Automobile Companies In India: Thanks Edition

The Indian automobile market is a rather new one if compared to the markets across the globe. And yet, it is one of the most sought-after automobile markets. Today, we’ll be thanking the automobile companies that are present in India and what have they contributed to the market.

1. Tata Motors: Paving the road for safer cars in India

   

   The Indian car buyers have now been inclined towards the safety aspect, thanks to Tata Motors. Tata Nexon was the first car in India to score a 5-star rating at the Global NCAP. Since then, the company has been making safe cars such as the 4-star rated Tigor/Tiago or the 5-star rated gold standard hatchback, the Altroz. We would like to thank Tata Motors for making sure that cars are safe for the occupants as well as the pedestrians.

2. Mahindra: Keeping the SUV legacy alive

   

   While there are many pseudo SUVs available in the market, there is one brand that is still focused on making SUVs for the Indians. And not just that, safe SUVs! Mahindra XUV300 which scored a 5-star rating at the Global NCAP was the first car to score a 4-star rating for the child occupancy. Then, the 2020 Mahindra Thar went on to score a 4×4 rating at the crash test. Now, Mahindra has introduced XUV700, or as I like to call it, the market disruptor with a load of features at an unbelievable price.

3. Maruti Suzuki: Telling us that the cars can be affordable too!

   

   Before Maruti, people had a choice of all those boxy and absurd cars with high price tags. The market was not so good. And then, Maruti Suzuki introduced their first car, the 800 that went on to be the best-selling car in India for more than 20 years. Since then, Maruti Suzuki has introduced some of the most affordable cars while offering premium cars through the NEXA channel. No wonder, Maruti Suzuki has a share of around 48-50% in the Indian automotive market.

4. Hyundai and Kia: Showing us the number of features a car can have

   

   Maruti did offer some good cars back in the 1990s but Indians wanted more. And that is when Hyundai entered the market with the Santro back in 1998 and introduced Indians to a new design philosophy along with a host of features that were considered a luxury at that time. Since then, Hyundai has been known to offer a load of features in every car. And, with the launch of Kia Seltos in 2019, we got to know that the South Koreans are always full of features.

5. Skoda and Volkswagen: Letting us experience the luxury and performance

   

   The Germans have given the world some of the best cars. Skoda and Volkswagen have introduced some of the finest and powerful cars such as Octavia, Polo, Jetta, Superb, etc. When things were not so good for Skoda in the Indian market, the company carefully studied the consumers and brought in the Kushaq. And it has been quite a remarkable product and that too at a great price. Skoda and Volkswagen don’t advertise the safety features that they provide loudly but the cars are really safe. Both the companies actually offer a complete package in their cars, one cannot deny this fact.

6. Toyota: Thanks for the cars so robust, they can make a round trip to the moon and still work fine!

   

   One thing that any Toyota car owner (Not the rebadged Maruti ones) can say for sure, the cars are robust and don’t cost a lot in service even after lakhs of kilometers. Toyota Innova has been the favorite MPV in India since its inception and none of the rivals have been able to displace it, thanks to the high quality that the car offers. Toyota Fortuner leads its own segment and now with Ford Endevaour gone, there is nothing that can closely challenge the SUV. The Japanese carmaker keeps the cars simple, without a sunroof, or fancy features but still, its quality drives the buyers towards its products.

7. MG Motors: Thanks for the first internet car, the first electric SUV, and the first ADAS-equipped car

   

   Although called for being a Chinese company, MG Motors has British roots. And, the Chinese-owned British carmaker has introduced three cars in India. MG Hector was India’s first internet car with connected tech features. Then came the MG ZS EV, India’s first pure electric SUV and it has been doing great in the segment. Next up, came the MG Gloster, India’s first car to have ADAS features. And now, MG is all set to reveal India’s first ADAS Autonomous Level-2 car, the Astor on 16th September.

8. Renault and Nissan: Offering one of the finest low-cost products in the segment

   

   Renault, rather than competing in the other segments, came with the Triber, India’s most budget-friendly MPV that is 4-star rated at the Global NCAP. Nissan introduced products like Sunny, Micra, and Terrano, though they were not able to make a mark in the Indian market. Nissan also offers Kicks, a car that has an engine with the technology inspired by the legendary Nissan GT-R. But that’s not all. Nissan and Renault have offered Magnite and Kiger, both of which have created a segment of their own due to the aggressive pricing and a host of features and good performance.

9. Honda: Thanks for the i-VTEC and i-DTEC engines

   

   Although we don’t get the full-blown VTEC engines in India, Honda has introduced some of the finest engines with the finest performance. Starting from the segment-leading City, Honda has given us Indians some of the great cars that can be credited in shaping the Indian automotive industry. And we cannot deny the fact that Honda cars are affordable too.

I could have added Ford to this list. Ford in India gave us some really cool cars with great performance and ruggedness but the company was not able to sustain itself in the evergrowing market. We all know that the Indian automotive market has become quite competitive and that is actually good for the consumers. We get a lot of options to choose from. And, we hope that these companies keep on operating in India and can do a sustainable business in the future too. Which company would you like to thank the most? Do let us know in the comments section below.