<p>

<b></b></p><p></p><p>The Indian auto industry has evolved quite dramatically in the last decade or so with the introduction of new segment of cars that have enticed Indian buyers and continuous to do so. The sheer volumes speak for themselves that these ‘new segment cars’ have created which now captures the attention of almost every car manufacturer functioning in the country. What comes out from this trend is a very simple yet important aspect of the Indian buyer mindset. What really gets the majority of Indian buyers going is space and the BIG tag that a car endorses. For evidence, look at the success of the sub 4 meter category sedans running on Indian streets. By adding only a boot to a hatchback irrespective of altering driving dynamics and stability, car manufacturers racked in handsome amount of money and the average Indian buyers got the biggest grin of owning a ‘sedan’ at the cost of a hatchback. &nbsp;</p><p>However, as cliche as it may sound this seem to be the news of the past. Although, car manufacturers still continue to get a bigger share of this sub 4 meter pie, by introducing new variants now and then to attract pseudo sedan lovers in the country. The latest example can be Ford which just introduced its new range of Figo hatch and what followed was inevitable with the introduction of Ford Figo Aspire, their challenger to the ever popular Maruti Suzuki Swift Dzire, Honda Amaze and the Hyundai X-Cent. Not only this, even the German’s are at it now! Volkswagen, which is very much known for its no-nonsense sturdy and elegant cars, has introduced a new sub 4 meter sedan especially developed for India, named Ameo. &nbsp;</p><p>The compact sedan market in the country has grown manifolds but what seems to be climbing up the chart in parallel to this is the introduction of refined and upgraded hatchbacks which are offered more or less at the same price point. What we want to highlight here is the entry of premium/hot hatchbacks such as the Elite i20, Volkswagen Polo, Fiat Punto Abarth, Suzuki Baleno and so on when pitted against the compact sedan range in the country can offer better value for money and a better sense of upmarket luxury to the buyers. &nbsp; &nbsp; </p><p>The modern day hatchbacks are no longer the thing of the past which used to relate only to being affordable. Thanks to the global evolution, Indian buyers are now getting some of the world class products in terms of hot hatchbacks which come fitted with features that are nowhere seen in compact as well as upper level sedans. Let’s compare the two segments below with multiple factors that might help you choose between a compact sedan OR a premium/hot hatchback.</p><p><b>Design & Looks:</b></p><p>Although, looks and appearance can be very subjective but one can easily compare between a sub-4 metre sedan which ends with a tail that appears to be brutally cut-off just to adhere to its dimensions and further tax exemptions. Result is that the design has to be compromised. Common examples can be the Maruti Suzuki Swift Dzire, Ford Figo Aspire and Honda Amaze. Whereas in a hot hatch or a premium hatch; the design flows naturally without any restriction of dimensions. One can clearly compare between these hatchbacks and there extended boot sedan avatars to judge for yourself. Swift and Swift Dzire, Brio and Amaze, Figo and Figo Aspire, the hatchbacks clearly win on the design department, at least for us! &nbsp; </p><p><b>Performance:</b> </p><p>Performance has a lot to do with the engine appointed and the overall weight of the car which the engine drags along. The math is simple, no manufacturer adds a special or a more powerful engine to their compact sedan avatars of hatchbacks thus these sedans do carry extra baggage in terms of the extended boot. This further result in increasing the drag coefficient and also affects high speed stability when cornering due to the extended tail. Coming on to the hot and premium hatchbacks, with performance cars available such as Volkswagen Polo GT with DSG gearbox, Fiat Punto Abarth with its massive 145 hp peak power, one can really enjoy a track like performance and stability on the roads with a premium hatchback. </p><p><b>Features:</b> </p><p>When it comes to features, rare it is that the sedan variant of a hatchback gets anything extra on the inside, except for the added boot obviously. Thus feature wise, the sedan turned hatchbacks offers the same set of tech gadgetry when compared to their hatch counterparts. Now, when it comes to hot hatches, one can infact get more features when compared to compact sedans. Like in the case of Hyundai Elite i20 or even Volkswagen Polo GT, the range of features such as state-of-the-art MID (Multi Information Display Unit) or even the central touch navigation unit (offered on Elite i20) offers so much to its buyers that the compact sedans can’t even think of! </p><p><b>Bootspace & Wheelbase:</b></p><p>Let’s compare the feature on which the compact sedans really boast about i.e. boot space. We take on one of the most bought compact sedan to a similar priced premium hatchback. The models pitted against each other are Maruti Swift DZire ZDi diesel variant and Hyundai Elite i20 Sportz Diesel variant. Both the cars are similarly priced (Ex. Showroom Delhi). Now, when you compare the boot space of the Dzire which stands at 315 liters, on the other hand what you get in the Elite i20 is a 285 liters of boot. The difference is only of 30 liters. Ask yourself, how much the boot space can be really hampered if it’s only 30 liters less than a compact ‘SEDAN.’ Not much to be honest! On the other hand, when you compare the wheelbase of both the cars you will be surprised to know that Elite i20 offers 2570 mm of wheelbase compared to a smaller wheelbase of 2430 mm offered by Dzire. In simple terms, wheelbase defines how much space you can get on the inside and this clearly shows which ones a winner here!</p><p><b>Affordability:</b></p>It’s only a myth that a compact sedan can run better or at an affordable price compared to a premium hatchback. Yes, for a hot hatch you might shell out some extra money, but look at the available features, performance and even reliability of the car that you get in return. Modern day engines are tuned quite well to limit additional costs and wear and tear. If you are really looking for an exciting car at the price of a compact sedan, there are so many options available in the market these days, do check and compare the details and we are sure you might prefer the modern day premium hatchbacks over the sluggish and dated compact sedans!<p></p>