If you are on the lookout for a spacious, upmarket urban runabout, then, a premium hatchback with an automatic gearbox is what you should be looking at. There are seven options in the market today, but these five under ₹10 lakh are the ones you should be spending your money on:
Maruti Baleno/Toyota Glanza
Rating: 8/10
While the automatic versions of the Maruti Baleno — and its badge-engineered cousin, the Toyota Glanza — are powered by the older K12M engine, they are smooth and refined to drive, thanks, in part, to the CVT gearbox. Adding to that, both premium hatchbacks are spacious, have practically laid out interiors and all the typical features you would expect, making them a well-rounded proposition.
The Baleno’s price range starts lower and the Glanza gets the longer standard warranty, but other than that, there is very little that separates the two. Price: Maruti Baleno: ₹ 7.91-9.30 lakh / Toyota Glanza: ₹ 8.54-9.30 lakh
Hyundai i20
Rating: 8/10
The newest premium hatchback on the block, the Hyundai i20 wows with its style and extensive features list. The new i20 rides well and offers a choice of powertrains and auto gearboxes. There is a CVT available with the naturally aspirated petrol engine, and a dual-clutch auto, as well as an automated manual option on offer with the turbo-petrol unit, thus offering you plenty of choices to suit your needs. However, dual-clutch gearbox equipped i20s are expensive, exceeding the ₹10 lakh budget. Price: ₹ 8.69-9.95 lakh / ₹ 8.81-10.06 lakh / ₹ 10.68-11.34 lakh
Hyundai Grand i10 Nios
Rating: 7/10
The Hyundai Grand i10 Nios has a well-finished and upmarket cabin, and in true Hyundai fashion, is well equipped too. While the automatic gearbox on offer is an AMT unit — and thus not as smooth as a CVT or torque converter auto — it gets the job done, and with hardly any penalty to its fuel efficiency from either the petrol or diesel engine. Speaking of which, the Nios is the only hatchback currently on sale in India with a diesel-automatic option under ₹10 lakh. Price: ₹ 6.62-7.86 lakh / ₹ 8.31 lakh
Maruti Swift
Rating: 7/10
With the recent update, the Maruti Swift has ditched the older 83hp, 1.2-litre K series engine for the more powerful and efficient 1.2-litre DualJet motor. The auto gearbox offered is an AMT, and it does get the job done efficiently — in fact, the Swift AMT is the third most frugal petrol car on sale in India (after the Dzire AMT and the Baleno mild-hybrid) as per ARAI’s ratings. There are cosmetic updates, as well as some feature additions, but they aren’t class-leading. Price: ₹ 6.86-8.41 lakh
Volkswagen Polo
Rating: 7/10
The Volkswagen Polo is a dated car, but its cabin quality is excellent, and the feature updates do enough to keep it in this list. What redeems it is the new 1.0-litre TSI engine paired to the new torque converter gearbox. It delivers a powerful and smooth drive experience that is well-suited to the sharp-handling chassis. Price: ₹ 8.69-9.95 lakh / ₹ 8.81-10.06 lakh / ₹ 10.68-11.34 lakh
