Best Petrol Hatchback Models

The Maruti Suzuki Celerio is the best petrol hatchback you can currently buy in the country with an official ARAI fuel efficiency figure of 26.68 kpl for the 5-speed AMT variant. This makes the Maruti Suzuki Celerio the most fuel-efficient car in India. The Maruti Suzuki Celrio is powered by a 65.7 bhp 1.0-litre dual VVT engine with 89 Nm of torque. While the last-gen Maruti Suzuki Celerio revolutionised the small automatic car segment by introducing the AMT gearbox, the new Maruti Suzuki Celerio further improves itself on the strength of its predecessor by offering an even better powertrain and features. The 5-speed manual transmission variant of the Maruti Suzuki Celerio returns an ARAI fuel efficiency figure of 25.24kpl. Apart from that, the Maruti Suzuki Celerio offers decent boot space and features.

Tata Altroz is currently the safest hatchback in the country with a 5-star safety rating for adult protection and a 4-star safety rating for child protection. The Tata Altroz also comes with a total of three engine options, out of which two are petrol engines. The 1.2-litre naturally-aspirated Revotron petrol engine produces 84.48 bhp whereas the more powerful 1.2-litre turbocharged variant produces 108.48 bhp. However, despite being a premium hatchback, the Tata Altroz is offered only with a 5-speed manual gearbox. Apart from that, the Tata Altroz offers a spacious interior and a long list of features.

The Maruti Suzuki Swift is a great car for anyone in the market looking for a fun-to-drive hatchback with decent features and good interior space. Apart from that, the new Maruti Suzuki Swift is one of the best selling cars in the country. The hatchback from the Japanese manufacturer is in its third generation and its super fuel-efficient 88.50 bhp 1.2-litre K-series petrol engine delivers peppy performance and great mileage. Gearbox options in the Maruti Suzuki Swift include a slick-shifting 5-speed manual transmission and a 5-speed AMT gearbox.

If you are looking for a premium hatchback that is equally good for urban travel and weekend trips, the Hyundai i20 will make a great choice. Like all Hyundai cars, the Hyundai i20 also comes packed with a long list of features and being a premium hatchback, the Hyundai i20 also offers a lot more interior space than a regular hatchback. The powertrain options include a 1.2-litre petrol engine with 81.80 bhp, a 1.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine with 98.69 bhp, and a 1.5-litre diesel engine with 98.63 bhp. And thanks to the diesel unit and the long-legged 6-speed manual transmission, the Hyundai i20 is the most fuel-efficient diesel hatchback in India with an ARAI certified fuel efficiency of 25.2 kpl.

The new Maruti Suzuki Baleno will make a great choice if you find the Maruti Suzuki Swift slightly short on interior space as the Maruti Suzuki Baleno offers more space and standard features than the Maruti Suzuki Swift. However, unlike the Maruti Suzuki Swift, the Baleno comes with two petrol engine options. However, both the engine options come under 1.2-litre K-series engines. The standard 1.2-litre petrol engine produces 81.80bhp, whereas the 1.2-litre petrol unit with mild-hybrid tech produces 88.50 bhp. The Maruti Suzuki Baleno with mild-hybrid tech and 5-speed manual transmission comes with an ARAI rated mileage of 23.87 kpl.

The Hyundai Grand i10 NIOS is a great urban hatchback and comes with plenty of features and gizmos like most cars from the Korean car manufacturer. The Hyundai Grand i10 NIOS comes with four engine options. These engine options include an 81.80 bhp 1.2-litre petrol engine, a 73.75 bhp 1.2-litre diesel engine, a 98.69 bhp 1.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine and a 67.72 bhp 1.2-litre Bi-fuel engine (Petrol and CNG). Apart from that, the Hyundai Grand i10 NIOS can be specified with an automatic gearbox.

The Renault Kwid offers an SUV-like stance in a relatively compact footprint. Apart from that, the Renault Kwid makes a great city runabout. The Renault Kwid comes with a choice of two engine options. The 0.8-litre engine produces 53.26 bhp and 72 Nm of torque, whereas the 1.0-litre engine produces 67.06 bhp and 91 Nm of torque. Gearbox options on the Renault Kwid include a 5-speed manual transmission and a 5-speed AMT gearbox.

Unlike the previous generations, the new Maruti Suzuki Wagon R is built on an all-new platform that also underpins other higher segment cars such as the Maruti Suzuki Swift, Baleno, Ignis, Dzire, Ertiga, and XL 6. This means the new Maruti Suzuki Wagon R offers even more space than it ever did before. Apart from that, by sporting the ‘Tall boy’ design, the Maruti Suzuki Wagon R offers plenty of headroom even for very tall passengers. The Maruti Suzuki Wagon R comes with two engine options. While the smaller 1.0-litre petrol produces 67.05 bhp, the bigger 1.2-litre unit produces 81.80 bhp.

The Maruti Suzuki S-Presso is the Japanese car manufacturer’s answer to the Renault Kwid. Following the trend, the Maruti Suzuki S-Presso offers SUV-like looks at entry-level hatchback prices. Gearbox options include a 5-speed manual transmission and a 5-speed AMT gearbox. Apart from that, the Maruti Suzuki S-Presso is also available with a company fitted CNG kit.