It’s always great to get more than what you paid for, and compact SUVs ensure just that. They offer the comfort and luxury of a sedan for the price of a high-end hatchback, with the build of an off-roader.
These cars offer a little bit of everything and that is why they are widely accepted and loved in India. This segment has become crowded lately, with almost every car manufacturer putting out a compact SUV. So we put together a list of the ones that created waves for all the right reasons this year.
With so many good offerings, it was difficult to choose one car over the other, so the list is in no particular order.
Hyundai Creta
2015 has been a good year for Hyundai and Hyundai-lovers alike. The company is rolling out cars that follow the ‘Fluidic’ design language and they are being widely accepted by the masses.
Hyundai’s Creta was no different. The car is one of the best looking compact SUVs on Indian roads right now, both from the outside and inside. Thanks to these looks, Creta had a fan following as soon the company revealed it, and it has been running successfully ever since.
Maruti Suzuki S Cross
Maruti Suzuki has moved on from ‘kitna deti hai’ and is promising to offer much more than just good mileage with the S Cross.
Launched under the Nexa badge, the car offers two engine capacities (1.3 and 1.6 litres) and comes loaded with technology like rain sensing wipers and projector headlamps that turn on automatically in the dark.
The S Cross lives up to the claim of offering the luxury and off-roading capabilities of a full-fledged SUV.
Mahindra TUV300
The Mahindra TUV300 is a compact SUV but hardly looks compact.
The car which looks similar to the Jeep Cherokee, appears to be huge despite being a sub 4-metre vehicle. Mahindra has kept those quintessential SUV design elements in mind and the proportions work to offer a butch stance, which is further aided with the huge ten spoke 15-inch alloys wheels.
Despite looking tough on the outside, the car offers tons of creature comforts on the inside including an infotainment system with Bluetooth and aux, a reverse parking sensor, voice alerts and steering mounted controls.
Fiat Abarth Avventura
A list that includes the best compact SUVs in India just has to have the Fiat Abarth Avventura on it. The car is a tuned version of the Fiat Avventura and has been made by Abarth.
It is powered by a 1.4-litre T-Jet engine that produces 210 Nm of torque and a mind-bending 140 horsepower. This takes the Fiat from a standstill to a 100 km/h in under 10 seconds. Which means that the Abarth Avventura is the fastest compact SUV in the country.
Ford EcoSport
Ford first showcased the EcoSport as a concept at the 2012 Delhi Auto Expo and it got everyone’s attention and appreciation alike.
The production model by Ford was not very different from the concept and established the American automaker as a serious competitor in the compact SUV segment. The EcoSport got a facelift this year and the new edition offers daytime running LEDs along with an increased power output and chrome treatment to the interiors.
(At The Quint, we are answerable only to our audience. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member. Because the truth is worth it.)