These Hatchbacks Will Serve You Well Even in Hilly Terrains

India was never known for beautiful roads, smooth tarmac, or flat terrain. Though the road construction quality and design are steadily improving, many roads still remain under the radar of the authorities and will take their own sweet time to even realize the dire need for restoration. Thankfully, modern cars are getting robust, durable and a lot easier to drive than their previous iterations. With each new generation, cars are getting bigger and bigger due to stricter safety norms and the incorporation of features. So, there are certain hilly areas that still cannot accommodate the mid-sized SUVs or even sedans for that matter. The small and nimble hatchbacks still remain a top choice for such roads. So here are the hatchbacks which can perform flawlessly in hilly terrains.

Brand New Options:

1. Maruti Alto – This is one of the most basic cars available in India with the least amount of horsepower. But, the compact dimensions and the lightness make it a very agile car in the mountains. The 796cc MPFI motor which has been doing duty in the 800 and Omni for more than 20 years is proven and rather bulletproof with an annual maintenance schedule followed. Though it might look puny from the outside, it has solidly built mechanicals which does not fail very easily. It is the most reliable car and the largest selling one in India right now.

   
2. Maruti S-Presso – It is actually the same proven formula of the good old Alto with revamped body style to make it stand tall in hatchbacks by looks and also by ground clearance. The car has not really received appreciation in the styling department but if you look at it, it is not a bad-looking package in the segment. In fact, it is a very practical upgrade from an Alto K10 by Maruti Suzuki. It gets higher ground clearance to tackle the hills with even more enthusiasm and also has an option of an Automatic. You cannot go wrong with it.
   

Tata Tiago NRG – Altos are really common in hilly terrains. What if you want to upgrade and do not want to buy an Alto yet again? The Tiago is already a successful product with good quality and it has really good build quality. It gives you more space, features, comfort, and a new-age design which the Alto lacks. The NRG gets higher ground clearance and plastic cladding all around which shall protect the car in terrible road conditions. Keeping it cosmetically maintained will be an easy affair as plastic cladding is cheaper to replace than the entire bumper.

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Pre-owned Options:

1. Ford Freestyle – Ford India has exited India overnight which was a surprise for many. Nevertheless, the resale value of their cars will drop soon. But the cars they made were really tough. The Figo Freestyle got a healthy 1.5 CRDI engine with 98 bhp and 215 nm of torque. The engine was tractable and had excellent power delivery along with the great suspension. Freestyle was essentially a Figo with raised ground clearance and plastic cladding all around making it similar to the concept of Tiago NRG. You get a really solidly built car at a mouth-watering price with 6 airbags in top trim and 190 mm ground clearance. Spare parts won't be a problem even though Ford has left because the products are still new.
   

2. VW Cross Polo 1.5 TDI – The Polo was introduced and sold with a lackluster 1.2 TDI engine producing 75 bhp. But VW introduced the new 1.5 TDI motor in Polo producing 90 bhp and 230 nm of torque. What goes unnoticed is that the same motor was briefly available with Cross Polo too. This made it a very capable car. With excellent drive quality, robust suspension, and a powerful engine, it is a great package to have in the used car market. But buying a used VW needs a lot of vigilance. Once that code is cracked, the car can last on the worst terrains and roads for a lifetime.
   

Hyundai i20 Active – If one does not want European options and wants to play safe, this is one good Korean option. The i20 Active was available with a diesel option and was well-engineered with top-notch refinement levels. Hyundai was a well-equipped and handsome-looking hatchback oozing practicality. Again, the 1.4L 89 bhp CRDi motor is a proven engine that offers a good balance between power and fuel economy. And Korean cars are popular for low-speed ride quality and light driving controls which will be a boon in hilly areas.

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To conclude the same, there are many other cross-hatchbacks that came and went and a few are still on sale. But among the lot, these have the best balance of all. No matter what options we get even in the future, it shall be tough to get a replacement for the Maruti Alto and S-Presso as the basic engineering elements are faultless and these cars are very zippy at low speeds. And that is what you need in hilly terrains.