Top Four Successful Small Cars Of 2008

Indian car industry is overcrowded with small cars and majority of Indians opt for small cars. They are the most lovable, cute, easy to handle, most importantly affordable. and mainly because of it is compact size easy to park on Indian crowded roads. The Indian car industry has cars from every segment, but the popularity of the small car still remains high. The small cars are taking away all the attention from the other cars.

The population of small cars are increasing despite it large in numbers. The car manufacturers have realised the importance of small cars in India and in order to top the segment still launch more new small cars.

Here are some of the cars from the small car segment that topped in 2008:

Skoda Fabia
Skoda from the house of Volkswagen rolled out Fabia from the premium hatchback segment introduced in 2008 January. This is the first small car from Skoda in India which received impressive response from the people at the 2008 Auto Expo held at New Delhi.

Fabia is built on new a PQ25 platform. The premium car comes with the choice of three engines-1.4 litre diesel, 1.4 litre and 1.2 litre petrol engine which is mated by a 5-speed manual transmission.

The exterior and the interior styling are overwhelming. It comes with the stylish design, smart features and lavish interior that make it different from other cars of the same segment. The Fabia gives a royal look a tight-fitting roof, stylish headlamps, and a big chrome bar with a classy look. The alloy wheels with bigger tyres give this premium hatchback a sporty look.
The interiors offer comfort, luxury, convenience as well as safety. The cabin pampers you with impressive and high quality material. The multi-textured fabric wrapped upholstery adds class to the car.
Fabia safety comprises of anti-lock braking system (ABS), Motor Speed Regulator (MSR) and dual brake assist system and dual front air bags for maximum safety.

This five seater with striking design is available in four variant- Active, Classic, Ambiente and Elegance and price range starts from Rs 4 Lakh.

Fiat 500

Fiat re-entered India with full swing and launched new and powerful models to strengthen its position in India. After Palio series, it rolled out Fiat 500 a two door coupe in India in 2008 July. This lifestyle model is brought to India as a completely built unit. Designed by Fiat Style Centre Fiat 500 also carries another name called Cinquecento in Italy.
Fiat 500 created a sensation in the Indian car industry with its scintillating design and sharp features. It is the perfect blend of conventional design, luxurious features, and performance.

It is powered by 1.3L turbo-charged engine which is equipped with 5-speed manual transmission. It is available in two variants Fiat Sport and Fiat Lounge.
The sporty exterior flaunts with round shaped trendy headlamps and the trademark chrome whisker. The rear sports chrome finishes large tailgate, large tail lamps, and an integrated roof spoiler. The 15 inch alloy wheel steels the attention from the other cars of its class.

The interior is blend of latest technology and conservative designs. The seating is luxurious with leather upholstery. The chrome plated gear shift housed on the dash is unique and gives a royal touch to the car. Fiat 500 offers active safety features like ABS with electronic brake distribution, air bags, dual stage driver and passenger airbags and fire prevention system and is the first car in its segment to come out with 7 airbags.

One of the most expensive small cars that carries the price tag of Rs 15 Lakh.

Maruti Suzuki A-star

Global car from the stable of Maruti Suzuki was launched in 2008. This global car highlights superb design, superior engineering, and brilliant performance. The car offers the fuel efficiency which the company boasts of delivering 19 kmpl. It is also eco friendly in nature meeting the 'end of life vehicle' (ELV) specifications. According to this concept, 85 percent of the car can be recycled.
A-star is equipped with the latest KB series engine and is powered by 1.0 litre and a 5-speed manual transmission. The car is designed in such a way that it meets the future emission norms of Indian as well as overseas.
The exterior creatively designed keeping in mind the Indian customers. It is the blend of European design and the Japanese technology. The interior is spacious with convenient and comfort features.
Supported with three variants, LXi, VXi, and the top-end version Zxi, A-star starts with the price of Rs 3.4 Lakh.


Hyundai i10

The i-series of Hyundai started with the popular model Hyundai i10 in 2007 November. Initially it was named as PA. The i10 offers option of two engines.1.1L iRDE and 1.2L Kappa (Kappa was added in 2008) and is mated with the 4-speed manual and 5-speed automatic transmission.

After Hyundai Santro, i10 takes the position of the most popular car in its segment. It flaunts with beautifully designed bulged headlights, low slung grille where as the interior offers quality materials with comfort and convenient features. The safety of the occupants is taken care with child safety door locks, seatbelts, front air bags, ABS, and crumple zones.

Supported with four variants- D-lite, Era, Magna, and Magna O , i10 competes with Chevrolet Spark, Maruti Suzuki Zen Estilo, Maruti Suzuki WagonR, and Tata Indica Xeta. The i10 has also won the 'the car of the year' award in such a short time. Offered with vibrant colours, i10 starts with the price Rs 3.4 lakh.