Cars under 7 lakhs: Top 10 cars below 7 lakhs in India

Today, owning a car in India is not a status symbol, but more of a necessity. With the market getting flooded with new models ever so often, it’s only understandable that all of us want to be behind those wheels, zipping through highways between cities.

The reason for a car changing the average Indian’s dream into reality, is the ease in which s/he can get a car loan. While some cars cost higher than others, there are plenty of affordable models out there.

Here are some of the best cars that are available under Rs 7 lakh

 

Tata Altroz

Drawing inspiration from the seabird ‘Albatross’, the premium hatchback was first showcased in the Geneva Motor Show 2019.

The vehicle is built on the ALFA (Agile, Light, Flexible and Advanced) architectural platform, a new development from Tata. This is a modular platform which will underpin many other Tata cars as well. The Altroz has been designed with the Impact 2.0 design language.

The hatchback has been designed with sharper elements and it would be safe to say that this would give a roomier cabin. Although not much detail has been revealed yet, it could be expected that the Altroz will be offered in the same 1.2-litre petrol and 1.5-litre diesel engine options that Tata has to offer. It could be also offered in an optional AMT gearbox as well in the future.

It will that the Altroz will lock horns against the likes of Hyundai i20, Honda WR-V, Volkswagen Polo and Suzuki Baleno among others. It is placed in the Rs. 6-8 lakh range.

 

Ford Figo (Facelift)

The hatchback has been updated in compliance with its siblings, the Ford Freestyle and the new-gen Ford Aspire. One of the most noticeable changes are the exteriors, which include a new bumper, sweptback headlamps and multi-spoke alloys. The car also has a Sports Edition, with a tuned suspension setup, as well as a “Secondary Clutch Switch.” It also gets a dual tone look, with a black roof and ORVMs.

The Figo facelift gets Ford’s new 1.2-litre, three-cylinder petrol engine, deemed the “Dragon series.” It makes 94BHP and 120Nm of torque. It also gets a diesel option, which is a 1.5-litre TDCi unit pumping out 98BHP and 215Nm of peak torque. Both engines are mated to a five-speed transmission, but the petrol gets an optional DCT gearbox, which increases the power output to 110BHP and 136Nm.

The cabin has been redone as well, getting a floating touchscreen infotainment system with SYNC3, as well as phone app connectivity. It also gets climate control and a multi-functional steering wheel as we move up the trims. Standard features include dual airbags, ABS with EBD and rear parking sensors.

The Figo facelift will be pitted against the Maruti Suzuki Swift and Hyundai Grand i10 among others. It will carry a price tag of around Rs. 5 lakhs.

 

Maruti Suzuki Alto (New gen)

It will that the Alto will be based on the Suzuki’s Heartect platform, which will make it lighter and sturdier. The car is also expected to retain its compact hatchback structure, albeit with modern upgrades. It will that the car will get Maruti Suzuki’s 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system.

The hatchback is also expected to be armed with airbags, ABS with EBD, rear parking sensors, a seat-belt reminder system and a speed warning system as standard as well. It will retain its current 800CC three-cylinder engine which makes 47BHP of maximum power and 69Nm of peak torque. However, it could also get the 1-litre petrol engine as an option. It will most likely be mated to a five-speed manual transmission and could get an optional automatic transmission as well.

Maruti Suzuki is also expected to offer the factory fitted CNG kit as an option for the Alto as well. In that case it could be priced above the current tag of Rs. 2.63-4.23 lakh (ex-showroom).

Tata Tiago

Tata has not only made the Tiago sportier; it has also improved the cars safety to comply with the upcoming norms in July 2019.

As per the safety norms, all cars on sale in India must have driver’s side airbag, ABS, rear parking sensors, seat belt reminder and a speed warning system. Hence these features will be present in the Tiago as standard. Also, the Indian carmaker has also tweaked the hatchback’s structure in compliance with the upcoming crash test norms of October 2019.

One of the most prominent changes is the facelift design, which gives the Tiago a close resemblance to its larger counterpart, the 45X, which is also set to launch this year. It also gets a wider nose and an orange finish on the ORVMs.

Mechanically, the Tiago seems to be carrying forward the 1.2-litre petrol engine which makes 85BHP of maximum power, while keeping the optional 1-litre, 70BHP making diesel engine. Both the engines will be mated to a 5-speed manual transmission, while the petrol engine gets a 5-speed automatic gearbox as an option.

Bajaj Qute

Indian motorcycle manufacturer Bajaj has entered the four-wheeler market in India with the launch -of the Qute in Maharashtra. Pegged as the smallest four-wheeler in India, Maharashtra is the sixth state to get the Qute after Kerala, Gujarat, Odisha, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan.

The Qute got the nod from the Indian government in 2018 and is a purpose-built vehicle for intra-city travel. It is available in petrol and CNG options and both options are available for personal as well as commercial use.

It is powered by a 216.6CC, four-stroke, single-cylinder, liquid-cooled motor which makes 13.1PS of maximum power and 18.9Nm of peak torque. It also features Bajaj’s patent twin spark ignition and is mated to a five-speed manual transmission. Bajaj has claimed an efficiency figure of 35 kmpl for the petrol variant and 43km/kg for the CNG option.

The Qute is 2,752 mm long, 1,312 mm wide and 1,652 mm tall. It has a wheelbase of 1,925 mm and can accommodate up to four passengers, including the driver. It has a kerb weight of 451 kg and can reportedly reach a top speed of 70 kmph. It also has features such as a USB charging port, music player, lockable storage compartments, adjustable driver seat and a 60:40 split rear bench. The Qute has a turning radius of 3.5m.

It is expected to be a successor to the auto-rickshaws, over which Bajaj almost holds a monopoly. It is far better than the three-wheeled auto-rickshaw in all aspects, including safety, comfort, reliability and design. The Indian government has classified the Qute as a quadricycle in 2013.

Bajaj has launched the Qute at a price tag of Rs. 2.78 lakh for the CNG variant and Rs. 2.48 lakh for the petrol variant.

Maruti Suzuki Baleno

The Indian carmaker has reworked the Baleno to comply with the stricter BSVI emission norms, as well as given it a new hybrid engine. The new engine gives it an improved combustion efficiency as well as reduced friction. It also gives the car a class leading fuel economy of 23.87 kmpl.

Speaking about the new Baleno, the Senior Executive Director of Marketing and Sales for Maruti Suzuki India, R S Kalsi stated, “Baleno has been a blockbuster car from day one. We have over 5.5 lakh happy Baleno customers since its launch in 2015 and sold more than 2 lakh units in the last fiscal year. We recently upgraded Baleno with latest design and technology. At Maruti Suzuki, we strive to bring newer, better and environment friendly technologies to our products. Baleno Smart Hybrid with BS VI stands testament to the same. We are confident that the premium hatchback Baleno will present a complete package in line with aspirations of evolving customers.”

Some of the prominent features of the 1.2-litre, dualjet, dual VVT (Variable Valve Timiing) petrol engine includes torque assist function, idle start stop function as well as brake energy regeneration. This keeps charging the battery, as well as saves energy when it automatically stops when idle and silently starts when the optimal conditions are met. This helps in increasing fuel efficiency.

Though it receives many mechanical updates, it remains aesthetically unchanged. However, the car naturally gets a price increase over the previous generation. The car is expected to hit the markets soon and will be available at NEXA showrooms across the country.

Mahindra TUV 300 Facelift

Indian automobile manufacturer Mahindra recently gave its compact SUV a midlife facelift. The TUV 300 received an update after four years which includes improved aesthetics, a new safety kit and a new optional variant.

Among the prominent changes is the new piano black front grille which is flanked by new headlamps. These headlamps now also house a set of LED DRLs. The car gets new claddings and chin plates on the side. A grey spare wheel cover and clear-lens tail lamps have been added to the back.

The interiors have bene designed by Italian design house Pininfarina, which has given the car silver sport accents all around the cabin. Mahindra has also included a reverse parking sensor and static bending headlights as standard.

In terms of safety, the TUV 300 is armed with dual airbags, ABS with EBD Nd cornering braking system, which has been standardised across all variants. The car also gets two new paint schemes ¬– Highway Red and Mystic Copper¬ – along with the standard colours on offer.

The company has not made any changes to the engine, however, and the car still uses the same mHawk100 1.5-litre three-cylinder diesel engine which makes 101PS of maximum power and 240Nm of peak torque. It is mated to a five-speed manual transmission.

Though the car does not fall under the Rs. 7-lakh bracket, it deserves a special mention on this list. The improvements in the car have raised its price tag, but there is no significant increase as it now costs Rs. 8.38 lakh (ex-showroom) for the base model, which is Rs. 10000 more than the previous gen. In terms of competition it faces the Ford Ecosport, Hyundai Creta and Honda WR-V among others.

Renault Kwid

French carmaker Renault is preparing to update its hatchback, the Kwid. After being spotted multiple times doing test rounds in India, it seems that the updated car borrows some elements from its electric cousin, the City KZ-E.

The front of the Kwid gets a new twin slat grille, LED DRLs and a new dual-barrel headlamp on the bumper. It also gets a new set of tail lamps, but the rest of the exterior remains unchanged for the most part.

Renault could have kept the digital instrument cluster, touchscreen infotainment with inbuilt navigation, along with the rear parking camera. The safety features are also expected to remain the same, which include a driver’s side airbag, ABS with EBD, rear parking sensors and seatbelt reminders for the front occupants.

The Kwid is also expected to carry forward the same set of petrol engines from the current car. This includes an 800CC engine which makes 54PS of maximum power and 72Nm of peak torque, along with the bigger 1-litre engine which makes 68PS of maximum power and 91Nm of peak torque. Both the engines are mated to a 5-speed manual gearbox, but the bigger engine gets an optional 5-speed AMT gearbox as well.

The updated Kwid could also get a slightly raised price tag, as it now carries a baseline price of Rs. 2.72 lakhs (Ex-showroom).

Datsun GO

Nissan’s subsidiary Datsun has recently updated the Go hatchback and the Go+ MPV. While the cars remain aesthetically intact, they receive better safety measures and improved cabin entertainment.

The cars are now equipped with Vehicle Dynamic Control (VDC), monitors the wheel speed, steering wheel position and lateral acceleration among others, to provide Electronic Stability Control (ESC). This is possible via various sensors which are placed on board the car.

Datsun has also equipped the cars with a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system with phone app connectivity.

This system was previously available in only the top trims of the cars, that is T and T(O) variants. The lower variants did not get an audio system at all. However, this time the company has installed an infotainment system as standard. This is in addition to the VDC safety system, which makes the Datsun GO and GO+ the first cars in their respective segments to get these features.

All variants of the Go and Go+ also get traction control and ESC, ABS with EBD and brake assist, along with two airbags as standard. However, both the cars have carried forward their 1.2-litre, three-cylinder petrol engine which makes 68BHP of maximum power and 104Nm of peak torque. This motor is mated to a five-speed manual gearbox, which is the only option.

The Datsun Go has a base price of Rs. 3.73 lakhs.

Tata Tigor facelift

Indian automobile manufacturer Tata is gearing up for the launch of the facelifted version of its compact sedan, the Tigor. While the launch date has not been officially announced, the car was spotted under heavy camouflage on the Mumbai-Pune expressway.

The spy shots indicate that the grille has been removed from the car. It was also spotted with a set of basic headlights, while the fog lamp housings were completely covered. This could mean that the company is planning to redesign the Tigor’s face as per the Impact 2.0 design language.

The current-gen Tigor is available with a BSIV compliant, 1.2-litre Revotron petrol engine which makes 85PS of maximum power and 114Nm of peak torque. It also gets an optional 1.05-litre Revotorq diesel engine which makes 70PS of maximum power and 140Nm of peak torque. Another option is a sportier JTP variant which gets a 1.2-litre petrol engine, making 114PS and 150Nm.

With the arrival of stricter BSVI norms, many manufacturers have stopped the production of their diesel engines. It is expected that Tata will also follow suit and the Tigor facelift will not receive a diesel option.

Though there is no official date of launch, it is expected to be unveiled at the 2020 Auto Expo, following which it will enter production. Considering the updates, it can be assumed that the car will raise its price mark from the current base price of Rs. 5.48 lakh (Ex-showroom).