Buying a car is still a sign of achievement in India as it defines success and one's status symbol in society. Everybody aspires to own the most luxurious and the best car available at that given price point in the market. The first car is always special to every family as it is a new journey one undertakes in experiencing luxury and comfort in life. It could be a humble Maruti or a Rolls Royce, the emotions while buying a car are still the strongest in a person's lifetime. In this article, we shall have a look on which are best options for a first time buyer available in India.
WagonR is a very practical tallboy hatchback which gives you the best combination of space, performance and mileage
You might be thinking, why not the Alto or the S-Presso? The WagonR has been in the market for almost 2 decades and is a proven solid car mechanically without needing much attention. It is a lot more urban than aforementioned cars and is one of the largest hatchbacks being sold in India in all parts of the country. WagonRs are used as family cars, taxis or even as a beater car by some families which proves how reliable and dependable the WagonR is. The new generation WagonR is a lot better than the previous generation and feels much like a big car.
Tiago is the car which brought back Tata Motors into the lead and its high safety rating remains its biggest USP.
The WagonR is a great car for city runabouts but it lacks the strong build quality which one needs on Indian highways. So if you are in the need to have a solidly built car in a budget, the Tata Tiago shall be a great option as it has achieved a GNCAP rating of 4 stars out of 5. The build quality of the Tiago is better than some of the premium hatchbacks that are available in the market and priced a lot more than this entry level segment. Since the Tiago is designed in India, it is designed keeping in mind the Indian driving conditions which can vary from flat tarmac to off-road conditions. This car is so well made that it brought Tata Motors back into the competition as soon as it launched.
With the option of a turbo petrol, the i10 brand has become stronger and now a premium product than its previous iterations.
Ask for the king of refinement and premium touches in a budget, and naturally the fingers point at Hyundai. The Grand i10 Nios gets a 1.0 litre turbo engine which almost produces 100 bhp, thus providing a very brisk performance. In fact, it is faster than some of the popular driver's cars from the early 2000s such as the Palio 1.6. Unlike olden times, modern Hyundai cars are not floaty to drive and provide decent amount of feel and feedback for a new driver with some fun under the right foot. The insulation and features was always a big positive for the i10 brand and the Nios takes care of it in the expected manner. The quality which Hyundai offers with this product inside out is unmatched in the segment and makes a lasting first impression winning multiple hearts.
A simple yet unique structure really makes it practical to use in rural areas with rough roads. It is quite an involving car to drive as well.
Maruti Suzuki has given a plethora of options for the consumers. Luckily, a few variants come under the Rs 10 lakh category of the Brezza. It is not very spacious from the inside but it provides a beautiful driving experience with perfect ergonomics which has been a trademark with Maruti cars. The comfort and rigidity which the chassis of this car offers along with the engineering finesse is rather unmatched in this class at this price point. Even after the disappearance of its diesel sibling, it still enjoys a healthy number of buyers every month. Additionally, unlike other Marutis, it has scored a 4 star rating in GNCAP which also resolves the safety concern.
Swift has always been known as a driver's car and is still a very dynamically established car. Apart from the light build, it is hard to fault the Swift.
There might be some buyers who are still confused with what car to buy. To clear the confusion, one can just go and simply book the Swift. This is one of the most successful cars of Maruti in India. The Swift has sporty credentials as the ‘Swift Sport' was also sold in a few countries and was also used as a rally car. This shows the potential of this platform. The Swift is the most reliable modern car you could buy and the most unique thing is the steering. The steering is very direct and one can feel what the wheels are doing at any given point during the drive. There is a misconception that Maruti cars are bought only for mileage which is not true. These cars are dynamically and fundamentally very sorted making them easy and involving to drive. There could be options available which are a lot faster than the Swift. But when it comes to fun factor, the Swift still takes the crown home.
