In India, hatchbacks hold much larger importance than their size. In fact, it is their compact size that forms the basis of their importance. With the most compact form, hatchbacks are the easiest to drive through the day-to-day city traffic and what complements their potency is the easy handling and ever more important, affordable prices. All this comes together to make hatchbacks the most practical cars for urban lifestyles and keep them strong in the game despite the ever-rising popularity of SUVs. Nonetheless, June 2024 did not turn out to be a healthy month for hatchbacks as most cars in the segment saw a drop in their year-on-year sales stats. Here are the top-selling hatchbacks of June 2024.
Overview Table
Model | June Sales - 2024 | June Sales - 2023 | Y-O-Y Growth |
Maruti Suzuki Swift | 16,422 | 15,955 | 3% |
Maruti Suzuki Baleno | 14,895 | 14,077 | 6% |
Maruti Suzuki Wagon R | 13,790 | 17,481 | -21% |
Maruti Suzuki Alto K10 | 7,775 | 11,323 | -13% |
Hyundai i20 | 5,315 | 6,162 | -14% |
Tata Tiago | 5,174 | 8,135 | -36% |
Hyundai Grand i10 Nios | 4,948 | 6,321 | -22% |
Toyota Glanza | 4,118 | 3,467 | 19% |
Tata Altroz | 3,937 | 7,250 | -46% |
Maruti Suzuki Celerio | 2,985 | 3,399 | -12% |
Maruti Suzuki Swift
When we talk of the most epic cars in Indian automobile history, the Maruti Swift is a name that cannot be overlooked. This is the car that has been a tremendous force in building the reign of Maruti Suzuki and dictating what most buyers expect of an ideal hatchback in India. As always, the Maruti Swift is the first preference for most Indians who want a reliable and spacious family hatchback that delivers pocket-friendly mileage and drives smoothly. What comes as a bonus is the peppy performance which at the price of the Swift is an appealing perk for driving enthusiasts. On the sales parameter, like last month, Swift has grabbed the title of the best-selling car numerous times. In June 2024, the Maruti Swift sold 16,422 units which is a 3 percent uptick from its sales in June 2023. These sales figures exhibit the dominance Swift has regained after the recent launch of its latest generation.
This new Swift comes with an all-new 1.2-litre three-cylinder Z12E petrol engine mated to the same 5-speed manual gearbox and 5-speed AMT as before. Moreover, it delivers a lucrative mileage of 24.8 km/l with MT and 25.75 km/l with AMT. Currently, Maruti is not offering Swift in the CNG variant, however, it is expected to join the line-up later.
Maruti Suzuki Baleno
To a considerable extent, premium hatchbacks are a niche category and attract niche buyers. Yet, all its life, the Maruti Baleno has sold as well as some hatchbacks and SUVs that attract huge masses. Multiple times, the Baleno has emerged as the best-selling car and is acclaimed as one of the most successful Maruti cars. Its frugal and refined mechanicals, premium ride experience, elegant appearance, and most importantly, the tag of the number one carmaker have been the solid foundations of its grand success. Last month, the Baleno sold 14,895 units, outshining all its rivals by a huge margin, and registering a 6 percent year-on-year growth.
Sharing its engine with the Maruti Swift, the Baleno features the same 1.2-litre Dualjet petrol engine mated to either a 5-speed manual or 5-speed AMT and is also available in CNG-powered variants. As far as mileage is concerned, the Baleno delivers 22.94 km/l from petrol and 30.61 km/kg from CNG.
Maruti Suzuki Wagon R
Being the longest-running Maruti car in India, the Maruti Wagon R is one of the most tried and trusted cars. For decades, the Maruti Wagon R has been famous as a practical car to drive through city traffic thanks to its boxy silhouette, easy handling, and fuel-efficient powertrains. This is why the Maruti Wagon R is a popular choice for most urban buyers as well as commercial fleet operators. Month after month, the Wagon R emerges as one of the best-selling cars, let alone bagging a spot among top-selling hatchbacks. Last month, despite seeing a 21 percent decline in its year-on-year sales, the Wagon R became the third-best-selling hatchback with sales of 13,790 units.
Maruti has equipped Wagon R with two petrol units: a 1-litre petrol engine and a 1.2-litre petrol engine. While both engines are coupled with either a five-speed manual or a five-speed AMT, an optional CNG kit is also available with the 1-litre engine, which comes with only manual Transmission. The Maruti Wagon R delivers a mileage of 25.19 km/l from petrol and 34.05 km/kg from CNG.
Maruti Suzuki Alto K10
Whenever someone looks for an entry-level car in India, the iconic Maruti Alto seems a tried and trusted proposition that comes with the reliability of the industry leader, Maruti Suzuki. This is why the Alto has been and still is the overwhelming favourite of first-time car owners. While, like every other car, the Alto has also faced tight competition in the past, today it has negligible challenges before it as far as rivals are concerned. Despite not being at the peak of its popularity, the Alto is comfortably pulling admirable sales month after month. In June 2024, the Maruti Alto sold 7,775 units, seeing a 13 percent year-on-year drop in its sales.
The mechanicals of Alto K10 include a 1-litre K10C petrol engine mated to a 5-speed manual gearbox and 5-speed automatic transmission. In terms of mileage, the Alto K10 delivers 24.39 – 24.90 km/l from petrol and 33.85 km/kg from CNG.
Hyundai i20
High on style, comfort, and premium quotient, the Hyundai i20 has proven itself as the second best-selling premium hatchback and toughest rival to the Maruti Baleno’s reign at the top. However, due to the ever-growing popularity of compact SUVs, premium hatchbacks are not as popular as they used to be and the Hyundai i20 is no exception. Last month, the Korean hatchback saw a 14 percent decline in its year-on-year performance, selling 5,315 units. Nonetheless, the i20 is still shining bright as one of the best-selling hatchbacks. In addition to the standard i20, Hyundai sells the sportier Hyundai i20 N Line, offering a more exciting car in the segment.
In the i20 line-up, the standard i20 is offered with a 1.2-litre naturally aspirated petrol engine mated to either a 5-speed manual gearbox or a CVT automatic, while the i20 N Line comes with a 1-litre turbo petrol engine paired with either a 6-speed manual gearbox or a 7-speed DCT automatic.
Tata Tiago
Competing with Maruti and Hyundai, especially in the hatchback segment is not an easy task. Yet the Tata Tiago has built a respectable territory and made itself one of the most sought-after cars in the segment. Along with solid passenger safety with its 4-star G-NCAP safety rating, the Tata Tiago offers an eye-catching road appearance and a comfortable family-friendly drive. Nevertheless, like most hatchbacks, the Tiago did not sell as well as it had in June last year. In June 2024, the hatchback collected sales of 5,174 units and saw a 36 percent decline from its sales in June 2023.
The powertrain options of the Tata Tiago consist of a 1.2-litre petrol engine mated to either a 5-speed manual gearbox or a 5-speed AMT. The CNG variants come with the same transmission options and can run 26.49 km/kg, while the Tiago EV comes with two battery options: a 19.2 kWh battery pack and a 24 kWh battery pack that have claimed ranges of 250 km and 315 km respectively.
Hyundai Grand i10 Nios
After Maruti Suzuki, Hyundai has been the second-most-dominant player in the hatchback segment for a long time. Earlier, it was cars like the Santro and the i10 that were the champions of the Korean carmaker and now it is the Grand i10 Nios and the i20. The Grand i10 Nios being affordable of the two is closer to buyers looking for a capable Hyundai hatchback. With ample space, premium interiors and features, and refined powertrains, the Grand i10 Nios has long remained one of the best-selling hatchbacks and the strongest challenger to the Swift’s reign at the top. Clocking sales of 4,948 units in June 2024, Hyundai Grand i10 Nios is yet again among the top 10 selling hatchbacks, despite seeing a 22 percent decline in year-on-year performance.
Under the hood, the Grand i10 Nios brings a 1.2-litre petrol engine mated to either a 5-speed manual gearbox or a 5-speed AMT. Moreover, like the Maruti Swift, the Grand i10 Nios is available in CNG-powered variants. With CNG the Grand i10 Nios deliver a mileage of 28 km/kg while its petrol mileage is up to 20.7 km/l.
Toyota Glanza
The Toyota Glanza is Toyota’s version of the Maruti Baleno and to those who prefer Toyota over Maruti, it gives a great option to own the same car with a Toyota badge. Lately, Glanza’s popularity has been on an impressive rise and the Japanese premium hatchback started featuring on the list of best-selling hatchbacks. This time around, it reached this list with sales of 4,118 units in June 2024, gaining 19 percent growth over its sales during the same month the year before.
Tata Altroz
With a fine blend of style, safety, and premium ride experience, the Tata Altroz comes across as an ideal car for Indian driving conditions. This is what makes it so appealing to buyers looking for a premium hatchback that drives them from place to place while cocooning them in a strong body rated 5-star by Global NCAP. Nevertheless, on this list, the Indian hatchback saw the biggest drop in its year-on-year sales in June 2024. It sold 3,937 units, which was a 46 percent decline from the sales it did in the same month last year.
The Altroz comes equipped with three engines: a 1.2-litre naturally aspirated petrol engine, a 1.2-litre turbo-petrol engine, and a 1.5-litre diesel engine. All three engines are paired with a 5-speed manual transmission as standard, while the naturally aspirated petrol engine also comes with a 6-speed dual-clutch transmission (DCT). Additionally, the Altroz is also available in CNG-powered variants that deliver a mileage of 26.2 km/kg.
Maruti Suzuki Celerio
Rounding off the list is the Maruti Celerio with sales of 2,985 units in June 2024. While these sales figures translated into a 12 percent drop in its year-on-year sales, the hatchback managed to seize a spot on this list. Popular as one of the most fuel-efficient cars in India, the Celerio delivers a mileage of 25.24 – 26.68 km/l from petrol and 35.6 km/kg from CNG, while its bubbly design makes it a cute-looking urban car. Moreover, the Celerio is a tad more spacious than the segment-leader Wagon R and offers excellent driving ease that along with its compact size makes it meet most urban driving requirements.
For engine option, the Maruti Celerio comes with a 1-litre petrol engine mated to either a 5-speed manual gearbox or a 5-speed AMT.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Which car is the king of hatchbacks in India?
In India, the Maruti Suzuki Swift, one of the best hatchback cars, is known as the king of hatchbacks for its style and performance.
Will Toyota launch hatchback in India?
In 2024, there are 1 Toyota Hatchback cars available in India. Some of the popular Toyota Hatchback cars are Toyota Glanza.
Which is the most powerful hatchback in India?
The Hyundai i20 is currently the most powerful hatchback in the market with a total output of 120 BHP.
Are hatchbacks better than sedans?
Both types of vehicles are comparable in size, have similar features, and typically seat up to five people. But a hatchback’s trunk configuration makes it more practical than a sedan for transporting cargo and larger items.
