Cars are getting better and better. People! The powertrains are evolving day by day. Efficiency in terms of performance and mileage is leaps ahead of the cars just two decades back. Features that were once reserved for luxury cars have become a common sight. The feature can be in the context of comfort, convenience, technology, safety, and even feel-good factor. India is a growing market for cars. People here love to have a feature-packed car in their garage. Every budget and segment has cars with some of the best features. Here we have provided detailed information about the Top 10 feature-packed cars in India for 2024.
The cars listed here are all available under the 15 Lakhs rupees, ex-showroom price tag. Criteria to list cars here are according to the segments.
Premium Hatchback/Crossover
Hyundai i20
This car was launched in India in the year 2008. It created a very new segment in the Indian car market. It was a feature-packed car with a decent powertrain to do the duties. Since then this car has been the lone torch bearer in this segment. i20 was the first car in the segment to get a reversing camera, climate control AC, and 6 airbags as an option. The 2024 i20 is no exception. This car has a 1.2-liter petrol engine with 83 and 88 PS(iVT) power figures. A 1.0-liter turbo petrol engine is also offered in the N-Line guise with 120 PS of power. It has some brilliant features to cater to its occupants. Some of the stand-out features include:
- 6 airbags, Anti-lock braking system (ABS) with EBD, Electronic stability control (ESC), Hill-start assist control (HAC), and Vehicle stability management control (VSM) as standard safety features across the range.
- 26.03 cm (10.25″) HD touchscreen infotainment & navigation system
- Smartphone Connectivity – Apple CarPlay & Android Auto
- Hyundai bluelink with over-the-air (OTA) map updates
- Electric sunroof Voice-enabled electric sunroof
- Wireless charger
Features Unique to i20:
- Glove box cooling
- Tilt & telescopic steering
- Bose premium 7 speaker system
Maruti Fronx
This car is based on MSIL’s tried and tested HEARTECH platform. This platform is used in many of Maruti’s cars. Fronx was launched in 2023 to target the premium crossover segment. It has two powertrain options, a 1.2-liter K12N Dualjet, which is an upgrade from the older Multijet engine from Fiat, and a 1.0 L K10C three-cylinder Boosterjet turbo petrol engine.
Fronx is a jacked-up Maruti Baleno with a lot of parts in common. This car has decent power and the highlight of this car is some of its segment-first features.
- Steering Wheel Mounted Controls
- Height Adjustable Driver Seat
- Front Center Armrest (Sliding Type With Storage)
- Wireless mobile charger
First in segment features
- 360-degree surround camera
- Heads Up Display(HUD)
Compact SUV:
Mahindra XUV 3XO
Mahindra launched their upgraded compact SUV with a new name, 3XO. This upgrade was a much-awaited one in the heated compact SUV market. This compact SUV has a very versatile powertrain and gearbox portfolio. The Petrol powertrain comprises two stages of tuned mStallion Turbocharged Multipoint Fuel Injected (TCMFi) engine. The 1.2-litre petrol engine has 82 kW and 96 kW of power on tap mated to a 6-speed manual or a 6-speed torque converter gearbox. The 85.5 kW 1.5-litre CRDe diesel mill has an option of a 6-speed manual and a 6-speed AMT gearbox.
Some of the best features in Mahindra’s compact SUV are:
- Dual-zone climate control
- Wireless Apple Carplay and Android Auto
- Harman Kardon premium audio system
- 65W USB-C fast charging for phones
- Front parking assist
Unique and First in Segment Features:
- Level 2 ADAS
- Skyroof (Panoramic Sunroof)
- 360-degree surround camera
Kia Sonet:
Hyundai and Kia are Korean sister car brands. Their vehicles share the same platforms, chassis, engines and even the gearbox in their cars.
Hyundai’s Venue and Kia’s Sonet are the Compact SUV counterparts. Both these cars have been known for being feature-loaded and extremely value-for-money cars. Kia Sonet is the one chosen here because it packs some more features compared to Venue.
The powertrain options include:
o Kappa 1.2-litre MPi petrol engine with max power of 61kW (83 PS) @ 6 000 r/min
o U2 1.5 l CRDi VGT diesel engine with max power of 85 kW (116 PS) @ 4000 r/min
o Kappa 1.0 l Turbo GDi petrol engine with a max power of 88.3 kW (120PS) @ 6 000 r/min
The gearbox options are a 5-speed manual, 6-speed manual and a 7-speed DCT in Venue, while the Sonnet has a 6-speed iMT and 6-speed AT options apart from those present in Venue.
These feature-loaded cars have several important features:
- Surround, BOSE Premium 7 Speaker System
- LED Ambient Sound Lighting
- Rear Disc Brakes
- Front Ventilated Seat
Unique feature in Sonet:
- 360 Degree Camera with Blind View Monitor in Cluster
- ADAS – Camera Type with 10 Autonomous Features
Mid-Size SUV:
Kia Seltos
Yes, a Mid-size SUV is here as well. Seltos is a handsome-looking car with a decent engine and gearbox within the 15 lakh rupees mark. The Seltos can be had in the HTK+ trim with a 1.5-litre naturally aspirated engine with a 6-speed manual gearbox. The important features that the Seltos has are:
- Paddle Shifters
- Drive Mode Select
- Traction Control Mode
- Sound Mood Lamps
- Fully Automatic Air Conditioner
- Touchscreen with Wireless Android Auto & Apple CarPlay
Family MUV:
Kia Carens
This Family car is available in 6 and 7-seat configurations. Prestige+ trim is available at an ex-showroom price of rupees 14,91,900. The platform of this MUV is shared with that of i20. The powertrain includes a 1.5-litre Naturally aspirated petrol and Diesel engine with enough grunt to pull 7 people in great comfort. Some important features of Carens are:
- Full Segment LCD Cluster with Advanced (10.6cm) 4.2 Color TFT MID
- Fully Automatic Air Conditioner
- Smart Key with Push Button Start (Remote Engine Start)
- Auto Cruise Control with Speed Limiting Option
- Rear Door Sunshade Curtains
- Cooling Cup and Can Holders
Compact Sedan
Hyundai Aura
The compact sedans sell like hotcakes in India. Aura is a Compact sedan based on Hyundai’s Nios. It has a good 1.2-litre petrol engine with the option of having a CNG variant as well. The engine produces 83 PS of power and comes mated to either a 5-speed manual or a 5-speed AT gearbox. Some of the features in this car that stand out in the compact sedan segments are:
- Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
- Voice recognition
- Cooled glovebox
- Driver seat height adjustment
- Wireless phone charger
- Steering wheel-mounted audio controls
Full-Size SUV
Mahindra XUV700
This must be a surprise for many. Mahindra’s flagship SUV is available in the base MX trim with a starting price of just under 13 lakh rupees. The car is a full-size SUV and has an immense road presence. This can be a good value-for-money travel car with a good engine and the safety and stability of a big car. Some of the highlights of this car are:
- An amazing 200+ bhp high revving petrol engine
- Touchscreen infotainment with Android Auto
- Disc brakes on all four wheels
- Adjustable headrest for all 4 window seats
- Follow me Home Headlamps
- 4 Speakers
- 3rd row AC
- 2nd-row seat with armrest
Electric Vehicle
Tata Punch EV
The Electric vehicle car market is being dominated by Tata motors in India. Punch EV is TATA’s first grounds-up electric car. This has an all-new platform that is specifically designed for electric cars. The Punch EV long-range can be had in the Empowered+ S trim at a price of 14,98,999. Some of the features that highlight Punch EV are:
- 360° Surround View Camera System
- Blind Spot View Monitor
- Arcade.ev App Suite
- Leatherette Seats
- Front Ventilated Seats
- Wireless Smartphone Charger
- Smart Charging Indicator
- 26.03 cm HD Infotainment by HARMAN
- 17.78 cm Instrument Cluster
- Voice Assisted Electric Sunroof
- Mood Lights
- Air Purifier with AQI Display
- Wireless Android AutoTM and Apple CarPlay
- Auto Headlamps
- Rain Sensing Wipers
Mid-Size Sedan
Hyundai Verna
The fluidic Hyundai Verna has also been present in the Indian car market since the last decade. This car is also the trendsetter in the sedan segment when it comes to safety and comfort features. Verna had a lot of first-in-segment features. The current generation Verna also has a lot of good and useful features.
- ADAS Level 2
- Forward Collision Warning (FCW)
- Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist – car(FCA-Car)
- Forward Collision-Avoidance – Assist – Pedestrian
- Parametric connected LED tail lamps
- Power driver seat
- Integrated air purifier
Conclusion
The Car market in India is very heated up. Indian buyers are very much inclined towards feature-rich cars when it comes to deciding to buy a new car. The best cars in a budget of 15 lakhs can be easily differentiated based on the segments. The segments can be divided as Premium hatchback, Compact SUV, Mid-Size SUV, Family MUV, Full-Size SUV, Compact Sedan, Electric Vehicle and Mid-size Sedan.
