Maruti Suzuki hatchbacks have been an essential part of our country’s history. I mean cars Maruti 800 and Alto not only revolutionized the automobile industry but also fulfilled the dream of millions of Indians of owning a car. So, here are all the Maruti Suzuki Hatchbacks throughout the brand’s history:
Maruti 800 – 1983
Price: Rs 52,500
Remember I was talking about how the 800 revolutionized the automobile industry? This car is the one that made Maruti what it is today. The boxy hatchback was initially based on the Japanese Kei cars, Suzuki Fronte SS to be specific and later changed its design to be more Alto-based. This car also holds the record of having the longest production period, second only to the ambassador. 800 despite long waiting times of up to 3 years, had the craze going for it, thanks to its affordability, reliability, high mileage and low maintenance that was missing in other cars from that time.
This car was even the best-selling among the Maruti Suzuki hatchbacks until 2004 when Alto took its place. The 800 eventually struggled to maintain emission norms and was discontinued in 2014, after ruling the streets for 30 years.
Maruti Zen – 1993
Price: Rs 2.8 lakh
The jelly bean among the Maruti Suzuki hatchbacks and the younger, cuter sibling of the 800 was the talk of the town once upon a time. I mean it still is, but it was something else at that time considering it was a success despite the hefty price. Well, the car delivered the quality accordingly.
Unlike the 800, the Zen had a good quality dashboard finish, knobs and the overall interiors felt as if it was an imported car. Talking about imports, this car was also the first Maruti car to be exported to several countries. The car also had a dedicated button for making overtakes, I mean only a few cars had that feature, and that too was a hatchback from the ’90s! The hatchback also had two variants – Carbon and Steel.
Oh, and the car was quick too, thanks to its peppy 1.0-litre engine and today this car is a cult classic.
Maruti Suzuki Wagon R – 1999
Price: Rs 6.10 – 8.39 lakh
The tall boy hatchback is a proper Japanese kei car to be introduced in India and also one of the highest-selling cars in the country. Though the hatchback is so popular and enjoys a good number of sales, it used to have a “weird tall body on skinny tires” design which made this car unstable. That luckily changed in recent times and the car is quite good-looking now with ample features and a capable engine. Nonetheless, the car has been a family car since its inception, thanks to its spacious interiors despite its compact footprint and is quite reliable with low maintenance and high mileage.
Maruti Suzuki Alto – 2000
Price: Rs 3.25 onwards
The Maruti Suzuki Alto is the one that put an end to the popularity streak of the Maruti 800. This car is the successor of the 800 and is one of the cheapest hatchbacks In India. The car is the bare minimum with some extra features in its higher trims which is extremely value-for-money and is often the choice for beginners and learners. The Alto was previously known as the Alto 800 and also has another higher variant called the Alto K10. This car is ideal if you want mileage, reliability and good handling. The Alto is also one of the cheapest Maruti Suzuki Hatchbacks available.
Maruti Suzuki Swift – 2005
Price: Rs 6.63- 10.15 lakh
I would like to assume Maruti car designers woke up one day and realized all of their hatchbacks have bland family-friendly designs and decided to work on something different. The result was the Swift, a sporty hot hatch that has performance as well. It’s a small, fun-to-drive car, with great handling and a peppy engine.
Maruti Suzuki all gave it a nice interior and a premium feel to it. The Swift thanks to its reliability, easy maintenance and performance, made it a choice for the youth and car enthusiasts. For those who want even extra power, the Swift also has a Swift sport trim that produces over 110 hp, but it’s not available in India yet, so until it arrives, tuning and modifying is the only option.
Maruti Suzuki Zen Estilo – 2007
Price: Rs 3.66 lakh
Now, the Estilo was fine, it transformed the Zen into a simpler, “family-friendly” car with decent interiors and features. The car was spacious too. But the hatchback didn’t have quite the sporty looks and feel the OG Zen had with its peppy engine and hence it quietly went off the market. The car sold decently to be honest, since I still have some of them down the road.
Maruti Suzuki A-star – 2008
Price: Rs 4.04 lakh
The A-star is the perfect example of the saying “Don’t judge a book by its cover”. This was made in collaboration between Maruti Suzuki and Nissan UK and honestly made me question, “Was it made for short and single people?” The car had no cabin space, couldn’t even fit 4 grown adults and when better cars were there like the Santro and i10, both of these providing more interior space than the A-star. To make it worse, the mileage was also bad. So, it didn’t sell and sold less than 500 units in India. Maruti Suzuki eventually silently removed it from its India portfolio.
Maruti Suzuki Ritz – 2009
Price: Rs 4.63 lakh
The Ritz was definitely the fun car among the other Maruti Suzuki hatchbacks, which showed that family cars can be stylish. The car has a peppy engine, a good design, and a tachometer in the dashboard which looks quite cool. The Ritz had comfortable and decent interiors with all the elements Maruti Suzuki provided in its car at that time. The car didn’t last long in the market, but for some, it left a whole lot of memories.
Maruti Suzuki Celerio – 2014
Price: Rs 5.91 – 8.03 lakh
The old Celerio’s designs scream bland and dated. But thank god they bought in the upgraded Celerio which looks way cooler and superior. The hatchback was introduced to replace the Alto, but honestly, it has its own identity now. The Celerio, given the price, looks and features it offers, made it a VFM and a good choice for people looking for a low-budget car.
Maruti Suzuki Baleno – 2015
Price: Rs 7.55 – 11.17 lakh
The Baleno honestly should get the People’s Choice Award, since despite being a hatchback, it’s one of the highest-selling among the Maruti Suzuki Hatchbacks here. But it’s justified considering the car provides spacious and comfortable interiors, a solid outer design, ample features for the price, a punchy and smooth engine and good fuel efficiency.
Maruti Suzuki Ignis – 2017
Price: Rs 6.44 – 9.30 lakh
The Ignis is the only hatchback being offered by the premium NEXA dealership and also the most affordable car in the whole NEXA line-up. The Ignis is quite popular among the Maruti Suzuki hatchbacks, thanks to its quirky city-boy looks and spacious interiors despite its compact footprint. The car also has premium features, reliability and mileage that back up its price.
Maruti Suzuki S-Presso – 2019
Price: Rs 4.73 – 6.91 lakh
Lord S-presso, yes that’s what it is called, is the one you should get if you want a mini-SUV in budget. This latest addition to the Maruti Suzuki hatchbacks portfolio looks like a Chinese knock-off of the URUS and honestly is fine for its cost. The car looks a bit disproportionate due to its SUV-like stance and small tyres. The interiors are spacious though, with ample features and a good amount of boot space. What’s unique here is the instrument cluster, which is placed in the middle of the dashboard. The engine is decent and produces enough power to cruise around the city with ease.
These are all the Maruti Suzuki Hatchbacks to date and more are upcoming, with the brand’s plans to introduce new models and EVs in India.
Since you are more interested in hatchbacks, check out the list of all Maruti Suzuki cars under 5 lakhs here
FAQs on Maruti Suzuki Hatchbacks
Which is the No.1 hatchback car in India?
The Swift is regarded as the No. 1 hatchback and is part of the Maruti Suzuki hatchbacks portfolio.
Is Maruti Suzuki a hatchback car?
The brand sells cars and there are currently 7 Maruti Suzuki Hatchbacks available in the market.
Which is the cheapest car in Maruti?
The Alto is not only the cheapest among the Maruti Suzuki hatchbacks, but also one of the cheapest in the country.
Which is the king of hatchback?
Purely on sales numbers and price, the Baleno, swift and Wagon R are some of the best, and all of them are part of the Maruti Suzuki Hatchbacks portfolio.
Which Maruti small car is best?
Earlier the smallest was the A-star among the Maruti Suzuki Hatchbacks, but the best one has always been Alto.
