Motor Trend India

Maruti Alto 800 is the answer from the country's largest car maker to the needs of basic Indian consumer. The car is strongly positioned against Eon and Nano where it looks promising to increase the market share of Maruti Suzuki in hatchback segment. Alto 800 is bigger and more efficient compared to the outgoing model and is packed with features to thrill modern day consumers.

The Japanese giant - Suzuki had an idea of developing a product which would be sold in not just India but other markets as well. The Swift which made its debut in Japan in 2000 was upgraded to second generation model in 2004. It took just one year from then for the hatchback to enter Indian market. Maruti Suzuki Swift was launched in India in 2005 and it received astonishing response. It came out during a time when consumers were looking for something more than just a conventional family car and it continues to rule the segment even when there is tough competition from cars like Polo, Figo and Punto.

One of the notable changes that took place very recently was when Swift DZire overtook Alto and its hatchback sibling Swift to become the highest selling car in India for the month of May, 2013. This landmark event made headlines in automobile sites because it was the first time a sedan led the sales chart of India. The compact sedan was in competition with Alto, Swift and other hatchbacks which were leading the market for many years. DZire, earlier, had managed to overtake its hatchback sibling during April, 2013 and lose to Alto by 401 units which was the leader of the chart, then.

SUVs for long had been the mean vehicles of the rich class during the end of 90s and early 2000s. Today we have compact SUVs and luxury class SUVs offered at prices which are much lower than what used to be few years ago. Most of these vehicles have also succeeded in the market making SUVs popular among the masses.

With new cars flooding in the market on one side and slowing down growth on the other, Maruti Suzuki seems to have chosen the Stingray to be its growth driver for a period until it develops new automobiles for the country.

Hyundai Grand i10 is great advancement over the i10 because it is big in terms of performance, fuel efficiency, comfort and size compared to its younger sibling.

After investing about Rs. 400 crore in the development of a new MPV, which is based on Swift platform, Maruti Suzuki was successful in bringing out the Ertiga. Designers at Maruti Suzuki and Suzuki Motor Corp Japan worked on this project which focused on consumers in India and in other developing markets like Indonesia.

Toyota, the name known for quality, reliability and durability, has had many MUVs in its India portfolio. In fact, the brand, even today, is recognised for its Qualis and Innova, which are two celebrated models of India's travel industry. While the Qualis was discontinued in 2005, it was replaced with the Innova which rightly took up the shoes of the previous model to carry forward the success of Japanese brand.

After long wait, Ford finally rolled out its most hyped compact SUV EcoSport in June, 2013. Owing to its outstanding looks, great build quality, performance and not to forget the highly competitive price tag, this new kid from Ford has brought in a wave of hope amidst tough market conditions in the country.

Mahindra went on to purchase the license of the design of Logan and refreshed the car to launch it as Verito. With the practicality of Logan and new upgrades from Mahindra, Verito has received decent response in India. The launch of the hatchback version of the Verito gained more attention in Indian automobile sector. This is because the new car indicated the entry of Mahindra into one of the most competitive segments, the hatchback market.

While Ford sees the EcoSport as a potential game changer, automobile critics find this car to be a product which is capable of erasing the differences between sedans, SUVs and premium hatchback cars in India.

Taking the benefit of celebrity spotlight to elevate business is an age-old technique used in many industries. This law holds good for the automobile sector as well. Right from 1966, when the English movie 'Grand Prix' was released, there has been a smart alliance between visual media and automobile industry.

Think luxury always comes with a hefty price tag? Think again! With the luxury carmakers releasing their cars at lower price points, the demand for such cars is higher than ever. Thanks to increased localization of components and government policies, luxury vehicles can be well-obtained, even if you are on a budget.

The luxury car market is growing at a breathtaking speed in India. Owing a luxury car has become a status symbol. Car enthusiasts, nowadays, are concerned for an enthralling array of innovative safety features, scintillating design and envious technology that are common in luxury cars.

Mahindra started off as a small steel company in 1945, which later got into manufacturing of the world-famous Willys Jeeps in India and then small commercial vehicles. Today the company is arguably the best manufacturers of SUVs in Indian market. The marque is in a tussle with other manufacturers who lead the market in terms of sales.

Honda has made a strong move in Indian automobile space through the launch of its Amaze. But competitors like Maruti Suzuki, Ford and Mahindra have come up with different strategies and new models to tackle Honda Amaze. Honda Amaze review provided by its users will play a major part in extending the good response it has received during the first few weeks after its launch.

Indian automobile space is one of the most competitive markets where pricing, mileage and performance play a crucial role. Maruti Suzuki as always has come out with some people favourite models like Swift DZire and Wagon R. Bolero and Nano also gain a position in the list of top selling cars.

Both Maruti Suzuki and Hyundai have been trendsetters in their own right. While Maruti Suzuki is known for making reasonably functional, fuel-efficient, low maintenance cost cars, Hyundai, on the other hand, have been lauded for making attractive looking, fully loaded cars and launching them at competitive prices.

The questions that invariably pop into the mind of an average Indian, when he thinks about buying a car are primarily - mileage, price, size and space. And it's quite understandable. In India, where fuel-prices shoot up at any given instance, and where the roads are forever teeming with vehicles, vehicles and more vehicles, nothing better answers the needs of the commoners better than a hatchback.