What's a fun-to-drive car under 10 lakh? Grand i10 Nios or Tata Tiago

Needs to be a safe, small yet fun hatchback for Mumbai roads.

BHPian GreasyCarb55 recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Posting this on behalf of a friend.

A friend of mine is looking for a small, fun-to-drive and safe hatchback under 10L (on-road Mumbai). We narrowed down the list to two cars and need help deciding between the two.

Hyundai Grand i10 Nios Asta MT and the Tata Tiago XZ+ MT

Maruti and Citroen were rejected due to safety concerns.

Are there any other cars that should be considered?

Here's what GTO had to say on the matter:

The Grand i10 Nios will provide a better driving experience (although its engine is showing its age); the Tiago's petrol engine is yawn-inducing b-o-r-i-n-g.

For a college student looking at a fun-to-drive car:

1. C3 Turbo. Top choice for 10 lakhs. Very sorted car mechanically, awesome fun to drive, great suspension, lovely engine, sweet gearshift. It's the Octavia vRS of the 10-lakh segment.
2. Tata Tiago Electric. Early exposure to technology for your Gen Z friend, EVs can be fun to drive, well-priced and safe.
3. Maruti Swift. Lots of fun to drive!
4. Altroz Turbo Petrol. If the budget can be extended. But this engine is currently available only in the new "Racer" variant.
5. Maruti Fronx Turbo Petrol MT. Will keep him grinning from ear to ear. Needs the budget to be extended.

Here's what BHPian nova.19_exe had to say on the matter:

If the budget can be extended, then definitely the i20 N-Line! Tops the list of fun-to-drive hatches!

If not, then definitely the C3 Turbo, but do note that Citroen is still fairly new to the market, and you might have to deal with dealer issues or ASS issues. But it's worth a shot!

Here's what BHPian madhukarmohan had to say on the matter:

If you are okay with pre-owned cars, there are good options. Most of the cars after 2021 are overvalued. Here are those great fun-to-drive cars from the last decade.

1. Ford Freestyle (and Figo) Diesel
2. Fiat Punto (Abarth and Aventura)
3. Volkswagen Polo (and GT)

Here's what BHPian DCEite had to say on the matter:

What kind of "Fun-to-drive" element are you looking for from the car?

If your definition of Fun to drive is a petrol engine that can rev all the way to glory, look no further than a pre-owned Honda City I-VTEC.

If you want to buy something new, then your options are limited, mainly from the Maruti stable (which you already excluded). Think of Ignis/Swift/Baleno et al.

For Turbo petrol (if you like that kind of a fun-to-drive element where the Turbo kick excites you), you can consider the C3 Turbo / FronX Turbo/ i20 N-Line 1.0 Turbo. Although you will need to increase your budget by just a little bit.

However, as GTO pointed out, an EV like Tiago would fit the bill here too. EVs are quick, agile, fun to drive and economical at the same time. Plus the Tiago is a safer vehicle than the Maruti/Hyundai/Citreons.

But I doubt an EV would excite an under-25-year-old. Sure they are fast, but a bit boring at the same time as well (depends on your taste).

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.