Car maintenance cost comparison Part 10: Budget hatchbacks

Carrying on with our maintenance cost comparisons –Part 1 (premium and executive SUVs), Part 2 (premium and executive Sedans),Part 3 (mid-size SUVs), Part 4 (compact SUVs), Part 5 (mid-size sedans), Part 6 (compact sedans), Part 7 (premium hatchbacks), Part 8 (entry-level hatchbacks) and Part 9 (mid-range hatchbacks), we now shift focus to the most price-sensitive segments in the Indian market – the budget hatchbacks.

• Maintenance costs calculated over 60,000km
• Budget hatchbacks maintenance costs compared
• Factors in service life as well as cost of parts and labour (ex-Delhi, inclusive of taxes)

Currently, this segment consists of just four cars, which isn’t an indicator of a lack of interest or of market potential but of just how cost-competitive the segment has become, especially with the more stringent safety norms, as well as the BS6 emission standards now in place. Mass-market specialist, Maruti Suzuki, has two offerings in this space - the Alto and the Spresso, both with a single engine on offer; while Hyundai has vacated this space with the discontinuation of the Eon. Of course, as before, there are no diesel engines to be found here.

Budget hatchbacks maintenance cost comparison

• All cars in this segment have a one year or 10,000km service interval.
• Both, the Renault Kwid and the Datsun Redigo are based on the same platform and share their engines as well as several other parts. And both are available with either a 0.8-litre or a 1.0-litre petrol engine.
• In the case of the Renault Kwid and the Datsun Redigo, whichever engine you choose, be it the 0.8-litre or the more powerful 1.0-litre, the service costs remain constant.
• Datsun charges a flat Rs 2,089 as labour costs from the 20,000km service onwards, whereas Renault’s labour charges are a flat Rs 2,006 from the 30,000km service onwards and Rs 2,065 for the 60,000km service.
• Although more or less at par, the overall maintenance costs for the Renault are a bit more economical than the Datsun.
• The Maruti Alto is a bit more expensive to run, compared to its rivals. While cost of most parts is comparatively lower, Maruti’s labour costs range between Rs 2,313 and Rs 2,478 from the 20,000km service onwards, which is a bit higher than its rivals.
• The Maruti Spresso’s maintenance costs are just a touch over the Alto’s. Its labour costs, like the Alto’s, are in the same price range, which is a bit higher than the Datsun and Renault, chargeable from the 20,000km service.

Did you find this maintenance cost comparison helpful? Tell us what you think in the comments section and stay tuned for more maintenance cost comparison surveys of other segments that are coming soon.