Best Petrol Hatchback Models

The Maruti Baleno is a premium hatchback offering from the brand, sold exclusively through their exclusive NEXA outlets. The car offers upmarket interiors and features, which is almost on par with those sold in European countries. The petrol avatar of the Baleno is through the trusted 1.2-litre Maruti engine; same as on the Swift. While this provides decent performance, the Baleno is also available in a more sportier avatar, the Baleno RS. The Baleno RS is powered by a 1.0-litre Boosterjet turbocharged petrol engine. The RS variant further offers unique styling bits all around the car, to help differentiate it with the standard model.

The Maruti Swift is one of India’s most popular cars, ever since it was launched back in 2005. Over the years, the Swift has gone through multiple facelift, with the latest generation model being launched at the 2018 Auto Expo. The Maruti Swift uses the same 1.2-litre petrol engine as seen on all previous generations. The engine is mated to either a 5-speed manual or an automatic gearbox. Sold globally as the Suzuki Swift, the hatchback has won multiple awards over the years, in international markets as well.

The Tata Tiago JTP is the Indian brand's first product in the affordable performance car segment on the market. The new Tiago JTP comes with a sportier styling along with lots of upgrades to the chassis, when compared to the regular model. The engine makes upwards of 110bhp and is the turbocharged version of the one on the regular model. The new JTP models (Tiago and Tigor) have been jointly developed by Tata Motors and Coimbatore-based Jayem Automotives.

The Hyundai Grand i10 is placed between the entry-level Eon and the more premium Elite i20. The car comes with a pair of LED DRL, while also carrying forward the ‘Fluidic design’ Philosophy of the Hyundai brand. The petrol Grand i10 offers good performance figures, along with providing decent mileage. The car can be opted in either a 5-speed manual or a 4-speed automatic gearbox. Inside, the Grand i10 comes with all the essential features and comforts one would expect in a hatchback.

The Maruti Celerio when launched, was the first affordable AMT car in India. Most manufacturers started introducing AMT versions, only after its availability on the Celerio. The 5-speed AMT offering available on the Celerio provides a smooth driving experience. Maruti also introduced a funkier version of the car, the Celerio X, which is now available in the market. However, the Celerio X features only cosmetic upgrades compared to the regular variants.

The Fiat Abarth Punto is one of the most underrated hatchbacks on sale in the Indian market. The car features excellent build quality and incredible performance. The petrol engine on the Abarth Punto produces 145bhp; the highest in its class. The car can also race from 0 - 100km/h in just 8.8 seconds. The Abarth Punto comes with a unique Italian design language with Abarth’s scorpion logo on top. However, sales of the Punto Abarth by Fiat have not been impressive, with the company considering not to introduce such products in the market any time soon.