Cars under the Rs. 5 lakh bracket is the most popular for first time buyers, and manufacturers too have recognised this. Popular carmakers such as Maruti, Renault, Hyundai, Mahindra, Ford and even Tata has products in this price range. The market is flooded with options to choose from, with value for money choices like the Renault Kwid, Ford Figo and even the segment leader Maruti Suzuki Alto 800. Like the SUVs, the budget car market is booming and while the Hyundai Santro is set to make a comeback in an all new avatar, we pick the best options to choose from in the under Rs. 5 lakh bracket.
The Ford Figo is probably one of best value-for-money hatchbacks in India at the moment. With its great built quality, smart comfort features, and class-leading safety features, the Ford Figo is worthy of being at the top of our list. Moreover, the Figo is also one of the most stylish looking hatchbacks with the Aston Martin-like front grille, stylish headlamps, alloy wheels and much more on offer. The Figo also comes with smart offerings like - Ford in-car connective system SYNC with AppLink, Ford MyKey and My Ford Dock and gets dual airbags as standard with six airbags in the top-of-the-line variant. The Figo also offers multiple powertrain options - 1.2-litre petrol and a 1.5-litre diesel engine that comes mated to a 5-speed manual gearbox as standard. Ford also offer a more powerful 1.5-litre petrol option that comes mated to a dual clutch transmission automatic unit. However, the Figo has started to age, and if reports are to be believed, then Ford is working on a facelifted version of the Figo, which will come soon to the Indian market.
Price: Rs. 5.61 lakh - Rs. 7.83 lakh (ex Showroom, New Delhi)
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Tata launched the Tiago in 2015 and since then, it has seen a healthy sales figures, and is a compelling product as well. Based on the IMPACT design language, the Tiago comes with very good built quality, compared other hatchbacks from Tata Motors, along with nice fit and finish. Tata offers the Tiago in both petrol and diesel engine options that are considerably powerful - the tried and tested 1.2-litre Revotron and the all-new 1.05 litre Revotorq diesel mill. There are several other smart and convenient options as well like - Smartphone enabled Turn-By-Turn Navigation app and Juke-Car app, 22 intelligently designed utility spaces and Multi-drive mode (City & Eco) among others.
Price: Rs. 3.35 lakh - Rs. 5.99 lakh (ex showrrom, New Delhi)
The Maruti Suzuki Celerio brought in a revolution as it was the first entry level hatchback to come with an AMT gearbox or the Anti-Gear Shift gearbox, or the AGS as Maruti calls it. The Celerio AGS comes with decent built quality, is easy to maintain and comes in both petrol and diesel engine options. The Celerio is also one of the most fuel-efficient cars in the segment with the diesel trim returning a mileage of 27.62 kmpl. The petrol trim is powered by Maruti's tried and tested 1.0-litre K10 engine, while the diesel version gets the new light-weight 800cc DDiS oil burner. Both the engine come mated to a 5-speed manual gearbox, but the petrol trim also gets the option of the AMT unit.
Price: Rs. 4.19 lakh- Rs. 5.38 lakh (ex showroom, New Delhi)
Currently the most popular car in its segment, the Renault Kwid it is also the recipient of our 2016 Car of the Year award, and all for good reasons. The Kwid comes with sporty SUV-like proportions, stylish exterior profile and the second-best ground clearance in its class. The car also comes with one of the most spacious cabin in the entry-level class and smart features like - a touchscreen infotainment system, digital instrument cluster, nice fit and finish and more. Renault recently launched the 1.0-litre version of the Kwid, which makes the car a rival for both the Maruti Alto 800 and Alto K10. The Kwid also comes powered by an 800cc 3-cylinder petrol engine along with the 1.0-litre motor, both of which are mated to a 5-speed manual gearbox as standard. Moreover, Renault has also promised to launch the AMT version this festive season, which is all the more a good reason to go for this car.
Price: Rs. 2.66 lakh- Rs. 4.64 lakh (ex showroom, New Delhi)
It is the oldest among all these cars and yet an equally compelling product. The Grand i10 is compact from outside and roomy from inside. It comes with a host of smart features like key-less entry with engine start/stop button, parking sensor and comes with great ride quality and handling. Hyundai also offers the car with optional safety features like dual airbags and ABS. The car is powered by Hyundai's tried and tested 1.2-litre Kaapa petrol engine and a 1.1-litre CRDi diesel engine as well. The engines come mated to a 5-speed manual gearbox along with an optional 4-speed automatic unit for the petrol trim.
Price: Rs. 4.73 lakh- Rs. 7.50 lakh (ex showroom, New Delhi)
