The battle of India's best entry-level hatchbacks. Which one to pick?

Back in the 90s, the Maruti 800 was the car to own. Frugal, conservative and potent, it was the first four-wheeler for the masses. Three decades on, the dynamics of the entry level hatchback market has shifted completely.

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People now want hatchbacks for the convenience they offer. One can always book an UberPOOL or Ola Share otherwise. There are a lot of expectations from small cars these days. They have to be something that’ll make their owner proud, while still being affordable.

With a steady influx of new auto manufacturers, and smart cost-cutting, car companies today are churning out hatchbacks that’ll put ones from a higher class to shame.

We took the top spec versions of three of the best to find out which one’s best suited for you.

Competition:

The Hyundai Eon caught the imagination of small car buyers since its launch. While none of the ones in this test can match the Alto 800 or Alto K10 in terms of sales numbers, it’s no point denying Hyundai offered a delicious combination of features, refinement and practicality that was hard to miss.

Then came the Renault Kwid, with its tall boy design with SUV-ish looks and completely stole the Eon’s thunder. Even the sales numbers say so. In Oct 2015, Eon sold 6479 units, while the Kwid sold 5195 units. Last month (May 2016), the Eon sold just 3634 units, while Kwid saw 5600 units.

So what’s there to die for in the Kwid? Have a look.

For a car in this price range you get a large touch-screen infotainment system, class-leading boot and an engine tweaked for best-in-class fuel efficiency (over 25 kmpl).

The recently launched Datsun Redi-Go is the Kwid’s sibling in more ways than one. The two cars share the same engine, body frame and much more. The Redi-Go and it’s trying to carve a place for itself in the most popular automotive segment of the country. That means it’ll have to take on its own kiln to really leave a mark. Nothing like sibling rivalry.

Engine Specifications
On paper, the Hyundai Eon is the most powerful car in the segment while the Kwid and Redi-Go share the identical 3 cylinders 799cc petrol engine. While none of these are really driver’s cars, I’d choose the Eon over the competition on this front. In terms of refinement, newer doesn’t necessarily mean better as the Kwid and the Redi-GO leave much to be desired. No complaints about the Hyundai here though.

Coming to the all-pervasive figure of fuel efficiency, the Redi-GO and Kwid take the lead with their class-leading 25.17 kmpl, while the Eon returns 21.1kmpl.

Dimensions & Space

The Kwid has the biggest boot in the segment (300 lts), while the Redi Go comes in second (222 lts) and the Eon trails in third (215 lts). The Kwid is also the longest and widest of the lot. The Redi-GO is the tallest, and has the best headroom.

The Eon is fine when looked in isolation, it’s just the competition has moved further ahead.

Features

The Kwid dominates the pack again with its seven-inch touch-screen infotainment system with navigation. The Eon offers nifty features like Internally Adjustable Outside Mirrors, while the Datsun Redi-GO, for that price offers Front Power Windows.

In terms of quality, however, the Eon feels more premium, the Kwid comes in a close second, while the Redi-GO trails behind with its spartan interiors.

Overall, the Kwid has the best features. The Eon comes in a close second, while the Redi-Go is good, but not outright impressive.

Verdict

The Eon desperately needs an upgrade to keep up with the Jonses. The Redi-GO has a fresh design, and is yet cheaper than the Kwid. If the company’s after-sales service can keep up, the Redi-GO can potentially see serious on-road numbers In India.

However, as things stand, there’s not toppling the Kwid.