Hatchback vs Sedan vs Crossover vs SUV : Which To Choose & Why?

The 1960’s saw the advent and subsequent rise of the hatchback in Europe. Due to it’s compact size and ease of navigation on congested roads, the hatchback gained popularity the world over. The hatchback is the smallest mainstream car body configuration with a rear door which can be opened upwards to provide a boot space. They hold significant advantage and popularity over other car body configurations in India. Firstly, it requires a lot less space, which is a blessing to the traffic and cramped streets. Secondly, it provides comfortable space for four, its an ideal car for a family of four or less. They also consume less fuel, which works extremely well with the sustainable development & environment-friendly outlook which is essentially the need of the hour if we are to save the planet.

Maruti Suzuki Swift

Swift has been around since more than ten years now and is still one of the biggest competitors in this category. It’s athletic looks and elegant exterior is a favorite with the nation. A closer look inside would tell you that Maruti works hard on competing with other cars in this segment, as it provides all modern features such as 60:40 split seats, tiltable steering and inbuilt Bluetooth in the latest versions.

The new Swift on the road consists of a 1.2 litre, K-Series VTVT petrol engine and Fiat’s renowned 1.3 litre Multijet engine paired to a five-speed manual transmission. Variants also come with AMT option to keep up with the competition.

Hyundai Elite i20

Hyundai maintains a dominant position in the market with its Fluidic sculpture philosophy dictating the pulled back headlights and rear combination lamps. Its dynamic design pours a spacious interior with advanced capabilities such as touchscreen infotainment, keyless entry, multi-functional steering make it easily one of the best cars in this category.

It’s 1.2 litre Kappa dual VTVT petrol and 1.4 litre U2 CRDi diesel unit, mated to a five-speed manual with an option for a six-speed manual (only in the diesel range) gives durable and powerful performance.

SEDAN

Sedans have been around since a long time. The first locally manufactured mass production car to roll out in Australia was the Holden FX, manufactured way back in 1948. Sedans provide a more vast cargo space than hatchbacks with a proper segmentation between the rear seats and the trunk, a feature absent in any other mainstream category of cars. Their streamlined design also provides an elegant driving experience due to better aerodynamics. Maruti Suzuki Swift Dzire and Honda City are two sedans which we are going to talk about in this article.

Swift Dzire

An extension of the Swift platform, the Swift Dzire has been plying its trade in the industry since more than six years now. The new 2015 facelifted model has undergone minor cosmetic updates such as smoked headlamps, a new single chrome-slat grille, fog lamps with chrome inserts and new alloy wheels. Inside, the car can easily house five people and has increased head and legroom than before.

The Swift Dzire is also the most fuel efficient sedans. It houses a 1.3-litre DDiS diesel and 1.2-litre petrol engine mated to a five-speed transmission.  While the former offers 26.59kmpl, the latter one offers 20.85kmpl, high standards compared to other cars in most categories in the automotive industry.

Honda City

City’s iconic stretched headlamps and sleek rear lights look like a feature of art. Being the prime car in the sedan category since a long time, Honda keeps updating it to live upto its standard, pushing every other challenger at the side of the picture.A little tight on mileage, the 1497 cc, i-VTEC petrol engine provides a mileage of around 14-15 kmpl.

CROSSOVER

A Crossover or Crossover Utility Vehicle(CUV) is a vehicle built on a platform combining features of SUV’s and passenger cars. It ditches the body-on-frame manufacturing technique typical of SUV’s in which the platform and the body are manufactured separately and instead goes for the unibody design to achieve a lighter weight, car-like handling and fuel economy. Crossovers merge the benefits and effortless handling of a car with the comfortable spaciousness of SUVs and the result is gaining immense popularity among the masses.

Maruti Suzuki S-Cross

The S-Cross, from the outside, looks like a hefty revamp of the now discontinued SX4. The interiors are black with a sporty hexagonal-shaped dashboard along with the usual visible use of leather on seats, door pads and steering wheel.

As of now the S-Cross offers two diesel engines - the 1.3-litre and the 1.6-litre. The latter gives a mileage of 22.7km/l. The 1.3 litre engine’s claimed mileage is 23.65 km/l. Both the engines are matched to a 6-speed gearbox. In terms of performance and comfort, the S-Cross does well at decent to high speeds due to a stringent suspension setup.

BMW X-1

BMW’s budget luxury offering presents BMW’s class and style in the shape of a small SUV of sorts, but still retains its fierce headlight and grille design and sleek rear lights. Combined with a well responsive steering and a tight suspension, it makes for a smooth ride on all Indian roads. A 6.5-inch infotainment system with Bluetooth is standard; navigation, adaptive cruise control, automated emergency braking, and a self-parking feature are optional.

The BMW X1 was launched in three variants: sDrive18i (petrol), sDrive20d (diesel) and sDrive20d exclusive (diesel). The petrol version has a 1.8 litre engine and BMW X1 diesel version is equipped with 2.0 litre. 

SUV

A Sport Utility Vehicle or Suburban Utility Vehicle, better known as an SUV, has an additional capacity in the form of a two-box design along with the traditional front and back seat design. It usually comes equipped with a four-wheel drive for off-roading and is bigger in body size and engine capacity than any other mainstream car category. The SUV wins over other segments when it comes to driving off-road and providing space for big families or heavy cargo.

Renault Duster

Launched in 2013, the Duster has broad headlights and rear lamps which lend it a dominative and brawny image. The extensive hood only polishes its image. The interiors in the latest edition get a beige finish with a steel black dashboard and a touchscreen infotainment system.

The Renault Duster is powered by 3 engine options - a 1.6-litre petrol (103 bhp), a 1.5-litre diesel (84 bhp) and a 1.5-litre diesel (108 bhp). The new face-lift edition borrows the ABS and EBS systems from its predecessor. It also features Hill Hold and a traction control system for hilly or mountain roads. 

XUV 500

Since its launch, the Mahindra XUV500 turns heads due to its menacing looks. The wide doors are accentuated by the cold, condescending front and rear. Every variant comes with high class safety features such as ABS and ESP. 

Since its launch in 2011, XUV500 has gone through many changes, with one of the most vital being addition of the AT and AWD variants. Transmission choices include a six-speed manual and automatic units. The car boasts of a 2.2-litre mHawk engine mated to either a six-speed manual or automatic transmission.

Kia Sportage

An ideal blend of style and space, the Kia Sportage takes on rivals like the Hyundai Tucson by the proverbial tusks & is a tasteful car to look at. With an imposing & unique front grille this compact SUV has bold cuts & belt-lines on the sides and radiates an aura of posh royalty. 

The Sportage is available in a number of trims. Two of these trims come powered by a 1.6 litre petrol & diesel motors churning out 152 & 182 bhp of power respectively & giving a mileage of 23 mpg in cities and 30 mpg on highway roads. There are Platinum AWD versions as well, one with a 2.0 litre, turbocharged diesel engine, outputting 182 bhp of power & giving 21 & 26 mpg on city & highway roads respectively. The second one is a more powerful platinum 2.4 litre petrol then it’s twin, outputting 182 bhp. The Kia Sportage is very responsive, & with the sturdy suspension, makes for a great driving experience.

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Kia Marketing Campaigns for Euro 2016 in July is A Big Success

It’s been a busy month in July for Kia, who have organised some very interesting marketing and social media campaigns surrounding the 2016 Euro Cup.

One of the world’s most important football or soccer competitions, the UEFA Euro Cup 2016 wrapped up earlier this month, with plenty of people tuning in late at night to catch the action. It was Portugal that got the job done over to the hosts France, and what a tournament it was!

The official sponsors Kia organised a bunch of activities around the event, including the ‘Champ into the Arena’ five-on-five amateur tournament, in which literally thousands of different teams competed from all around the world. The winner from each participating country was rewarded with an all expenses trip to France to compete against the world’s best. The quality of competition was extremely high, exceeded only by the Euro Cup itself.

Another successful campaign surrounding this every-four-year event was the ‘Carry your Dream’ social media campaign, which encouraged children to post content that demonstrates how crazy they are about soccer and what it means to them. Fifty-one of the best entries were selected as official match ball carriers at the event in France, meaning they would take the ball out onto the pitch and hand it to the referee!

Keep an eye on other special offers and exciting campaigns organised by Kia through 2016, and of course, don’t forget to check out the huge range of Kia cars that can be seen on the Chadstone Kia website.

Kia Soul - The Scintillating One

Review on 3 Impressive New Kia Cars for 2016

We are on the verge of waving away 2015 and we’re looking forward to the new models that Kia has planned for 2016, while many of these aren’t yet available in Australia. In this article, we will give you a summary of the key features and updates of some popular Kia 2016 releases just to give you a sneak peak of what’s coming.

2016 Kia Sportage: Everlasting Impression

Slated for a release in the first quarter of 2016, the new Kia Sportage was first shown off back in September at a motor show in Frankfurt. The medium sized SUV has been noted for its different physical appearance compared to that of its predecessors, with a sharper, fiercer-looking front grille, and modified headlights, as well as being slightly longer than previous models.

Image Credit: kia.com

Feature-wise, the Australian release will include new safety features as standard including lane departure warning and blind spot detection. Also for the first time in Australia, this model will include Apple Car Play and Android Auto. The increased length allows for more space inside, which promises a more comfortable ride for driver and passengers. Engine details for the Australian release are yet to be announced, but we’re seeing 2.0 and 2.4 petrol engines overseas as well as a diesel tuber 2.0 litre. The 2016 Sportage is certainly one we’re looking forward to.

2016 Kia Cerato: A Gift of True Innovation

The 2015 Cerato was one of the year’s most widely sold cars, beloved for its sleek design in particular. Despite this, Kia came out and promised significant changes to the 2016 model, and early images seem to confirm this.

Image Credit: kia.com

The updated look was unveiled just last month and we can see that the new design carries over a lot of what made 2015’s offering work, with the interesting tweaks. We’ll let you decide whether you like the new look, but we are a fan of the new, longer headlights which is a nice change from the more bubbly-looking lights on the older model. The other striking difference is that the front grille has been made flatter and straighter. These changes give the Cerato a more luxury appearance.

By all reports, engine options will be the same as the 2015 Cerato and we can expect this model to be available in April or May.

2016 Kia Picanto: All in Small

You might not be familiar with the name and there’s a good reason for that; the Picanto is yet to have been released in Australia. However, it will be introduced to Australian Kia dealers at some point in the first half of 2016.

Image Credit: kia.com

Kia's smallest car, Picanto is being released as a viable competitor to the Mitsubishi Mirage, which currently dominates the micro-car market in Australia. But it will have its work cut out for it to hold the title as the Picanto looks primed for a big first year.

The 2016 model is rather eye-catching, with that stylish grille found across Kia’s range. The zippy micro-car has been commended for its interior space, and rumour has it the Australian model will include a spare tire (not seen in UK models). Safety features have also been a priority, receiving a 5-star safety rating from ANCAP when released to New Zealand.

Are you excited about these new cars? Don't scream yet, we will be reviewing three more flagship Kia car of their respective class in our next blog article. So stay with us and leave your comment below, and don't forget to visit Chadstone Kia's website for new updates on original Kia cars.

The Benefits of Choosing a SUV Over a Sedan

When you head out on your quest to find a new car, it can seem a little daunting at first. There are hundreds of manufacturers to choose from; each offering the latest deals on finance and upgrade packages. Finding a great car at a reasonable price may seem hard enough, but choosing the right one based on fuel economy, features and how the car feels may be made a little easier thanks to the many affordable new cars from manufacturers such as Korean automobile giant Kia.

Like many people, choosing a family car is of the utmost importance. Not only must you be able to transport your family in a safe vehicle that features all of the latest safety features, but you also want a car that drives well, and is reliable for everyday use. Many people have the temptation to choose your typical family four-door sedan, but due to improvements in fuel economy and stability, SUV (Sports Utility Vehicles) has become the popular choice for the modern family.

Improved Ride Height for Added Safety

Whilst family sedans can offer all of the features associated with a modern family car, an SUV such as the Kia Sportage can offer a whole host of added features to make your family car one to enjoy. As with most SUVs, the improved ride height of the vehicle is a feature that many people enjoy. Having a great view of the road ahead is essential for driving safely, bringing an added advantage over a standard sedan.

Many newer SUVs and crossover vehicles such as the Kia Sportage offer great performance compared to a regular sedan and offer a great variety of upgrade options along the way. Apart from being flexible vehicles that come in handy when transporting shopping and other goods when not being used as the family school run car, an SUV or crossover vehicle is a reliable form of transport in even the harshest of weather conditions.

All-Wheel-Drive for All Terrains

Many SUVs feature four-wheel drive, giving an added layer of safety whilst driving on the roads in adverse weather conditions, but they can also give you confidence when driving on bumpy dirt roads and impasses. This higher ground clearance makes SUVs a perfect choice for off-road driving no matter what the weather, and with added safety features as standard; the Kia Sorento or Kia Sportage offers a formidable choice when choosing your next vehicle.

In addition to all of these features, modern SUVs can often seat between 5 and 9 people comfortably. This is a great option for larger families that may well feel a sedan is too small for their needs. With this added size and weight, SUVs offer the best towing abilities and are the ideal choice for any family with a caravan or boat they need to tow. Both the Kia Sorento and Kia Sportage are not only a great outdoors vehicle, these are also urban-friendly with improved fuel efficiency and emissions levels compared with other sports utility vehicles.

In conclusion, SUV vehicles are a great choice when it comes to choosing a new family car. The majority of SUVs feature all-wheel drive that not only makes it easier to drive but improves driving safety in adverse weather conditions. The latest models such as the Kia Sportage feature class-leading safety features as well as a host of upgrades to improve your driving experience for the years to come.

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