Take a look at the top five hatchbacks that are slated to (or expected to) launch in India before the end of next year
Although SUVs are steadily gaining popularity among Indian car shoppers, hatchbacks still remain the perfect choice for plenty. Hatchbacks are relatively inexpensive, reasonably practical, and easy to handle in traffic. They’re usually very light and thus offer great fuel economy as well. To entice those buyers, automakers plan to introduce some exciting options in the coming times.
Here, we have listed five upcoming hatchbacks that are expected to launch in the Indian market soon.
1. Next-generation Maruti Swift
Maruti Suzuki is planning to introduce the next-gen Swift in India, likely around the middle of next year. The hatchback is already in development, and parent company Suzuki is busy road-testing it for international markets. The upcoming new-generation Maruti Swift will have more muscular styling, along with plenty of new features. It is expected to be powered by a strong hybrid engine, offering brilliant fuel economy.
2. Maruti Baleno 1.0 BoosterJet
The Indo-Japanese carmaker is also expected to add a turbo-petrol engine option to the Baleno hatchback very soon. This will, of course, be the 1.0L BoosterJet motor (99 bhp) that also powers the Fronx. Apart from the engine, Baleno BoosterJet could get cosmetic changes as well, like a sporty body kit, a different front grille, new paint options, etc. The tech and equipment will likely remain unchanged.
3. Hyundai i20 Facelift
South Korean car giant Hyundai recently unveiled the i20 facelift for the European market, and we expect the updated hatchback to make its way to Indian shores soon. The facelifted model will get an updated exterior design, along with new features like ADAS. The engine options – a 1.2-litre NA petrol unit (82 bhp) and a 1.0-litre turbo-petrol unit (118 bhp) – will stay the same, along with the transmission options.
4. Tata Tiago EV Blitz
Tata Motors is busy expanding its EV lineup in the domestic market, and one of the upcoming models is Tiago.ev Blitz. The Blitz Edition, showcased at this year’s Auto Expo, features cosmetic updates over the standard Tiago.ev, like a sporty body kit, motifs on the seat fabric, and piano black alloy wheels. It gets no mechanical changes though; it is powered by a 24 kWh battery, mated to a 74 bhp motor, rated at 315 km of driving range (ARAI claimed).
5. Tata Altroz Racer
One of the most exciting reveals at the 2023 Auto Expo was the performance version of the Altroz hatchback. Dubbed “Altroz Racer”, it was powered by a 1.2-litre turbo-petrol engine (118 bhp), mated to a 5-speed gearbox. It was also showcased with lots of features, like a 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment system, electric sunroof with voice assist, 6 airbags, ventilated seats, etc. We’re not sure which features would make their way to the production version, but we’re waiting with our fingers crossed.