[A M]

I am curious to know which is the first car that comes to the minds of BHPians when they think of a segment?

The idea is not to compare the cars based on performance, design, VFM factor etc. but just to list down the car that defines the segment for you. It may not be the best car in that segment as of now. I have skipped a lot of segments because there is no car that comes to my mind in those segments. Please feel free to add more segments and list down the cars.

For starters, I am listing down which car come to my mind.

- Entry level hatchback - Kwid

- Premium Hatchback - Swift

- Performance Hatchbacks - Abarth Punto

- C-segment sedan - Honda City

- Compact crossover - Ford Ecosport

- D-segment sedan - Skoda Superb

- ~30 lakh SUV - Ford Endeavour

- Entry level luxury sedan - C class

- Mid level luxury sedan - 5 series

- Luxury limousine - S class

- Luxury SUV - Range Rover

- Ultra Luxury Sedans - Rolls Royce Phantom

(MODS - Please move it to the appropriate section in the forum if you think it is the wrong section. Thanks.)

[sathya.bhat]

My entry

- Entry level hatchback - Hyundai Santro (May be because it is my first car)

- Premium Hatchback - Hyundai i20

- Performance Hatchbacks - VW Polo GT

- C-segment sedan - Maruti Suzuki Ciaz

- Compact crossover - Renault Duster

- D-segment sedan - Honda Accord

- ~30 lakh SUV - Ford Endeavour, newer one

- Luxury SUV - Range Rover

- Small Sports car: Mazda MX-5

[AkMar]

My choices:

- Entry level hatchback - Maruti Alto

-Mid segment Hatchback - Tata Tiago

- Premium Hatchback - VW Polo/Hyundai i20

- Performance Hatchbacks - Abarth Punto

- Compact sedan - None in particular

- C-segment sedan - Maruti Ciaz

- Compact crossover - Ford Ecosport

- D-segment sedan - Toyota Corolla Altis

- ~30 lakh SUV - Ford Endeavour

[AYP]

My choices-

A segment- Kwid

B1 segment- Wagon R

B2 segment- Swift

Premium hatch- I20

C1 segment- Ameo

C2 segment- City

D1 segment- Jetta

D2 segment- Superb

Entry level luxury- 3 series

Mid level luxury- 5 series

High luxury- S class

Ultra luxury- Phantom

Sportscar- Aventador

Hypercar- Veyron

Some of them are my segment favourites, while some of them have just been able to cement their position as the benchmark or the 'face' of a particular segment. No mentions of SUV's as I am not counting them as a different segment, rather a part of a specific segment consisting of multiple body types. I am more of a sedan guy.

[Muski]

Entry level hatchback - Alto 800

- Premium Hatchback - Hyundai elite i20

- Performance Hatchbacks - Polo GT

- C1 segment - Ameo

- C2-segment - Honda City

- Compact crossover - Duster

- D1-segment sedan - Toyota Corolla Altis

-D2 segment sedan - VW Passat

- ~30 lakh SUV - Honda CRV

- Entry level luxury sedan - Toyota Camry

- Mid level luxury- 5 series

- High luxury- Lexus 450d

- DreamCar - 1969 Camaro RS

[CarguyNish]

Here's my take on the Best Cars in their Respective Segments.

Note - I recommend these same cars when someone asks for suggestions.

Entry Hatch - Renault Kwid
Small Hatchback - Tata Tiago
Premium Hatchback - Maruti Baleno
Performance Hatchback - VW Polo GTI

Compact Sedan - Aspire (Diesel MT) /Ameo (Diesel AT) /Xcent (Petrol MT) /Amaze (Petrol AT)
Entry Level Sedan - Honda City
Executive Sedan - Jetta
Premium Sedan - Superb (P/D) / Camry Hybrid

Entry Luxury Sedan - BMW 3 Series
Premium Luxury Sedan - Mercedes Benz E Class LWB
Luxury Sedan - Mercedes Benz S Class
Limousine - MayBach 600

Scudo Crossover - Hyundai i20 Active
Compact SUV - Ford Ecosport
Premium SUV - Hyundai Tuscon (Diesel) / Honda CR-V (Petrol)
SUV - Mahindra XUV 5OO
4x4 SUV (Offroader) - Ford Endeavour (AT) / Toyota Fortuner (MT)
Entry Luxury SUV - BMW X1
Mid Luxury SUV - BMW X3
Luxury SUV - Volvo S90
Super Luxury SUV - Range Rover

Compact MPV - Maruti Ertiga
Premium MPV - Toyota Innova Crysta

Last but not the least - I love each & every sports car that is present in the Automotive Lineup, because each of them are unique. That's why there isn't much competition amongst them. Whoever wants one, gets one which appeals to the heart more & also based on how much one is spending.

[Ajay_the_Don]

- Entry level hatchback - Alto

- Premium Hatchback - Elite i20

- Performance Hatchbacks - Polo GTi

- C-segment sedan - Honda City

- Compact crossover - Vitara Brezza

- D-segment sedan - Skoda Octavia

- ~30 lakh SUV - Pajero Sports

- Entry level luxury sedan - Audi A4

- Mid level luxury sedan - BMW 5 series

- Luxury limousine - Audi A8L

- Luxury SUV - Range Rover

- Ultra Luxury Sedans - Mercedes Benz S-Class

[SmartCat]

Since I read a lot, almost all the cars come to my mind when I think of a segment. And I have no particular favorites in each segment either. Each car has its own set of strengths and weaknesses. There is no "best" car.

Now this would be a slightly more interesting question - Which car regularly slips out your mind when you think of a segment?

Eg: Premier Rio, Nissan Micra, Renault Fluence

[DCEite]

- Entry level hatchback - Alto K10

- Premium Hatchback - Hyundai i20

- Compact Sedan - Maruti DZire

- Performance Hatchbacks - Polo GT

- C-segment sedan - Honda City

- Compact crossover - Ford Ecosport

- D-segment sedan - Skoda Superb

- ~30 lakh SUV - Toyota Fortuner

- Entry level luxury sedan - C class

- Mid level luxury sedan - 5 series

- Luxury limousine - S class

- Luxury SUV - Range Rover

- Ultra Luxury Sedans - Rolls Royce Phantom

[The Brutailer]

My current favourites >

• Entry hatchback : Alto K10
• Premium hatchback : Polo GT TDI
• C segment sedan : Honda City iVtec 1.5
• Compact 'SUV'/Crossover : S Cross 1.6
• D segment sedan : Jetta 2.0 TDI
• Entry level luxury : BMW 3 series
• Mid level luxury : BMW 530D (F10)
• Top end luxury : S Class
• Affordable SUV : Ford Endevour
• Ultra luxury SUV : Range Rover
• Ultra Luxury : Rolls Royce Phantom
• Sports car : Ferrari 458 Italia / Nissan GTR
• Hypercar : McLaren P1

And if you ask my which car I would buy (money no bar) : Ferrari 458 Italia

[carwatcher]

My choices for Cars which comes to my mind/define the segment/recommend to others and (Cars I would personally buy)

Entry Hatch - Renault Kwid (Alto K10)

Mid Level Hatchback - Tata Tiago (Tata Tiago)

Hatchback - Grand i10 (Ignis)

Premium Hatchback - Elite i20 (Maruti Baleno CVT)

Hot Hatch - Punto Abarth (Punto Abarth)

Compact Sedan - Dzire (Aspire)

Sedan - Ciaz (Linea T-Jet)

Premium Sedan - Superb (Superb)

Pseudo X-over - Brezza (Avventura)

Compact SUV - Ford Ecosport (EcoSport A/T)

X-Over 5 Seater - Creta A/T (S-Cross 1.6)

X-Over 7 Seater - XUV 5OO A/T (Hexa)

Premium SUV - Fortuner (Endeavour)

Compact MPV - Maruti Ertiga (Where's the competition)

Premium MPV - Toyota Innova Crysta A/T (Where's the competition)

Luxury Segment - Anything Volvo

[shivkumar19]

My entry


- Entry level hatchback - Maruti 800

- Premium Hatchback - I20

- Performance Hatchbacks - Zen

- C-segment sedan - Honda City

- Compact crossover - Ecosport

- D-segment sedan - Toyota Camry

- 30 lakh SUV - Fortuner

- Mid level luxury sedan - BMW 5 series

- Luxury SUV - Land Rover

[GTO]

Hahaha! Very interesting thread idea. So, you're basically asking our minds what car we define the segment with . You've asked about segments; I once asked about brands - link.

- Entry level hatchback - Alto K10 (Kwid is a close 2nd)

- Premium Hatchback - Elite i20

- Performance Hatchback - Abarth Punto

- C-segment sedan - Honda City

- Compact crossover - Ford EcoSport

- D-segment sedan - Skoda Superb

- ~30 lakh SUV - Ford Endeavour 3.2L

- Entry level luxury sedan - C-Class (sexy CLA is close)

- Mid-level luxury sedan - 2017 E-Class (long wheelbase)

- Luxury limousine - S-Class

- Luxury SUV - Jaguar F-Pace

- Ultra Luxury Sedans - S-Class again. It's better than any Rolls Royce or Bentley

[The Brutailer]

Originally Posted by GTO

- Ultra Luxury Sedans - S-Class again. It's better than any Rolls Royce or Bentley

Why not the Maybach? At that level, price is just another word. Might as well splurge on a Maybach than buying an inferior S-Class.

OT : And IIRC, few iterations back, Rolls Royce didn't have features which even a Hyundai Verna had. But it still defined the segment. Why? Because of ride and the overall cocooning from outside world. Can you guarantee that an S Class or Maybach's ride will equal/better a Rolls Royce over the same uneven patch of road?

[abhishek46]

Wow. What an thoughtful thread.

I wonder if a Poll/Questionnaire could be made out of this.
We could have data for every segment if that could be done.

Here are my answers:

- Entry level hatchback - Alto

- Premium Hatchback - Baleno

- Performance Hatchbacks - Polo GT TSI

- C-segment sedan - Honda City

- Compact crossover - Vitara Brezza

- D-segment sedan - Camry

- ~30 lakh SUV - Fortuner

- Entry level luxury sedan - 3 series

- Mid level luxury sedan - 5 series

- Luxury limousine - S class

- Luxury SUV - Land Cruiser

- Ultra Luxury Sedans - Rolls Royce Phantom