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Premium Hatchback Vs Sub-4m SUV – Which One Should You Buy This Diwali?
The SUV market has skyrocketed in the last few years, not only in India but the whole world. Even Ferrari launched its own SUV, the Purosangue. However, not everyone will like to drive an SUV, especially if you are used to driving hatchbacks and sedans.
That being said, in India, the growing demand for SUVs has spawned a new category of SUVs that are affordable and rival the dimensions of a premium hatchback. This category of SUV is generally called a 'sub-4m SUV'.
The sub-4m SUV started with the introduction of Premier Rio in India. However, the segment gained popularity after the introduction of Ford Ecosport. Later, other manufacturers also made their respective entries into this segment to capitalise on the sales push witnessed in this segment.
That being said, the growing popularity of sub-4m SUVs has severely affected the premium hatchback sales in India. However, going with the trend is not always suitable, and here's a comparison between sub-4m SUVs and premium hatchbacks in India.
Design
Starting with the design, the sub-4m SUVs have a more imposing stance compared to a hatchback or even a sedan. However, the premium hatchback silhouette remains far more proportionate compared to any sub-4m SUV sold in India.
Features
Coming to the feature list, both premium hatchbacks and sub-4m SUVs nowadays come with more than a decent feature list. However, when pricing comes into the equation, premium hatchbacks offer more features under a certain price range.
Safety & Handling
Since premium hatchbacks are lower to the ground and are lighter in weight, they hold a distinct advantage over sub-4m SUVs in terms of handling. Also, the higher centre of gravity of an SUV makes it a lot more prone to tipping over.
That being said, the current sub-4m SUVs such as Tata Nexon, and Mahindra XUV300 come with a 5-Star safety rating from Global NCAP. This makes sub-4m SUVs safer for occupants in case of a crash.
Performance & Efficiency
Since most automobile manufacturers offer a similar set of powertrain options for their premium hatchbacks and compact SUVs, the performance in the premium hatchbacks will be slightly better owing to their lower kerb weight and better aerodynamics. Further benefitting from fuel efficiency as well.
Thoughts About Premium Hatchback & Sub-4m SUV
Analysing, we can say that a Premium Hatchback offers a lot more tech for a given price. On top of that, it rewards enthusiastic drivers with superior handling characteristics and performance. However, sub-4m SUVs generally have better resale value in the market and are a lot safer in a crash.
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