Compact SUV’s made their entry into India with the introduction of Ford EcoSport in 2013 and has garnered quite an audience. People who previously were squeezed between compact cars and SUVs finally had an answer for their woes. And they duly took it with both hands. That kickstarted an era of Compact SUV in India, a chain that is still going strong.
In today’s era, every car manufacturer out there has a compact SUV offering under their product line for customers in India and abroad. And if you look at the sales numbers, Compact SUVs have been quite a hit. Every car manufacturer has their variant of Compact SUV with their special touch and offers. We here take a look at these compact SUV offered in India and pick out the best ones around in the market.
Best Compact SUV in India
#1. Kia Sonet
The first pick in our list of best SUVs in India is from Kia’s latest entry into the subcontinent market. Kia itself made a late entry into India when compared to its other South Korean counterparts. Kia even in its short frame of time has made a drastic impact on Indian automobile enthusiasts. This Kia Sonet is a compact SUV offering of the brand aimed at providing people with a good option. It is more compact than their other offering Kia Seltos.
The design aspect of the car features Kia’s iconic tiger mouth grill on the outside. The interior side of things comes with a black interior and a large touchscreen display. It has ample security features with a total of 6 airbags on the high-end variant of the Sonet. The standard edition features a couple of airbags at a minimum.
Kia has incorporated two engine segments in this car with diesel and petrol options available. A total of 23 variants are available in the market for this.
Features
- Engine range – 998 cc to 1493 cc
- Max Power – 81.86 – 118.36 Bhp
- Price – Rs 6.79 lakhs – 13.19 lakhs
- Mileage – 18.2 – 24.1 kmpl
- Seating capacity – 5 persons
- Engine options – Petrol/ Diesel
#2. Tata Nexon
The next pick in our list is from Tata, one of the largest Indian automobile manufacturers. They have been around for ages and have to build a great brand name for themselves. The brand has had quite a growth in the market in the last few years with its modern-day new age designs and offerings. Tata Nexon is one such offering that is making great waves in compact SUV.
Tata Nexon has one of the highest sales numbers among its segment and comes with great quirky styling and features. It comes with action-packed performance and is much loved for safety measures. They achieved a 5-star rating in the NCAP test making them the best ones in the market. They have petrol, diesel and even an electric variant running around in the market. It’s loaded with tons of features and makes for a great piece to ride and invest into.
Features
- Engine range – 1199 cc to 1497 cc/ 30.2 KWH for EV
- Max Power – 108.5 – 118.3 Bhp / 127 Bhp for EV
- Price – Rs 7.09 lakhs – 12.79 lakhs/ 13.99 – 16.25 lakhs for EV
- Mileage – 17 – 21.5 kmpl / 312 Km per charge for EV
- Seating capacity – 5 persons
- Engine options – Petrol/ Diesel / Electric
#3. Hyundai Venue
The third pick in our list is from Hyundai, a South Korean automobile giant known for its great consumer-friendly cars and automobiles over the years. They have been one of the major names in the industry and their offerings have always ranked higher. They brought in a compact SUV to take on the market and boy it has done.
This Hyundai Venue comes with styling cues from the Creta model and has a distinct design that sets the Hyundai’s products apart from other brands. It is quite attractive to look at as a comfortable piece. It also comes with segment-first features. You are also likely to find out safety features like dual airbags and more with the car. They have petrol and diesel variants available. They have a total of 19 variants under Hyundai Venue.
Features
- Engine range – 998 cc to 1493 cc
- Max Power – 81.86 – 118.35 Bhp
- Price – Rs 6.75 lakhs – 11.65 lakhs
- Mileage – 17.52 – 23.7 kmpl
- Seating capacity – 5 persons
- Engine options – Petrol/ Diesel
#4. Renault Duster
At the fourth place on our list, we have the compact SUV from Renault. The French automobile brand has fostered quite a lot in India with its products in recent years. Their Duster model remains one of the top sellers in the segment whilst other offerings are equally high in the sales charts. The Renault Duster is a perfect compact SUV for someone who wants a power-packed performer on the streets along with a simplistic feel to it.
The car has a standard simple look to it which gives it a pleasant feel. It has a contemporary feel with a rugged exterior that is balanced by equally impressive interior design. This car is perfect for those who want a rough exterior and a stylish interior build. It was previously offered in both diesel and petrol variants but the diesel variant was stopped with the exclusive petrol-only engines coming along these days.
This compact SUV feels large and comes with a spacious bootleg and is often named as the best one for outdoor and extensive trips.
Features
- Engine range – 1330 cc to 1498 cc
- Max Power – 104.55 – 153.86 Bhp
- Price – Rs 9.57 lakhs – 13.87 lakhs
- Mileage – 16.42 kmpl
- Seating capacity – 5 persons
- Engine options – Petrol
#5. Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza
Maruti Suzuki is a household name in India when it comes to automobiles. They are the brand to go for whenever you want to buy a car. So why would they be behind when it came to the compact SUV race. Maruti Suzuki launched a compact-sized variant with Vitara Brezza giving their Vitara brand an uplift it duly needed.
The compact SUV has been the answer to many people’s demand for new-age cars and comes with great aesthetic design, impressive interior, and great performance. The car has a compact form build and has duly taken the market by storm ever since its launch. Maruti Suzuki has good safety standards and comes with dual airbags. It was previously offered in both diesel and petrol edition. But after the initiation of BS6 norms, Maruti Suzuki has been offering this only in the petrol edition.
Features
- Engine range – 1462 cc
- Max Power – 103.26 Bhp
- Price – Rs 7.39 lakhs – 11.40 lakhs
- Mileage – 17.03 – 18.76 kmpl
- Seating capacity – 5 persons
- Engine options – Petrol
#6. Ford EcoSport
The next compact SUV on our list is none other than the very first compact SUV offering in India, Ford EcoSport. They are the ones who kickstarted this segment in India and made people aware of this entirely new segment in an automobile. The brand leads on many points when it comes to sales and setting up of records.
It was derived from the largest sibling Ford Endeavour and based its design around it. The brand focused on creating good value for users with the use of modern design and impressive power packing engines. The cars come with an exterior that’s aggressive and hits the right notes. The inside of the car comes with a stylish look that is sure to grow on you. They have taken safety notes with dual airbags available right from the standard edition. The Compact SUV comes in petrol and diesel editions with great ratings. It comes in a total of nine variants.
Features
- Engine range – 1496 to 1498 cc
- Max Power – 98.63 – 120.69 Bhp
- Price – Rs 7.99 lakhs – 11.49 lakhs
- Mileage – 14.7 – 21.7 kmpl
- Seating capacity – 5 persons
- Engine options – Petrol/ Diesel
#7. Mahindra XUV300
Mahindra is a well-known name in the automobile industry in India. They have a range of cars and automobiles that are simply designed for perfection. Their XUV500 was one of the best SUVs around in India. Taking clues from the same, they ventured into the compact SUV segment with their new offering XUV300. And this is something that you’d be amazed to see.
The Mahindra XUV300 comes with one of the best design aspects, some of which is borrowed from an elder sibling. It has a premium look to it and comes with a refined and powered drive system. The car features one of the longest wheelbases in this segment and is known for its performance. It has one of the best safety traits with 7 airbags in their car. The XUV300 features both petrol and diesel engines. It comes in manual and automatic variants. In total, it has over 13 models to choose from.
Features
- Engine range – 1197 to 1497 cc
- Max Power – 108.6 – 115 Bhp
- Price – Rs 7.95 lakhs – 12.30 lakhs
- Mileage – 17 – 20 kmpl
- Seating capacity – 5 persons
- Engine options – Petrol/ Diesel
#8. Honda WR-V
At the eighth number, we have a Japanese brand staking its claim as one of the best automobile manufacturers for Compact SUV. Honda has been a leading name in the industry and their cars are one of the top picks. This one from them is a Honda WR-V, a scaled-down edition taking clues from the BR-V and CR-V models. This one has been part of the best selling list and if you take a peek at the car, you’d be sure why they command that position.
The Honda WR-V comes with exclusive segment features unlike the other ones and features loads of different attributes and performance. It is loaded with options like sunscreen roofs, LED daytime running lights, touchscreen-based infotainment system, and more. The exterior is designed with nice precision and has a similar exquisite feel to the inside. You’ll find the suspension system working your way and allowing you to glide on the Indian roads with ease. It’s quite comfortable to ride around in this.
Features
- Engine range – 1199 to 1498 cc
- Max Power – 88.5 – 97.89 Bhp
- Price – Rs 8.55 lakhs – 11.05 lakhs
- Mileage – 16.5 – 23.7 kmpl
- Seating capacity – 5 persons
- Engine options – Petrol/ Diesel
#9. Jeep Compass
The next slot goes to Jeep, an all American company known for their great cars and automobiles around. Their cars are a leader in the segment worldwide and it’s no surprise to see them rank on our list. Jeep has those years on their back of being the best performer that sooner than later you’ll find them climbing the ladders in the sales.
Jeep ventured into India with their compact SUV offering in form of the Compass model. The car comes with an exquisite Jeep themed front grill and design with their chrome finish. It also has the likes of ORVMs, LED lamps, and more. The inside of a Jeep Compass is laden with great upholstery design and premium materials. The tech side of the car is also modern and new age. It comes in both petrol and diesel-based variant and has multiple options to choose from. The pricing is also adequate for a global brand like Jeep.
Features
- Engine range – 1368 to 1956 cc
- Max Power – 159.74 – 173 Bhp
- Price – Rs 16.49 lakhs – 24.99 lakhs
- Mileage – 14.01 – 17.1 kmpl
- Seating capacity – 5 persons
- Engine options – Petrol/ Diesel
#10. Kia Seltos
Closing our list of best compact SUVs in India is another of Kia’s offerings in India, Kia Seltos. We started with the recent Kia’s product, i.e. Sonet where we talked about how Seltos made way for Sonet to make a mark among the people. Kia Seltos is something that has offered a great choice for people who were looking for a compact SUV other than the pre-existing brands and cars in the market. Their design side of things is quite impressive and gives an aggressive feel to the car. It also comes with Kia’s symbolic grille along with the new age functions like LED lamps, tail lights, daytime running lamps, and more. The design aspect makes it almost a premium car.
The inside of the Kia Seltos is impressive with options like a sunroof, air purifier, touchscreen display, parking sensors, and more. The safety side of the driving is taken care of with six airbags inbuilt in the car. There are two engine options available with Seltos in form of diesel and petrol ones.
Features
- Engine range – 1353 to 1497 cc
- Max Power – 113.4 – 138 Bhp
- Price – Rs 9.89 lakhs – 17.45 lakhs
- Mileage – 16.1 – 20.8 kmpl
- Seating capacity – 5 persons
- Engine options – Petrol/ Diesel
The market for compact SUVs has opened up quite a lot in recent years and more people are going for these car models at present. It’s no surprise that compact SUVs take the prime spots in the bestseller lists. These aforementioned models are the pick of the bunch when it comes to this segment and we hope you can find your choice among them.
