 1.2-litre petrol engine rated at 86 PS/113 Nm.
The features on offer with the hatch include a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, an 8-speaker premium sound system from Harman, automatic climate control, all-four power windows, a digital instrument cluster, 15-inch alloy wheels, front fog lamps, rear defogger with wiper and a cooled glovebox as well.
Maruti Suzuki Ignis – Rs 4.89 lakh (ex-showroom) onwards
The Maruti Suzuki Ignis received a mid-life refresh last year that brought along a range of styling upgrades to make the car look more modern and slightly more butch. The tallboy hatch comes equipped with a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Maruti’s Smartplay 2.0 integration, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, automatic climate control, LED headlamps with DRLs, a multi-info display with TFT screen, push-button start/stop etc, steering mounted audio and Bluetooth controls etc.
On the safety front, the Ignis gets rear parking sensors, dual frontal airbags, ABS with EBD, ISOFIX child seat anchorages, seat-belt pre-tensioners, a high-speed alert system and a reverse parking camera. As of now, Maruti Suzuki retails the Ignis at a starting price of Rs 4.89 lakh (ex-showroom).