The car-buying experience is evolving on the global front. At a time, when the pandemic refuses to settle down, and we are forced to adopt the new normal, a lot of ways we used to go about our daily lives have changed. Public transport, for instance, has now become the least preferred mode of transport, as a lot of people do not prefer risking an infection. That said, not many can afford cars in India and look for value-for-money options for their first buy. Hence if you are in the market looking to buy an affordable car under INR 6 lakh*, here are your best bets. Check out the list of 5 best cars under 6 lakh in India.
Renault Kwid
Renault's latest update for the Kwid was a laudable one. The entry-level hatchback, in many ways, helped Renault established the brand's foothold in the country. The new Renault Kwid comes with an updated design and sports a new imposing front fascia among other tweaks. The car has shown a substantial leap in terms of features as well. The update has brought in plenty of addition in the cabin as well. It gets a new steering wheel, a redesigned dash and a fully-digital instrument cluster. Also on offer is the new MEDIANAV Evolution infotainment system that comes with Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, Bluetooth connectivity and voice commands. There’s a piano black surround for the touchscreen with subtle chrome accents, which feels quite premium for the segment.
What also works in its favour is that the Kwid gets a boot space capacity of 279 litres, which is more than the Maruti Suzuki S-Presso and the Datsun Redi-GO. At its heart is an 800-cc unit that delivers 54 hp and 72 Nm of torque and a 1.0-litre block that churns out 68 hp and 91 Nm of torque. There are options of both manual as well as AMT gearboxes to choose from. The facelift comes at a starting price of INR 3.12 lakh*.
Maruti Suzuki Alto
The Maruti Suzuki Alto requires no introduction. The car has been one of the best-selling models for the largest selling manufacturer in India. Over a decade of being on sale in India, the Alto recently crossed 40 lakh unit in India alone. The car has also made frequent appearance in the top-10 best-selling cars of the country. The Alto was first launched in 2000 and the price of the car starts at INR 2.99 lakh*.
In its current avatar, the car is available in only 800 cc model, while recently the 1.0-litre K10 model was replaced by S-Presso. The 800 cc model produces 48 hp and is paired to a 5-speed manual only. At the start of this year, the 800 cc Alto underwent a facelift; received a cosmetic makeover, the engine was upgraded to meet BS6 emission standards, and it meets upcoming crash- and pedestrian safety regulations. On the inside, the new Alto gets the Smart Play Dock with Bluetooth connectivity.
Hyundai Santro
The Santro rooted Hyundai’s brand name in India. After being absent in the market for a while, Hyundai brought back the Santro badge in a rather interesting package, replacing the i10 as the brand's entry-level hatchback. In line with its stablemates, the new Hyundai Santro comes with a few segment-first features like a 7-inch touchscreen audio-video system. The multi-media system has Android Auto, Apple Carplay and Mirror Link along with supporting Voice Recognition Function & Rear Parking Camera display on the screen. It is powered by a 1.0-litre petrol engine which produces 69 ps at 5,500 rpm. Prices for the new Santro starts at INR 4.67 lakh*. There is no doubt that it should be in the list of best cars under 6 lakh in India.
Renault Triber
The Renault Triber is the latest addition in the seven-seater space having debuted this time last year. With prices starting at INR 5.30 lakh*, the Triber comes as a neat and rather unconventional package for someone looking to buy a car below 6 lakh. The Renault Triber gets a 5+2 cabin where the third row can be flat folded, or fully removed to create a boot space of 675-litre, making it a highly practical car. In fact, it gets two glove-boxes, and other pockets specifically designed for Indian buyers.
In terms of features, the car gets keyless entry and start, a touchscreen multimedia system, a driver information system, electric ORVMs without fold function, and a cooled box in the centre. On the safety front, the car gets ABS, EBD, and adjustable headrests for four occupants. The car is powered by a 1.0-litre three-cylinder petrol engine that puts out 70 bhp and a little under 100 Nm of torque. The engine is mated to a manual transmission as well as an AMT unit.
Maruti Suzuki Swift
Last on our list of best cars under 6 lakh in India is the Maruti Swift, which was recently launched with an updated version. The changes come in the form of a brand new engine and a handful of exterior and interior changes to keep it fresh in the portfolio. It now gets a K12 series Dual Jet Dual VVT engine with an idle start-stop function. Simply put, the same 1.2-litre engine will now return a higher fuel efficiency of 23.20-kmpl in manual transmission and 23.76-kmpl when paired with the AMT gearbox. The power figures have also bumped by 7 bhp to 89 bhp and 113 Nm of torque.
In terms of cosmetic changes, the 2021 Swift features a new chrome stripe on the single-piece front grille which now has a mesh-pattern. Other highlights include a dual-tone exterior shade which can be had with the top ZXi+ trim. The projector headlights, LED DRLs, 15-inch precision-cut alloy wheels, floating roof effect are to be carried over from the current model. On the inside, the cabin gets a twin-pod instrument cluster with a coloured 4.2-inch TFT display, cruise control, idle start-stop function, and key synchronised auto-foldable ORVMs. The 2021 Maruti Swift is current on sale with the price starting from Rs 5.73 Lakh* in India.
*Ex-showroom price
