Maruti-Suzuki is the India’s largest car manufacturer. It holds over 50 percent of the market share and has managed to do so for many years now. To give you perspective how big they really are, the nearest competition holds just 20-25 percent of market share. Having said that, brand’s like Maruti never sit idle waiting for competition to catch up and are always making cars to suit the evolving buyer’s needs.
Case in point, Maruti’s massive list of budget hatchbacks that you can buy, spread out across a broad spectrum of budgets. Maruti-Suzuki is the only carmaker in India to offer such a wide array of products and 7 of its products are priced less than INR 5 Lakh, a segment most of the middle-class Indians aspire to purchase. In fact, talking of the complete product list, none of Maruti-Suzuki’s products have a starting price of more than INR 10 Lakh, highlighting the kind of importance the Indo-Japanese lays on the budget offering, despite 12 products in its portfolio.
Hence, we have created a list of the top 5 budget Maruti Suzuki hatchbacks you can buy in India under INR 5 Lakh:
Maruti Suzuki Alto
Price – INR 2.95 Lakh
Small cars make for some of the wisest of choices for Indian roads. Not only are they affordable for buyers but a large section of the Indian population can only afford reasonably priced cars. Small cars also prove to be less of a hassle when driving in bothersome traffic through the city. If these aspects appeal to you, then the Maruti Alto stands as the rightful choice for your next purchase.
The Maruti Alto is also among the most fuel-efficient cars in the country with a 48bhp, 800cc engine that is claimed to deliver 22.05kmpl, making it one of the most affordable day-to-day runner as well. In its BS-VI avatar, the car comes with more features and subtle changes to the exterior as well. The Alto is priced starting from INR 2.95 lakh for the Standard variant.
Maruti Suzuki S-Presso
Price – INR 3.71 Lakh
The Maruti-Suzuki S-Presso embodies the formula of a successful car in the micro-SUV segment. The segment which is a new found love for many Indian buyers. The intention this time around was to make the SUV segment more accessible to customers. Prices for the car start at INR 3.71 lakh for the STD variant and goes up to INR 5.14 lakh (ex-showroom) for the VXi (O) CNG version.
It’s top-rung VXi plus trim gets manual air conditioning, front-only power windows, a touchscreen multimedia system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, cup and bottle holders upfront. It also gets steering mounted controls for audio and Bluetooth telephony. However, it misses out on a lock-unlock button, a rear wash-wipe and a dimming feature on the interior rear view mirror. The Maruti S-Presso is powered by the same K10 engine that powered the Alto K10, and essentially replaced the Alto K10 in India. The engine comes is BS-VI compliant, produces 64 bhp and 90 Nm of torque. Transmission duties are taken care of by a 5-speed manual transmission as standard. There’s also an AMT on offer.
Maruti Suzuki Celerio
Price – INR 4.41 Lakh
Another litre-class product from Maruti-Suzuki’s extensive stable is the Celerio hatchback. The car promises to be a more youthful version of the Wagon R with a curvy design and a funky cabin. However, unlike the Maruti Wagon R, the Celerio hasn’t managed to attract many buyers.
It is offered with only a 1.0-litre engine but has a CNG option as well for those looking for better mileage from the petrol motor. There’s also an AMT gearbox option for those looking for relief from traffic. The engine produces 67bhp and 90Nm of torque. The starting price tag for the Maruti Celerio is INR 4.41 lakh (ex-showroom). The company has also added a Celerio X to the range, giving the hatchback a more rugged appeal to attract a wider audience. The Celerio X gets plastic body cladding and roof rails to make it look macho compared to standard Celerio.
Maruti Suzuki Wagon R
Price – INR 4.46 Lakh
The Maruti-Suzuki Wagon R has been one of the most popular badges in country for the past 2 decades. The car has had plenty of positives that have worked in its favour over the years. It was easy to get in and out of, had an airy cabin and a versatile interior made it quite practical. In its new generation version, Maruti has tried to build on these strengths and address the old car's weaknesses.
The new-gen Wagon R comes with a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system that dominates proceedings. It’s a brand-new unit and it features Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. With the new SmartPlay studio, you also get offline navigation and many more features. The new Wagon R comes with two engine options. In the lower variants, you get the same 1.0-litre engine as the previous generation. If you choose to buy the higher variants, you get the larger 1.2-litre K12 engine from the Ignis and the Swift. The 1.0-litre engine puts out 68 hp and returns 21.79 kmpl. The 1.2-litre, on the other hand, has an output of 83 hp and returns 20.52 kmpl. Prices for the car start at INR 4.46 lakh (ex-showroom).
Maruti Suzuki Ignis
Price – INR 4.89 Lakh
Last on our list, is the Maruti-Suzuki Ignis premium hatchback. It retails through Maruti's upmarket NEXA range of dealerships and not its regular Maruti Suzuki Arena dealerships, unlike all the cars mentioned above. This also means that it is the most affordable NEXA car you can buy in India, with a starting price tag of INR 4.89 lakh (ex-showroom).
The Ignis was launched as a unique offering in India with a tall-boy design, wide dimension, aeroplane-style toggle switches and lots of cabin space to entice young buyers. More than a budget offering, Maruti refers to the Ignis as a lifestyle product. The car gets a 1.2-litre petrol engine in the same state of tune as the Swift and Baleno. It produces 84bhp and 113 Nm torque. However, the Ignis hasn't managed to be as successful as the rest of the Maruti's line-up, despite a competitive price tag.
*Note: All prices ex-showroom
