How to Choose The Right Car Segment in India for Self-Drive?
Buying a new car is undoubtedly a time of great joy for most of us. We look forward to seeing the car of our dreams parked in our house and ready to take us for the ride of our lives. Yet, before we reach this moment we need to spend some time choosing the right car according to your needs. This task may prove difficult for you if you do not have a thorough understanding of the car segmentations in the Indian auto industry. Lacking this vital knowledge can make it difficult to understand the various segments of vehicles available in India. It also becomes easier to differentiate between the different segments based on their unique characteristics and choose the right car segment in India for your requirements. We have included here an easy introduction to car segmentation and a brief car buying guide in India.
Car Segmentation in India
The segmentation of the car is done based on their dimension and the shape of the car which is aligned with the purpose that the car has been built for. Based on the shape of the car alone you can have the basic categories of cars in India which are called hatchbacks, sedans, SUVs, MUVs, and even newer categories such as crossovers. Based on the size the broad categories are further divided into sub-categories that are known as the car segmentation in India. Here is the car segment list that is available to you if you planning to get a car for yourself.
1. A-Segment
When you are thinking about the most affordable and sensible city cars that you can buy on a budget, the first car names that pop into your mind mostly belong to this category. The A-segment includes small hatchback cars that are less than 4 meters in length and have small engines. This makes them efficient for city driving and provides good fuel efficiency. There are many adjustments made to keep the price towards the lower end, and many times they lack power for longer and more rigorous driving. The cars in this category include Maruti Suzuki Alto K10, Datsun Go, Renault Kwid, etc.
2. B-Segment
The B-segment cars are the ones that are still safely in the hatchback category but have larger capacity engines which are usually more than 1.0 liters. These vehicles are perfect to be taken out of city bounds, to the highways and make for a comfortable drive with better features and more control on roads. There are also pricier and bigger cars included in the B2-segment cars in India. This category has some good examples as Tata Tiago, Maturi Suzuki Swift, Honda Jazz, and more.
3. C-Segment
The C-segment of Indian cars is known for compact sedans such as Maruti Suzuki Dzire, as well as smaller sedans such as Honda City. The Sedans are usually seen as family cars and many cars in this category are derived by the inclusion of a boot in B-segment hatchbacks such as Tata Tigor by Tata Tiago and Swift Dzire by Swift. Depending on their length these cars may demand more parking space as well as need expert maneuvering. The best part about these vehicles is that most include premiere features. Good examples of c-segment cars in India are Toyota Yaris, Maruti Suzuki Ciaz, Honda Amaze, Hyundai Aura, etc.
4. D-Segment
The D-segment cars in India are the ultra-luxurious version of the C segment cars which justifies their bigger price tags. Many times these are also larger and offer more space for comfortable travel. The focus is on the finishing of the interiors with plush back seats and sensible provisions. The cars in this category are Skoda Laura, Honda Civic, and Toyota Corolla Altis, and even BMW 3 series.
5. E-Segment
These are the executive luxury cars that have come to symbolize power, wealth, and finesse. Long and wide these beautiful machines offer a smooth drive and ample space to stretch in the cabin. These are well-known cars that often become a nightmare on the narrow city roads due to their sheer size. Think cars like BMW 5 and 7 series, Audi A6, as well as the famous Mercedes E Class to exemplify the E-segment cars in India.
6. M-Segment
Moving away from the Sedans, the M-segment is well known for larger beasts that are Multi-Purpose Vehicles or MPVs. Despite providing ample cabin space they still provide good ride quality in the city. Many have 6 or 7 seater capacity and come in all kinds of sizes. You can find smaller MPVs in this category such as Honda BRV, Renault Triber, and Honda Mobilio to larger options such as Toyota Innova, Toyota Innova Crysta, and Mahindra Marazzo. Even much larger vehicles such as Kia Carnival are a part of this category making it a broad segment to choose from.
7. J-Segment
Finally, coming to the J Segment or SUV segment you can find many of the SUVs and compact SUVs. They excel in driving on demanding roads or maybe even to places without roads. The higher seating position offered by these vehicles is preferred by many drivers and they even offer better water wading ability. Examples of this category start with compact SUVs such as Tata Nexon, Ford EcoSport, Kia Sonet, Hyundai Creta, Kia Seltos, and then move on to full-sized SUVs such as Mahindra XUV 500, Tata Harrier, MG Hector Plus. Even larger SUVs such as Toyota Fortuner, Ford Endeavor, and Toyota Land Cruiser are included in this category.
These beautiful vehicle segments are all suitable for one or the other needs. As long as you focus on the biggest needs that you want from your car, you should be able to choose a great vehicle. If you want you can also go on and rent a self-drive car from a reliable service such as Revv. Just download the Revv app or visit the Revv Website to browse many beautiful rides and take them out for a spin.
