[Bagheera]

With my experience of owning CSUV, a downside I have come across is that elderly women of short stature has difficulty "climbing" up/down due to the high GC. Also due to the high GC and shorter wheel base in CSUVs, stiffer suspension is expected. Even then nose dives and body roll can be noticed.

For a comfy ride with soft suspension and high speed stability, sedans are still the way to go. Similarly hatches remains to be a good choice for a fun to drive corner carver. With mass market going for SUVs, hot/warm hatches are coming back. Let's hope manufacturers focus more on these FTD hatches to keep the segments relevant and also make us driving enthusiasts happy.

[landcruiser123]

With established brands like the Hyundai i20, we're well past the point of pricing I'd personally consider "sensible." The weaker brands might be tempted to give up hatches for crossovers for more profits. Example - Honda, which treats its Jazz in a step-motherly fashion.

Hyundai & Maruti will sell the i20 and Baleno - the sales figures prove there is still a buyer for the hatchbacks.

Originally Posted by PrideRed

The equation has changed only because of Magnite/Kiger, which are priced below i20/Baleno/Jazz. Else the hatchback are always cheaper than sub 4-M SUV.

Aren't the cheaper variants of Magnite/Kiger powered by the lame 1.0 NA engine?

[PrideRed]

Originally Posted by landcruiser123

Aren't the cheaper variants of Magnite/Kiger powered by the lame 1.0 NA engine?

They do, but top spec come with Turbo petrol costing similar as NA Baleno. The base variant of i20 comes 1.2NA which is underpowered too.

[pavi]

Underpowered petrol engine, lame petrol engine etc. seems to be having negligible effect in the market. If we notice the Altroz petrol diesel sale ratio, the lame petrol engine contributes to more than 90%. There are lot of people who buy cars with out a test drive, and also those who don't know how to drive. So having a turbo petrol engine is great, but having a NA petrol engine may be even better for the company to make volumes.

I am facing difficulty in making people understand that my Rapid has a turbo charged one liter engine which makes more Torque and almost same power as my Honda City. Still some people are asking "still one liter is less than your old WagonR 1.1".

[chinmaypillay]

Hatchbacks and CSUV's will remain IMO. I believe the compact sedan (sub 4m) segment will start losing its sheen going forward due to CSUV as the prices are negligible and growing love of SUV forms are not lessening.

Apart from the ground clearance, I don't particularly prefer the CSUV segment as it is neither here nor there. Hatchbacks are more fun, chuckable and ride better than most of the pseudo SUV's. Most of the Csuv are cramped in the rear space, exception of Nexon/XUV300.

There is also a difference in the price of the base variants of the hatchbacks and CSUV's. The suv goes upwards of 8 lakhs on road for the base variant whereas the hatchbacks start at around 7 on road.

Form factor may influence many buyers to get the compact SUV, and many would also feel it is an upgrade from the hatchbacks they have owned earlier without breaking the bank. For example, a swift owner in the pre 2010's would feel it logical to upgrade to CSUV to feel a change from the hatchback form.

Maybe I am too positive, but as others have mentioned with more than capable vehicles like Altroz present I do not see this segment dying anytime soon. Love to drive and chuck around corners? nothing beats a Polo or a Figo for the matter.

[Vasanth]

Sorry. I would not go for any Pseudo or Pretender SUVs no matter how good it is. If I want a SUV in the future, I will save up the money and buy a real SUV.
The word ‘SUV’ today has nothing to do with its capabilities. And it has got saturated. A jacked up hatchback giving it more ground clearance makes it SUV? Every manufacturer comes up with their stats saying ‘class leading ground clearance’
A real SUV has 4WD, low range gearbox, larger profile tyres, body on frame chassis, off road modes and what not.
I would go for a premium hatchback instead of pretending King of the road.

[COMMUTER]

I feel that these supposed "CompactED SUV's" have nothing more to offer over a solid hatch than a few side claddings. Even the advantage of bigger tires can be negated by a simple up-size. The taller stance is available even in a WagonR. The 'butch' looks are matched by Kwid or Spresso(unless they too are construed to be SUVs), especially so in the case of Venue and Brezza by most who are not enthusiasts.

An SUV is a vehicle that has much higher off-road capability than other vehicle. Jimny or Gurkha will be a compact SUV, not any other hatch with side cladings.

[venkyhere]

as Jeremy Clarkson would say about C/P/So (compact/pretender/Softoroader) SUVs :
- why would anyone want a taller version of a hatchback, that rides and handles worse than the original, and pay more to buy it, is beyond me.

[Kosfactor]

Originally Posted by venkyhere

as Jeremy Clarkson would say about C/P/So (compact/pretender/Softoroader) SUVs :
- why would anyone want a taller version of a hatchback, that rides and handles worse than the original, and pay more to buy it, is beyond me.

Jeremy Clarkson is an entertainer and he lives in a different world altogether, so you can take it for what it is and have a good laugh. I`m a big fan.

The difference between a hatch and a compact SUV will be apparent when you decide to take a road trip.

[noo.b]

Originally Posted by shancz

Advantage for hatchbacks is driving dynamics and more comfortable seating including the rear seat. Also preference of people whether they want the driving position to be low slung or high up. .

As someone who has the misfortune of owning both the Baleno and a Vitara Brezza i can confirm that the driving dynamics and seating comfort is purely subjective.

While both of my cars are no great handlers , the Baleno is worse off, maybe due to its horrible steering . Rear seat comfort is way better on the Brezza, its not even a competition.

Yet to come across a CSUV whose rear bench may be less comfortable than a large hatch...oh wait.. did someone say Venue or Sonet?

Originally Posted by GTO

No man. Primary reason = the hatchbacks are usually cheaper. Crossovers are profit machines for car manufacturers.

Choosing between the two is tricky & entirely depends on the car, not the body style. I would pick an Altroz over the Nexon, an i20 over the Venue, but I'd get the EcoSport over a Figo and a Kia Sonet over pretty much any premium hatchback. I love the Sonet!

Hyundai is fast blurring the lines with the pricing of the i20 and the Jazz isn't cheap either.

I feel over time the large hatchment segment will be completely devoured by the CSUVs, unless the price gap wodens

[ac 427]

SUV and Hatchbacks.
MSUV (MicroSUVs), CSUV(Compact SUV) unless there is something SUVish in the SUV, I recommend drop the CSUV,MSUV. The Large hatches are honest to what they are. They dont pretend something they aren't.

The nexon though, is a different car, it started out as an Hatcback alternative (I wouldn't call any SUV, that doesnt afford/allow a 4wd option as an CSUV, MSUV.) and thats what it has been. I would still call it an Hatchback.

So yes, I would go for the Balenos, Altroz, Polos, Nexons.

Another thing my mind cant get around is a the engine sizes of these supposed CSUVs, MSUVs. 1 litre and 1.2 ltre engines in SUVs? Naah. Ill pass

In the end, its your personal perogative.

[PaddleShifter]

Between a compact SUV and a large hatch, I’d stick with a compact SUV provided it offers good space (Nexon/Brezza rather than a Venue/Sonet) and seating comfort. Ride quality should be a secondary priority in such a scenario though. If ride quality is the first preference then large hatch all the way.

Compact SUVs offers good under thigh support with a higher seating position which is an important aspect for those who drive frequently on the highways. This takes care of the seating comfort.

Regarding space, compact SUVs live on the border where they don’t offer a significantly better space than a large hatch.

This brings the equation to the need for ground clearance based on the type of roads one intends to drive upon.

If low GC is an issue on roughly more than 5% of the roads, it is wiser to go for a compact SUV without a doubt.

I hope India gets more cars like the MS S-Cross. Its a >4m crossover that takes care of the space issue as well without costing a bomb (priced almost at par with compact SUVs). It may not look like a SUV, but compact SUVs aren’t one either.

Originally Posted by venkyhere

as Jeremy Clarkson would say about C/P/So (compact/pretender/Softoroader) SUVs :
- why would anyone want a taller version of a hatchback, that rides and handles worse than the original, and pay more to buy it, is beyond me.

Someone who frequently drives on difficult terrains would be better off in a compact SUV that has a far lesser tendency to scrape its belly.

[silverado]

Originally Posted by terra85

I would expect that the sub-4m SUVs will eventually kill off the large hatchbacks. The smaller ones like Tiago, Swift, etc will survive. The sedans again, would appeal to a different demographic who want a 3 box sedan.

Any thoughts on this?

The game has changed after BS6. Sub4m SUV's are not as light as hatchbacks and hence they are less fuel efficient when running on Petrol.

While if you compare space, both inside and in boot its almost identical.
And how many people are going to use that extra high GC anyways, not many i guess.
While i do agree rear seat comfort and ingree/egress is better in compact SUV, but that cannot be the deciding factor for me if i had to put my money.

In petrol only guise, premium hatchbacks are winners.
I feel sedans are losing their game as there are more practical offerings being served in form of Sub4m SUV/premium hatchbacks.

[Lowflyer23]

I'd say spend some more and get a compact SUV with solid suspension not the ones derived from hatchback. You would realise the importance of the added practicality and ground clearance on those state highway entrance and exits. The higher seating position too helps a lot in conditions where there is low visibility ex: fog. When I just started driving the same height would make me feel more body roll but once you get used to the vehicle, the advantages are plenty.

Now when we look back we are glad that we picked up the EcoSport when we almost finalized on Honda city, the roads to my village are horrible and so remote and broken that none of the maps work there. And not to sound like a fanboy, but there is not even a squeak or a rattle anywhere from our EcoSport.

[Altocumulus]

For me Compact SUVs are like Veg Biryani. A scam ! No offense to Vegetarians. It's just my opinion.

In terms of practicality and space they donot offer anything more than a hatchback. Still a 5 seater and sometimes more cramped than some hatches around e.g Ecosport. Even when you go to the Maruti website, an Spresso is under the MUV/SUV dropdown along with Ertiga and Brezza. They sell in India mainly because of the roads we have and the 'SUV' marketing. Also the SUV definition is India is very misleading. SUV or sports utility vehicles, should have offroad capabilities and 4WD. Else it is an MUV or a bloated hatch. Again just my opinion.