One can always argue over names of the best five budget cars for families that are available in the Indian auto market. However, there are some cars that unanimously feature on this list. According to many industry experts, the best five budgets cars for families living in India are Alto 800 and Ertiga from Maruti Suzuki, Hyundai i10, Honda Amaze and Ford EcoSport. These vehicles fall in different categories, such as hatchback, sedan and Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV). Analysts, in recent times, have tried to figure out the reasons behind the success of these models.
It is no unknown fact that hatchbacks have dominated the Indian car market for a long time. The main reasons behind this are high affordability, compactness, decent output and high fuel efficiency. Maruti Suzuki Alto 800 is one such compact passenger car that has performed consistently in the Indian market ever since its launch. It is one of the most successful cars of Maruti Suzuki and has helped the manufacturer to register excellent sales figures. The price of Alto 800 falls between Rs. 2.45 lakh and Rs. 3.65 lakh, which makes this hatchback suitable for families with a small budget. Alto 800 boasts of a unique Wave Front Design, petal shaped headlamps, stylish grille and designer bumper that offer it an appealing look. Interiors look refreshing and come with utility space in the centre console. This vehicle offers a mileage of up to 22.74 kmpl in petrol and 30.46 km/kg in CNG versions. It comes with an optional driver side airbag for safety and also uses high strength steel for ensuring better occupant protection.
Those who prefer hatchbacks, but can bear a slightly higher cost, can go for Hyundai i10. This vehicle costs between Rs. 3.79 lakh and Rs. 6.26 lakh. Since its launch in India, this hatchback has bagged several awards owing to its driveability, efficiency, affordability and comfort. It offers a mileage of up to 20.36 kmpl, which is respectable. Exteriors of this model are marked by clear wraparound headlamps and rear combination lamps while interiors feature two-tone colour combination (beige and brown), blue interior illumination and chrome packaging. Hyundai i10 is available in both manual and automatic transmission versions. Safety features include Anti-lock Braking System (ABS), rigid safety structure and dual front airbags. For convenience, this hatchback comes with features like appealing instrument cluster, reverse parking sensors and shift indicator display.
Honda Amaze, launched in 2013, is slowly becoming a customers' favourite in India. The retail price of this sedan is between Rs. 5.15 lakh and Rs. 7.77 lakh. Also, one can certainly think of getting a diesel version of Honda Amaze as it comes with a highly fuel efficient 1.5-litre i-DTEC diesel engine, which is capable of producing 98 bhp of power. The mileage, according to company claims, of the diesel version of Amaze is of up to 25.8 kmpl, which is quite impressive.
Those who need a utility vehicle with an affordable price will find Ford EcoSport as one of the most obvious choices. The price of this vehicle starts from Rs. 5.82 lakh and goes till Rs. 9.37 lakh. This vehicle comes under compact utility vehicle segment and boasts of a number of exciting features for an enhanced driving experience. Incorporation of Ford Synch Technology enhances convenience levels for the driver. This vehicle also boasts of easy hill starts, key-less entry, push-button start and 60:40 split rear seats. Besides, new customers can find a number of other highly sought after features that make for a sheer-driving pleasure in city and on highways.
Last in the list is Maruti Suzuki Ertiga, which is considered by many as the best family car in India. Interestingly, this vehicle is referred as a Life Utility Vehicle (LUV) by Maruti Suzuki. The price of this full-fledged utility vehicle lies between Rs. 5.98 lakh and Rs. 8.77 lakh. It has got a powerful and responsive engine for offering a superior performance. For big families, Ertiga is considered an ideal choice as it comes with an ergonomically designed seating arrangement, which is good enough to accommodate 7 people comfortably. The diesel version of Ertiga offers a mileage of around 20.77 kmpl while petrol variant returns a fuel economy of 16.02 kmpl.
