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When it comes to status, size matters, especially in India, where bigger is always better. How big is your bank balance? How big is your flat? And we already know about our obsession with big cars. However, if you like to be chauffeur driven, besides the size of the car, what also matters is how big it is on comfort, especially in the back seat, which is where you’ll be spending most of your time.
Mind you, that you need to spend a large amount of money to feel like a sahib when being driven around, is a false notion. To prove it, we scouted around for cars under Rs 12 lakh that will ferry you between board meetings and family outings in comfort.
To identify the cars with the best back seats in this price bracket, we have considered the following factors – legroom, headroom, seat width, cushioning along with back, backrest angle and thigh support. Here’s a segment-wise look at our favourite picks.
Compact hatchbacks Rs 3.5-5 lakh
A spacious rear seat isn’t the first image that comes to mind when you mention small two-box cars. However, some of the cars in this segment pack in quite an accommodating bench at the back. Among these, three are most noteworthy – the Tata Tiago, the Maruti WagonR and the Maruti Celerio.
While the Tiago has a premium, big-car-like ambience, its rear headroom and legroom is not much to talk about. Although comfortable, some may find the seatback a touch too reclined, and the small rear windows also make short passengers feel a bit cooped up.
Between the WagonR and the Celerio, the former’s tall-boy stance gives it an edge in terms of headroom, but its upright seating isn’t the best for long journeys. The Celerio on the other hand has a more relaxed seating position, and it impresses with the amount of legroom and headroom it packs at the rear, making it the better of the two Marutis.
Mid-size hatchbacks Rs 4.5-6.5 lakh
The Maruti Swift was the first ‘big’ hatchback to arrive in India, and since then, the segment has seen many incumbents. However, in terms of back seats only a few stand out, namely the Tata Bolt and the more recent Ford Figo. Like most Tata cars, the Bolt's cabin is spacious. It's wide enough to seat three and legroom here can rival that of many mid-size sedans. However, the rear seats feel too firm, which takes away from the overall comfort.
The Ford may seem short on space, but once you are sat in it, you'll notice it has plenty of cleverly created legroom. Like the Zest, the Figo’s wide rear bench can comfortably accommodate three passengers. The seats are a bit too soft though, but overall, when compared to its rivals, the Ford is the best here.
