The Hyundai Santro, one of the most popular newly-launched cars in India, is available in either a petrol or a CNG format. The 1.1-litre four-cylinder petrol engine makes ample amounts of power and promises good mileage figures too. The engine is also available mated to an AMT transmission, in addition to the 5-speed manual on offer.
The Ford Freestyle is the first car to get the brand’s 1.2-litre Dragon-series petrol engine – the most powerful in its segment. Although it is based on the Ford Figo, the crossover has been re-engineered a lot from the ground up. The Ford Freestyle offers a well-planted and balanced ride even while having good ground clearance. The interiors are also nicely equipped and come with a lot of connectivity options. Above all, the Ford Freestyle has even sold more than the number units sold by its competition (i20 Active and Etios Cross), combined.
The Toyota Yaris is available only in a petrol format and is the first C-segment sedan from the Japanese brand in India. The petrol engine on the Yaris comes mated to either a 6-speed manual or a CVT unit. The Toyota Yaris comes with a lot of segment-first features including seven airbags as standard. The Yaris is also a good sedan to be in and Toyota has tweaked its suspension to give a comfortable ride for most road conditions. NVH levels are also quite low being a petrol car.
The Ford EcoSport is available in two petrol avatars: a 1.5-litre dragon series engine or the 1.0-litre turbocharged Ecoboost engine in the more fun EcoSport S variant. The latest iteration of the Ford EcoSport comes with a lot of new features, packaged well in a premium interior. Being a global product, the Ford EcoSport offers excellent build quality too. Both petrol engines showcase good performance and doesn’t compromise too much on fuel efficiency.
The Maruti Swift petrol has been one of most favourite hatchbacks in India, since its introduction in the country in 2005. The latest avatar of the Maruti Swift was launched at Auto Expo 2018 and it brings lot of improvements over the previous two generations. The new Maruti Swift gets the existing, yet fun, petrol engine but is now available mated to a manual or an automatic transmission.