Five new hatchbacks in the next 5 months

Hatchbacks are the hottest selling cars in India, and there are five more of that will be available in the next five months, mostly in the premium hatchback space in both petrol and diesel variants and also including an electric car!

CarToq lists the five hatches to watch out for in the next five months.

Chevrolet Sail

September 2012 launch

The Chevrolet Sail is an interesting premium hatchback to watch out for. It will be replacing the Chevrolet U-Va and is expected to be better equipped and have more space than the Chevrolet U-Va. The Sail U-Va will get two engine choices – a 1.2 litre petrol engine that already powers the Chevrolet Beat and a 1.3 litre diesel engine which is another derivative of the Fiat multijet diesel that powers many cars in this segment from the Maruti Swift to the Tata Vista and Fiat Punto.

Why wait for it?

The Chevrolet Sail is expected to have more space to offer than the current U-Va. It will be among the most spacious premium hatchbacks in line with the Toyota Liva, Hyundai i20 and Ford Figo. Also, it is expected to come with General Motors’ three year maintenance package, where a buyer does not have to spend anything on maintenance on the car for three years. The Sail U-Va is expected to be priced between Rs. 4.5 lakh and Rs. 6.5 lakh.

Also read: Chevrolet twins seen testing

Mahindra Reva NXR

September 2012 launch

The Mahindra Reva NXR is the odd one out in this list. While all the others are petrol or diesel powered hatchbacks, the NXR is the only electric car in the list. The Reva NXR is a huge improvement over the Reva-i, its predecessor. It is the size of a normal hatchback and can seat four adults in decent comfort. Our sources tell us that Mahindra will be directly pitching the NXR against the Hyundai i10 and Maruti Wagon-R as a city runabout. The Reva NXR has a range of about 120 km on a lithium ion battery (it’s been tested till 160 km) and can do about 60 km on a one-hour “quick charge”, making it a good city car, with a top-speed of about 85 kmph.

Why wait for it?

If you want to do your bit for the environment, this is the car to opt for. Also it costs about 1/10^th that of a petrol car to run, which will help you save massively on fuel bills. If you live in a congested city like Bangalore, where distances are short, but there’s plenty of traffic, the Reva NXR will be the ideal car to commute to work and back. It also has a cool factor about it, as it comes with a mobile app that helps you keep track of the car’s parameters and also control them. It is expected to be priced between Rs. 4.5 lakh and Rs. 5 lakh when it is launched this festive season.

Also see: Exclusive photos and details of Reva NXR

Maruti Alto 800

October 2012 launch

The Maruti Alto 800 is one car that many entry-level hatchback buyers are waiting for. It will be positioned below the Alto K10, and has been developed from the current Alto 800 and a replacement of the Maruti 800. This car will have a lot more space than the Alto and the 800, and will be an ideal entry-level car. It is likely to be powered by the same 800 cc engine used in the present Maruti Alto and sport fuel consumption of about 19-20 kmpl. The car will compete with the Tata Nano and the Hyundai Eon.

Why wait for it?

The Maruti Alto 800 is one car that will sell well from the moment it is launched. Being an entry-level car, it has only the Nano and Eon to compete with. Given its high level of localization and extensive reach of the service network, buyers are likely to see plenty of benefits in the new Maruti Alto 800. It will also address concerns of interior space, which was one of the drawbacks that the 800 and present Alto have. The new Alto 800 is likely to get a starting price of about Rs. 2.5 lakh.

Also read: Spy shots of the new Maruti Alto 800

2012 Maruti Ritz

October 2012 launch

The new 2012 Maruti Ritz will be a fresher, younger version of the present Ritz. There’s not much to expect in terms of changes to the car, except small tweaks to the exteriors. It gets a new front grille and bumper. The rear too may have a new bumper design. One big change is that the new Ritz will get the updated 1.2 K-Series VVT petrol engine from the new Swift, while the 1.3 DDIS diesel engine will continue to be on offer. Maruti may consider adding one more variant to the lineup – a top-end diesel Ritz.

Why wait for it?

The Ritz is a popular and value-for-money hatchback. It’s based on the Swift platform, and offers plenty of interior space. It is compact and has good road visibility. If you are looking to buy a premium tall-boy hatchback, the Ritz is one of the best you can get. And then there are the benefits of Maruti’s extensive service network as well. The new Ritz with the facelift isn’t likely to see much of a price difference compared to the present Ritz. Expect prices to start from just about Rs. 4 lakh to Rs. 5.5 lakh.

Also read: Maruti Suzuki Ritz face lift: Official Images

New Ford Figo

October 2012 launch

The Ford Figo is another car that will get a makeover this festive season. Like the Maruti Ritz, the Figo too won’t have any major mechanical changes. The changes to the new Figo are likely to be to the headlamps, grille, fog lamps and bumper in the front and at the rear the design of the tail-lamps have changed slightly. The car may also come with steering-mounted audio controls. We are not sure if the suspension on the upcoming Figo has been sorted out to address ground clearance concerns. The Figo will come with the existing choice of a 1.2 litre petrol engine and a 1.4 litre diesel engine, with the diesel being the preferred option.

Why wait for it?

The Ford Figo is one of the best-handling cars in its segment. It is spacious and comfortable and is a nice car to drive, as the steering feel and road holding are good in the car. The cosmetic changes to the Figo will give it a bit of a fresh look, in keeping with Ford’s new design language (the indicators will move toward the center in the headlamp cluster). The car may also come in a couple of brighter sporty colors, like a bright blue and a bright yellow. Prices are not expected to change – staying in the range of Rs. 3.9 lakh to Rs. 6 lakh.

Also see: New Ford Figo this October

As we get into the festive season, expect other carmakers to start doling out juicy deals on their cars even as these new cars hit the market. Tell us which of these five hatchbacks for the next five months excites you the most?