Upcoming cars in 2016: Hatchbacks worth waiting for, from Tata Zica to Polo GTI [PHOTOS]

2015 has been quite an exciting and thrilling year for the auto enthusiasts in India as the auto makers have bombarded the market with new launches, giving probable customers a plethora of options to choose from. We saw the arrival of many hatchbacks, SUVs, MPVs and even the new mild hybrid cars from Maruti.

Talking of hatchbacks, we had cars like Celerio diesel and Renault Kwid. Now, if you could still not zero down your search for a good four wheeler, we are sure it is worth taking a look at these upcoming cars from the major car makers in India. There is an array of cars from sedan to hatchback to SUVs that are getting ready to enthral the cars lovers in the country. So, to save your confusion and to help you to have information, here we have a list of hatchbacks that are expected to arrive in the domestic market in 2016.

Tata Zica

A lot has been written about this upcoming hatchback from Tata's stable. Dubbed Zica, popularly known by its codename Kite, Tata's new small car offering is expected to go on sale in the domestic market in the third week of January. Poised to face off with Maruti Celerio, Hyundai i10 and Chevrolet Beat in India, Tata Zica gets a 1.2-litre three-cylinder DOHC aluminium motor and a 1.0-litre three-cylinder diesel engine.

While the petrol engine is tuned to dish out 83.8bhp of power at 6,000 rpm and 114Nm of torque at 3,500 rpm, the diesel mill is capable of putting out 69bhp of power 4,000 rpm and 140Nm of torque between 1,800 and 3,000 rpm. In both variants of Tata Zica, the transmission will be taken care of by a five-speed manual gearbox.

Tata Zica is expected to get a price tag starting at Rs 3.6 lakh.

Datsun redi Go

Redi Go, the third offering from Datsun, the low cost brand of Nissan rides on the CMF-A (Common Modular Family) platform, the same as Renault's latest offering Kwid. Datsun is expected to debut redi-Go small hatchback at Auto Expo 2016, which is scheduled to take place in February. The car will lock horns with Maruti Alto K10 and Hyundai Eon when launched in India and is expected to carry an aggressive price of under Rs 3 lakh with more than 95% localisation.

Under the hood, the redi-Go is speculated to get a three-cylinder petrol engine with five-speed manual transmission. The model is also likely to come equipped with an automated manual transmission (AMT) variant.

Maruti Suzuki Alto 800 facelift

Maruti Suzuki, the country's largest car maker, is believed to be working on a facleifted avatar of its popular models Alto 800.The new Alto 800 facelift is likely to boast of changes both inside and outside. Based on online rumours, it appears the new Alto 800 2016 is likely get a re-designed front and rear bumpers with changes in the tail light and head light design.

Mechanically, the Alto 800 2016 is expected to remain the same as the current model, with 796cc engine with 48 PS of power and 69 Nm of torque. Although rumours are rife that the new Alto 800 could also chug on its first diesel engine and we also hear that there could be a variant with an AMT.

Maruti Suzuki Ignis

Unveiled at the 44th Tokyo Motor Show, Suzuki Ignis, a hatchback with SUV stance is expected to make its India debut in September 2016. From what we know, Ignis will measure 3,700mm in length, 1,660mm in width, 1,595mm in height with a wheelbase of 2,438mm and will be pinned to rival Renault Kwid hatchback and the upcoming Mahindra KUV100 in terms of pricing and dimensions.

Maruti Ignis is expected to be sold through the company's new premium dealership chain Nexa in India. Maruti Suzuki Ignis, which is expected to come to the Indian market with 95% localisation, is likely to get a price tag between Rs 4.8 lakh and Rs 6.8 lakh. Under the bonnet, Ignis is likely to get a new 1.2 litre three cylinder diesel mill, which is expected to churn out about 100bhp of power. The engine is reportedly based on Maruti's 3-cylinder 800cc engine that does duty in the Celerio diesel of the company.

Volkswagen Polo GTI

Volkswagen India is expected to roll out its most powerful Polo variant in the country by March next year. The fourth generation of the powerful version of the Polo -- the GTI -- comes with a 1.8-litre, four-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine producing maximum power output of 189bhp and maximum torque of 320Nm, mated to a seven-speed DSG transmission. The GTI will run from 0-100 kmph in 6.7 seconds before reaching the top speed of 236kmph.

The Polo GTI is equipped with ESC, the electronic stability control system, as a standard option. When launched, the Polo GTI will lock horns with the Fiat Punto Abarth that develops 145bhp from a 14.-litre T-JET engine. The Polo GTI will be sold as CBU unit in India and the estimated price hovers around Rs 20 lakh.