India is one of the largest automotive markets in the world. More than 2.5 million new cars are sold here and a similar number of used cars change hands as well. Out of these 2.5 million new cars, Maruti-Suzuki accounts for 50 per cent of the market share, making it India’s largest car manufacturer. What makes Maruti Suzuki cars such a massive success in a competitive market like India?
The answer lies in the wide range of value-for-money cars that Maruti offers, in a country obsessed with mileage and affordability. Most buyers in India prefer cars below INR 10 lakh due to the value-for-money factor and talking about its product list, none of Suzuki products has a starting price of more than INR 10 lakh.
While Maruti Suzuki has 12 cars under its portfolio sold through its Arena and Nexa range of dealerships, we have compiled a list of the top 5 Maruti-Suzuki cars you can buy under the INR 10 lakh mark:
Maruti Suzuki Alto
Starting price – INR 2.99 lakh
The Maruti-Suzuki Alto is India’s best-selling car ever and reveals the affinity Indians have towards small cars. Not only are small cars affordable and frugal but are also easy to drive through city traffic. If these aspects meet your needs, then the Maruti Alto stands as the rightful choice for your next purchase. The Maruti Suzuki Alto is a 800 cc compact hatchback with a starting price of INR 2.95 lakh. There used to be a litre class Alto as well called the Alto K10. However, Maruti replaced the Alto 1.0-litre with a new model called the S-Presso which gets the same engine but a larger cabin and tall-body design. The prices for the Maruti Suzuki S-Presso starts at INR 3.71 Lakh. The Alto is a popular choice in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities, while S-Presso appeals to customers in Tier 1 cities.
Maruti-Suzuki Wagon R
Starting price – INR 4.80 lakh
Like Maruti Alto, the Wagon R has been one of the most popular badges in country for the past 2 decades. It also happens to be the most successful car in its category. The Wagon R is the original tall-boy hatchback of India. What that means its that it gets an airy cabin, easy ingress/egress and a toned-down interior which is quite practical. The new-gen Wagon R gets a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. However, the biggest USP is the availability of two engine options – in the lower variants you get a 1.0-litre engine as the previous generation model and the higher variants get the larger 1.2-litre K12 engine from the Ignis and the Swift. The 1.0-litre engine produces 68 hp and returns 21.79 kmpl mileage. On the other hand, the 1.2-litre unit, has an output of 83 hp and returns 20.52 kmpl. Prices for the car start at INR 4.46 lakh.
Also Read: Maruti Swift, Baleno, Wagon R Continue to Rule The Roost
Maruti-Suzuki Baleno
Starting price – INR 5.98 lakh
While hatchbacks have been Maruti’s forte ever since the brand’s inception in 1984 and the humble Maruti 800. With the Baleno, Maruti-Suzuki entered the premium hatchback segment and the response received has been better than the Swift itself. The popular Baleno hatchback has a better cabin space than the Swift, a mileage of 23.87 kmpl, which is among the highest in the industry thanks to Suzuki's Smart Hybrid Technology. The Maruti Suzuki Baleno gets a 1.2-litre petrol engine that produces 90 hp of power and 114Nm of torque. Gearbox options include both, 5-speed manual and a CVT unit. It is sold through Maruti's Nexa chain of premium dealerships and while it commands a premium over the Maruti Swift, it’s still one of the highest selling Marut-Suzuki products from India's largest automotive manufacturer.
Also Read: Maruti Baleno vs Maruti Swift - Which Maruti small hatchback should you buy?
Maruti-Suzuki Dzire
Starting price – INR 5.98 lakh
Compact sedans has been a successful segment in India for a while now, as a more premium and practical offering to hatchbacks. However, with the growing demand for compact SUVs, sedans have been slowly losing their charm in the country. However, compact sedans are still popular and this is especially true for the king-of-segment, the Maruti-Suzuki Dzire, India’s highest-selling compact sedan. Once the most frugal car in the country, the Dzire is priced close to Baleno but offers an additional boot and better back seat amenities like AC vents. The Dzire AMT claims to deliver 24.12 kmpl and is powered by a 1.2-litre petrol engine. It gets the choice of a 5-speed manual gearbox or a 5-speed AMT gearbox. The price of the Dzire starts at INR 5.89 lakh and is great for those who do not want to invest in a mid-size sedan and want a large amount of creature comforts within a budget of INR 6 lakh to INR 10 lakh.
Maruti-Suzuki Ertiga
Starting price – INR 7.81 lakh
The latest price of Suzuki Ertiga which have launched 2021 starts INR10.5 lakh( source: Cintamobil- website about buying and selling new, used cars in Indonesia)
Coming to the last car in our list, this entry is a rather unique choice when you put a list of most famous Maruti cars forward. In a world dominated by compact SUVs and with the likes of the Brezza in its portfolio, why did we mention the Ertiga MPV? While the Maruti Brezza is definitely a popular car but it’s slowly losing charm due to increasing competition with better features or similar features at a lesser asking price. The Ertiga, on the other hand, has virtually no competition and offers a 7-seater cabin at a starting price of just INR 7.59 lakh. Not only this, there’s also a premium version of the Ertiga called the XL6. It gets a 6-seater cabin with captain chairs, higher-quality components and is sold through the Nexa dealerships. However, for buyers looking for a vehicle with a seating capacity of more than 5-seats, the Ertiga should be an obvious choice. It has loads of new-age features, good mileage, value-for-money packaging and much more. That’s why, it falls in our list of best Maruti Suzuki cars in India.
* All prices ex-showroom
