The lockdown has been lifted throughout the country which means people are back on the streets again and traffic has gone up now. We’ve come up with a list of 10 Compact City Cars which will be a good choice for someone looking out for a new set of wheels. These cars are listed keeping in mind Price Range, Comfort, Compact Nature, Ease of Driving and Fuel Efficiency. All of the listed cars come with the option of an Automatic Gearbox.
Maruti Suzuki Alto
The Alto is undoubtedly the most famous and most loved small car in India. Since its release in the year 2000, it has been the “First Car” millions of Indian families. It’s compact, easy to manoeuvre size and fuel-efficient engine makes it an excellent option for the city. Not to mention, Maruti Suzuki’s wide range of service networks and low maintenance costs are always an added plus point in Alto’s pocket. The Alto comes with a 796cc engine which makes 40.35 HP and 60nm of torque. The small capacity helps with excellent the mileage at 22-30 Kmpl(claimed). It is available with both a 5-speed manual and a 5 speed automatic (AMT) gearbox.
Renault Kwid
The Kwid is the entry-level offering from Renault in India, starting at just Rs. 3.18 lac ex-showroom, it makes a good value for money considering the kind of features it offers. Along with a roomy interior, you also get a rear centre armrest and an 8 inch Touch Screen Infotainment Unit which comes with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The Kwid makes a quite comfortable for the times you’ll be stuck in hour-long traffic jams. It comes with 2 engine options, a 1000cc and an 800cc. They churn out 53HP and 67HP respectively. While the smaller 800cc engine delivers a mileage of 22-24Kmpl, the bigger engine also delivers a decent 20-22Kmpl. It is available with both a 5-speed manual and a 5 speed automatic (AMT) gearbox.
Tata Tiago
The Tata Tiago is one of the most underrated cars in its segment. Its sharp looks, amazing build quality and up to date features make it a very desirable first car for anyone. It offers a city mileage of 20+ KMPL(claimed) which makes it a steal deal considering that it’s priced at an aggressive 4.99 Lacs. It’s driving dynamics and handy nature makes it very fun to drive a car even in a city with limited space. The Tiago is equipped with a 1.2L Revotron engine which makes a good and usable 84.5 HP and 113nm of torque, mated to a 5-speed manual or automatic(AMT) gearbox.
Hyundai Santro
The Santro is the newest player in the game. The re-modelled Santro which was launched in Oct. 2018 is a very competitive model. It offers excellent ease in driving with the ultra-light steering wheel coupled with an optional Automatic Transmission. It is also the only car in its segment which gets Rear AC vents, increasing the comfort of rear-seat passengers even more. The Santro gets a 1.1L engine making 68HP and 99nm of torque coupled with a 5-speed manual or automatic(AMT) gearbox.
Maruti Suzuki Swift
The Swift needs no introduction. The latest 2019 model brought along some necessary features like the infotainment unit and a major cosmetic update. It makes for a very comfortable, trusted and efficient car. The engine is the same, 15 years old tried and tested, extremely reliable 1.2L Petrol which makes 88HP and 113nm of torque. It is very fun to drive in the city with pretty decent handling and good performance from the engine. Earlier, the Swift also came with a diesel option but Maruti put a full stop to that engine after the BS6 norms kicked in. It comes with both, a manual and an automatic(AMT) 5-speed transmission.
Maruti Suzuki Baleno
The Baleno is an excellent offering by Maruti Suzuki. It is sold through the premium NEXA dealerships in India. The Baleno offers best in class interior space, especially rear-seat space. It is one of the most comfortable cars in its segment with some pretty useful features. The Baleno is also offered with a Smart Hybrid Vehicle System(SHVS) engine which makes it extremely fuel-efficient(21-24 KMPL) even with the automatic gearbox. The engine is a 1.2L petrol making 88.5HP and 113nm of torque. It is available with a 5-speed manual and an automatic(CVT) gearbox.
Hyundai Grand i10 Nios
The Hyundai I10 is also an excellent choice for city drivers. It is very compact, easy to drive and most importantly, easy to park with the reverse parking camera that comes as a part of the package. The I10 is very reasonably priced at Rs.5.5 Lac ex-showroom. It also comes with a great Torque Converter automatic transmission that offers smooth shifting without taking too much of a toll on the fuel efficiency. It is offered with a 1.2L engine which makes 80HP and 114nm of torque.
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Hyundai i20
The I10’s bigger brother, the I20 is another amazing choice for someone who can extend their budgets up to 10-12 Lac. The pricing is a little high than what was expected of the 2020 facelift, but the I20 does offer some best in class features such as the Sunroof and the stellar Bose speaker system, which make it a very good space to be in when you’re stuck in those long red lights. The I 20 comes with 3 engine options, a 1L turbocharged petrol which makes a whopping 118HP and 171nm of torque, it comes with an automatic 7 speed DCT (Dual Clutch Transmission) gearbox.
The second option is a 1.2-litre Petrol which makes 87bhp and 114nm of torque, available with a 5-speed manual or an automatic(CVT) gearbox. The last option is a 1.5L diesel, which makes 98HP and 240nm of torque and comes with a 6-speed manual transmission. The i20 also comes with an iMT gearbox, which makes it very easy to drive even with a manual gearbox.
Mahindra XUV 300
Moving up in the price range a little bit, the Mahindra XUV 300 is an excellent choice for a well-sized compact SUV. It is known for its build quality and safety as it comes with the option of up to 6 airbags. It also got a 5-star safety rating in the Europe New Car Assessment Program(NCAP). It comes with a tire pressure monitoring system which can prove to be very useful in daily driving. The XUV comes with a petrol and a diesel option, both get a 6 Speed manual and automatic(AMT) gearbox. The 1.2L petrol makes 108HP and 200nm of torque while the 1.5L diesel makes 115HP and 300nm of torque.
Tata Nexon-EV
The latest entry in the list is the Tata Nexon EV. It is one of the first fully electric cars to be manufactured sold in India. It is also the most affordable fully electric car starting at 13.99 Lac ex-showroom. Getting an electric vehicle for city usage makes a lot of sense since it eradicates a lot of regular maintenance. Tata claims that the running cost of the Nexon is a mere Re.1/KM. Also, getting an electric vehicle means that we don’t need to pay the Road Tax. The electric motor in the Nexon makes a segment-best 127HP and 245nm of torque. Tata claims a range of 320 Kms which makes it a very lucrative and practical choice for city driving.
Also, read: Forbes Best Rated Car Engine Oil: Mobil 1 Extended Performance
