Hatchbacks, Cross Overs & More..

The most beloved segment of all car buyers in India is the Hatchback segment. India is the home of small cars and every home in India which owns a car, owns a Hatchback. According to figures, the hatchbacks comprise of 60% of cars sold in India. Hence, every car maker present in the Indian Market has a presence in this segment.

However, the past decade has seen a lot of changes in this Segment of cars. Upto the millennium era, it was majorly ruled by the A Segment cars which ranged between Rs. 1.8 lacs to Rs. 3.5 lacs. where major share was held by Maruti Suzuki with the likes of 800, Zen and the Wagon R.

As the market opened many new players joined in like Hyundai, Tata Motors, Fiat, Daewoo, Toyota, Nissan, Ford, Honda, Chevrolet, Skoda, and the recent entrants like Datsun.
The hatchback market not only saw new players coming but also emergence of various sub segments at various price points which ranged from Rs. 1 lac, the Tata Nano to the Rs. 25 Lac plus, Mercedes A class.

Today Hatchbacks have become just a form of design than being a term to explain economical cars. Hatchbacks today offer all the goodies that are seen on Sedans in the Rs. 10 lac plus bracket. This is majorly because the infrastructure in India is still conducive to low cost of ownership, low maintenance and ease of maneuverability. These are prime consideration factors in choosing a hatchback rather than merely a small engine.

The i20 Elite is the King of the segment in terms of interior space and on board features and gadgetry. While the VW Polo GT TSI and the Punto T Jet are hot hatches targeted at young buyers who are ready to pay the extra premium for performance. Another segment coming up these days is that of the Cross overs. The Polo Cross, Etios Cross, Aventurra and the latest i20 Active have given a new image to hatchbacks that offer bigger tyres, greater ground clearance, and better handling for tough roads.

Another segment that got added due to Government regulations was that of the Compact Sedans which was pioneered by Tata Motors with the Indigo CS. This concept was later adopted by Mahindra with the Verito Vibe, Hyundai Xcent, Maruti D Zire and the Honda Amaze. A compact sedan essentially meant a boot fitted on to a hatchback, yet maintaining the overall length to Sub 4 Meters to avail the excise benefit.

Automakers are well aware of the fact that to eat a larger piece of the pie named Market Share, constant innovation is needed to break the barriers and look at things with a different perspective. The success of i20 Elite, Etios Cross and the Polo GT TSI reaffirms the fact that there are buyers for all kinds of hatchbacks in India and that pricing is not a limiter in purchase decisions.

Young Indian doesn’t want to compromise on build quality; features, safety, looks, ride quality and drivability in their cars yet want enough practicality for it to be of everyday use, and a hatchback just fits in right. We shall wait to see what more unfolds in this segment.