[NiInJa]

India did have its fair share of experiments with larger hatchbacks before the sub 4 meter rule came. The Chevrolet SR-V, Opel Corsa Sail, Accent Viva (not sure if that qualified as 'hatchback') are some examples I can think of, The last proper premium hatchback (compared to the competition at that time) that I remember was the Honda Jazz of first generation. The market didn't accept all the above cars very well.

I would say the Hyundai i-20 made the segment really work and it started from there, maybe changing market dynamics and India's growing purchasing power helped too. But that is about it, premium hatchbacks will not grow from here, it will stay niche just like VW Polo GT or the Baleno RS, as the price overlap with CSUVs wont justify their existence.

Also 'status' quotient still exists in India. A proper hatchback at the end of the day is still considered 'choti gaadi' even if one spends a lot on it

[lamborghini]

Honestly, IMO given the road conditions - I see the market for compact cross-overs increasing more than a premium hatchback.

The VW GTi mentioned: they had to reduce the price by nearly Rs. 7-8 Lakh to get it moving off the floors.

Similarly, the A Class isn't doing that great either, and the B Class is even worse.

While I love the idea of a nice premium hatchback, I still feel it will work only in limited numbers in larger cities as a second car.

In smaller cities - a bigger car is a status symbol.

That aside, not to mention the conditions of the roads - from having an entire garage consisting of hatchbacks & sedans (5-6 vehicles total), 2 out of our last four purchases were SUVs/Cross-overs.

That too because the two sedans were bought strictly for a specific reason (mom uses the Corolla because she hates SUVs, and similarly she won't be too excited by a premium hatchback compared to the Corolla's excellent rear seat; and the second sedan - a pre-owned 328i bought as a fun vehicle but the road conditions means an out of city trip is a lot more challenging).

In fact, after a recent trip to Mahabaleshwar - two friends who have also had only sedans & hatches in the garage have upgraded / are keen to upgrade to a compact SUV like the Creta / SP etc.

IMO - the Crossover / SUV craze is not just a trend, but it is going to be a long term direction taken by the market at a huge impact to Sedans, and a little hit to the hatchback market as well.

EDIT: Personally, I don't like it. They cost more, consumer more fuel, etc. Better roads & infra could change this for the better, but until then it is going to be a direction the market will take.

[oxyzen]

Originally Posted by jailbird_fynix

It would be cool if these cars made it to India -
Hyundai Veloster
Ford Focus

I have driven the Hyundai Velostar & is not a great car to drive. They were giving out 40$ Amazon voucher to test drive one.

Focus is a great car, but the real charmer is the Fiesta ST. If launched in India within 15L On road, it would be great, but looking at Abarth Punto, I dont think they would do it.

Today i20 top end / Polo GT costs 10L+ on road and still finds takers. Clearly there is a market. Just need a good product in the 10-15 L range.

- May be an AWD.
- May be one with cooled seats as the summers are getting hotter.
- May be something with 7 yrs warranty.
- Anyway a 1.2L Turbo + a good AT has to be standard for the asking price.

[Vishfull]

Luxury need not mean more space no? Imagine a jazz with a powerful engine and features of civic! There are a lot of people who stick to hatch instead of csuvs due to parking space constraints and easier maneuverability. In the end an i20 can be parked far more easily than a creta.

[braindead]

Honda E and VW Id3 seem to be the perfect contenders for this category.

Neither is cheap, but both are electric, compact, loaded with tech, agile, 50/50 weight distribution, rear wheel drive and have a super tight turning circle. It seems to be a new template for urban runabouts, and I like this approach to small cars very much.

[procrastinator]

Many buyers who can afford to buy sedan or SUV are preferring premium hatchbacks.

The dimensions make them easy to drive and park in city limits yet offer enough space to accommodate 5 people and decent boot for a trip.

Unsurprisingly, compact SUVs are selling like hot cakes.

They are better with space and ground clearance and have similar dimensions.

A large hatchback will look cool but remains hatchback from other perspective.

The only grouse is puny petrol engines.

With cars getting turbocharged engines, the trend for sub 4m cars will stay.

The features list will grow and so will be their price.

The potential in India is hybrid cars.

If battery technology and cost to buy it improves, cheaper versions can be mass produced. This can also change the trend in people to smaller cars for commute and a large car for trip or occasional runs.

[Shreyans_Jain]

Originally Posted by Vishfull

Luxury need not mean more space no? Imagine a jazz with a powerful engine and features of civic! There are a lot of people who stick to hatch instead of csuvs due to parking space constraints and easier maneuverability. In the end an i20 can be parked far more easily than a creta.

Not just engine and feature specs, but actual build and material quality, refinement and depth of engineering should also be similar. Basically none of the cost cutting our manufacturers so happily do with their current so called premium hatches.

[JishD]

The Venue perfectly fits the bill of a premium hatchback if you look beyond the forced positioning of compact SUV by the Hyundai folks

[adisag]

I'd say there is definitely a market for small and manouverable "premium and luxury" hatchbacks. What defines premium and luxury here is not size or road presence, but top notch materials, excellent fit and finishes, good insulation, peppy and refined drivetrains etc.

Pricepoints, maybe as much as 1.5 times an otherwise comparable product. People already prefer a Polo GT Tsi over the base petrol version (this even when they look just the same), so clearly there is a market for premium and luxury.

[1100D]

I love the idea of a premium Hatchback. Was driving behind this a few minutes back. Being Diesel would be very light on the wallet as well!

[Frankazoid!!!]

I believe our market has evolved enough to allow for multiple body styles in the same price bracket. If manufacturers were to offer a premium hatch for the same price as c-segment sedans I am sure there would buyers for it.

I have owned a VW Polo and loved it to bits. The only reason I sold it and got a Jetta is for the extra space (passenger & boot) and safety features. However the Jetta though a brilliant car in its own right is too big and cumbersome for my needs especially for my wife in a city environment.

A VW Golf sized hatch with a sub 20 lakh on road price would be perfect. I like the S-cross but the engine options are unexciting and no auto transmission. In fact there is just one engine option now since the 1.6 has been discontinued.

What is a non-SUV loving guy to do in this market?

[porsche_guy]

Originally Posted by JishD

The Venue perfectly fits the bill of a premium hatchback if you look beyond the forced positioning of compact SUV by the Hyundai folks

I would say the Venue isn't anywhere close to what I'm talking of. It is, when you think of it not in a premium segment at all! The engines on offer are puny compared to say a Creta and so are it's dimensions.

What I'm talking of is an absolutely fully loaded hatchback with probably the engines and features of its sibling crossover. Think of it as like a 150+ HP hatchback with 360 degree cameras, power adjustable seats, panoramic sunroof, 8 airbags etc. under 20 lakhs and you'll get the gist

Cheers!

[giri1.8]

We can't be sure if a particular style will rise in demand, people seem to love cars that are tall, most car makers just jack up their hatch and call it an SUV, people buy them. Line between what can be called an SUV or a Hatch has blurred thanks to this craze with seat height.

Next change would be cars low to ground and sleek looking would start to attract attention. Just my silly guess. Grass is always greener on the other side.

[motorworks]

Originally Posted by 1100D

I love the idea of a premium Hatchback. Was driving behind this a few minutes back. Being Diesel would be very light on the wallet as well!

Attachment 1896538

But that is a Panamera! Not a hatchback by any standards!

I think the topic is about premium hatchbacks, like the 1series or even a VW Golf. Something that is primarily a hatchback, compact in size, but has the features and appeal of a D segment sedan.

In my view, that particular market in India is the trend of compact SUVs. You may have smaller SUV looking premium hatchbacks being launched, but no scope for a proper premium hatch like the Golf or Audi A1 etc.

Im guessing that the luxury manufacturers like Audi and BMW would end up with smaller compact SUVs than hatchbacks.

[1100D]

Originally Posted by motorworks

But that is a Panamera! Not a hatchback by any standards!

You mean that's not a "Hatch" on it's back!!!



Even Ferrari has a small Hatchback with a small engine 3.9 liter V8