7 Hatchbacks That Were Discontinued In The Last Decade [PART 1]

Hatchbacks have been the most selling segment in the automobile industry since the start, but compact SUVs recently overtook them. Hatchbacks are small cars that can be fun to drive; they are mostly the first car of every family. They are affordable and easy to maintain; as they are small, they are easy to park and fit in narrow lanes with ease. Let’s look at the hatchbacks that were discontinued in the last decade:

1. Maruti Suzuki A-Star | 2008-2014
   

   

   Starting our list of discontinued hatchbacks with the Maruti A-Star. The Maruti Suzuki A-Star was launched in 2008 and ran on the roads for 6 years. It had the appeal of a sporty little hatchback and was powered by a 3-cylinder 1.0-litre petrol engine churning out only 66hp. It was available with both manual & automatic transmissions with a fuel efficiency of 17-19kmpl.

   Also Read: 10 Failed Hatchbacks from Major Car Makers [Verito, Matiz, A-Star]

   It was a promising little car with a price range from ₹3.72 to 4.58 lakhs. It had dual airbags, which were not so common at that time. It did not catch up well in the market as it was not fully loaded and did not fulfil the expectations of the people. The interior was not up to the mark and was not spacious enough.

2. Maruti Suzuki Zen Estilo | 2006-2014
   

   

   The Zen Estilo was a continuation of the original little hatchback Zen which had fans throughout the country. The original Zen was also modified and used for rallying and was the first car of many families.

   Also Read: 7 Hatchbacks That Terribly Failed In The Indian Market

   Estilo had limited success and never really caught up like its predecessor, and it was offered from ₹3.19 to 4.25 lakhs. Being a Maruti Suzuki car, it had low maintenance cost and fuel efficiency of 18kmpl. It was also powered by a 1.0-litre petrol engine making 64hp mated to a manual transmission.

3. Maruti Suzuki 800 | 1983-2014
   

   

   The first car from the manufacturer was a huge success among the people, and it can still be seen cruising the roads at times. Its discontinuation was followed by the A-Star & Zen Estilo too, after a month. According to that time, it was offered from ₹2.06 to 2.38 lakhs and had adequate features and comfort.

   Also Read: 10 Most Googled Questions About Maruti 800, Answered!

   It was the first car for most of our families, and along with time, it became more of a little icon. It started the hatchback line-up for the brand, which has come a long way since then. According to that time, Maruti 800 was a perfect car and still can be fun to drive if you love the old school feels.

4. Maruti Suzuki Ritz | 2009-2017
   

   

   Ritz was another promising candidate from Maruti Suzuki. This hatchback was powered by a 1.2-litre engine churning out 86hp with a comfortable interior good enough for long drives. It was slightly sportier and had a good performance package as compared to the cars mentioned above.

   Also Read: Remembering The Maruti Suzuki Ritz: The Unstoppable Hatchback

   It was a sporty car that resembled the Chevrolet Beat and had the following price range: ₹4.30-6.58 lakhs. It was offered with a diesel engine too, with the same displacement. And available in both manual & automatic transmission with a fuel economy of 17-19 kmpl.

5. Honda Brio|2011-2019
   

   

   The Brio was a little car sold along as a sedan-hatchback duo with the Amaze. It was powered by a 1.2-litre engine making 86hp & available with manual & automatic transmissions with an excellent fuel efficiency of 18-22kmpl. Honda was not known to pull the plug on its vehicles, but lately, it also discontinued CR-V and Civic.

   Also Read: Remembering The Honda Brio And Why It Failed The Indian Market

   It was offered from ₹4.73 to 6.82 lakhs and was on sale for 8 years in India. It was discontinued in 2019 due to poor sales as it could not cope with the competition. Globally the Brio is running with updates throughout time, and rumours might suggest it is making its way back to India this year. Including this in the list of discontinued hatchbacks, our heart skips a beat!

6. Tata Nano | 2008-2019
   

   

   The Nano was the smallest hatchback in the segment, and we all heard about it as the cheapest car ever. It was powered by a little 624cc engine with an excellent fuel efficiency of 25kmpl for petrol & 36kg/km for CNG.
   Tata motors wanted this to be a car that anyone could have regardless of their financial conditions.
   Also Read: 10 Things Tata Nano Owners Are Tired Of Hearing
   
   Nano had a hard time in the market as cars are status symbols in India. Due to the wrong way of marketing, the product could not catch up at all. It was a practical little car for the city that was easy to drive and park with good space as considered with its dimensions. The recent news also showed Sir Ratan Tata using a Nano EV to commute.

7. Tata Indica | 1999-2018
   

   

   Coming to the very successful one among discontinued hatchbacks from Tata, we have the Indica. It was one of the most popular diesel hatchbacks in India; considering the fanbase and success it achieved, Tata also went forward and launched a new generation model called Indica Vista in the market.

   Also Read: Tracing The History Of Tata Indica In India

   It was a truly impressive car with a spacious interior and a 1.4liter diesel engine that offered outstanding performance and excellent fuel efficiency of 23kmpl for the diesel variant and 25kg/km for the CNG. The annual sales of Indica were as high as 144,690 units in 2006-2007. We can still find it running on the roads and catch a glimpse of the legend.
   While this was just part-1 of this 2-part series, we will have the next one soon in the meantime; Which of these cars do you miss the most?