2011 has been quite eventful for auto enthusiasts in India, who saw many new cars hitting the roads. The highlight was that each new automobile tried to one up others in its segment and create a market for itself with class-leading features, attractive looks and reasonable price tags. All major manufacturers launched new cars in variegated segments in a bid to satiate their taste for new vehicles. Leading car makers like Maruti, Honda, Hyundai, Mahindra and Tata introduced class leading vehicles that may end up being game changers in the highly competitive Indian auto market.
In the small car segment, Hyundai hopes to replace the wildly successful Maruti Suzuki 800 with an offering of its own, called Eon. This 814 cc car is attractive to look at and assimilated with a number of technologies that are presently not available in its competitors. Assimilated with a 5 speed manual transmission system, the car's engine can successfully render 55 hp power and 75 Nm torque. With an asking price of just Rs. 2.69 lacs, this vehicle may end being the trump card that will help the Korean car maker in becoming the biggest in India.
Honda Brio is another small car that forayed into India in 2011, though its starting price is Rs. 3.5 lacs, placing it above Eon. It looks unconventional due to its 'Double Triangle' design and has been developed as per the Japanese car maker's 'man maximum, machine minimum' concept. This vehicle also offers excellent drive quality, good fuel economy of 18.4 kmpl and many active and passive safety features.
Mahindra XUV 500 is a Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV) that has already made waves in India due to its excellent features, rugged construction and a competitive price tag. Due to the unprecedented market response that the car received, the company had to close bookings as the demand exceeded supply manifolds. The car sports a price tag of Rs. 10.8 lacs for the base model and Rs. 12.88 lacs for the top one, which is a surprise considering the car's features.
Tata Aria, the luxury SUV from the stables of Tata, was also launched in a 4X2 version in India. Compared to the 4X4 version, this model costs a whopping Rs. 1.30 lacs lesser and sets many industry benchmarks. It has a low floor design that allows passengers to simply walk in instead of climb. The car draws many similarities from its first version, though the drive quality remains the same. The company would certainly be hoping that this vehicle will turn out to be the ace in the hole that it needs to capture the luxury SUV market of India.
Coming to sedans, the most notable launches this year were Skoda Rapid and Hyundai Verna Fluidic, which won customer's hearts with their appealing looks. While Verna Fluidic, a refurbished version of the Verna, boasts of an aggressive look, Rapid sports the trademark Skoda grille and many features that put it ahead of or at par with any sedan available in India today. Volkswagen Vento is the sibling of Skoda Rapid and both share many features with each other, not just the interior and exterior designs. However, the lower price tag of Rapid puts it ahead of Vento in India.
With so many new cars zooming on roads today, it is no surprise that India has become the fastest growing car market in the world.
