Over the years, the Indian car market has witnessed a lot of car brands. While some brands like Suzuki and Hyundai became household names, there were some brands that left too early, giving us iconic cars that enthusiasts cherish to this day. Here's a list of brands that we wish had never left India.
Ford Motors entered the Indian market in 1995 through a collaboration with Mahindra and Mahindra called Mahindra Ford India Limited. Their first car was the Ford Escort, and the company established manufacturing plants in Chennai and Sanand in Gujarat.
Over the years, Ford Motors gained a reputation for being an enthusiast brand, launching models like the Fiesta and the Figo, which were among the first hot hatches in India, while models like the Endeavour were known for their ruggedness and build quality. The Ford EcoSport was one of the most important cars in Ford's portfolio in India, as it became Ford's bestselling model, which essentially started the sub-4 meter segment in India.
Despite having popular products, Ford India faced a huge decline in demand by the end of the 2010s due to increasing competition from brands like Suzuki and Hyundai. Ford did not have a competitive product in other segments of the market, like sedans and hatchbacks, and by 2020, Ford had incurred losses of ₹200 crore rupees, making business unsustainable in India.
The loss of Ford Motors left a huge gap in the Indian car market, with owners still cherishing their cars.
General Motors entered the Indian market in 1996, partnering with the Opel brand, but it was later replaced by Chevrolet in 2003 as the main brand in India.
Over the years, Chevrolet launched many popular cars, including the Chevrolet Beat, which was a small hatchback known for its punchy engines, and SUVs like the Tavera, which became the backbone of families in tier 2 and tier 3 cities. Other significant models included the Chevrolet Spark and Optra. The Chevrolet Cruze became popular for its strong diesel engine and was given the nickname “Diesel rocket” by enthusiasts.
While Chevrolet saw great success in the 2000s, sales dried out by the mid 2010s due to increased competition from Japanese brands such as Honda and Suzuki, and they also did not have any products in the fast-growing SUV market. Due to the dwindling sales, Chevrolet decided to cease operations by the end of 2017.
Fiat Motors entered the Indian market in 1996, initially partnering with Tata Motors for manufacturing and distribution, with their first car for India being the Fiat Palio.
The Italian brand launched many products, including the Fiat Punto and Fiat Linea, which were strong competitors to the VW Polo and Vento. Fiat also launched the Abarth version of the Punto, which became one of the true hot hatches sold in India. Fiat was also known for producing the iconic 1.3 litre Multijet diesel engine that featured in multiple Tata, Fiat, and Suzuki models and was also known as the “national engine” of India.
Low sales and a limited dealer network were among the biggest reasons behind the downfall of Fiat in India, and the new BS6 emission norms were the final nail in its coffin, with Fiat deciding not to upgrade its cars to the new norms and wrapping up production in 2019 and finally exiting India in 2020.
Mitsubishi Motors came to India in 1998 through a partnership with Hindustan Motors. At the time, there were no performance-oriented manufacturers in the Indian market, so Mitsubishi positioned itself as India’s first performance-oriented Japanese manufacturer.
Over the years, Mitsubishi launched a variety of products that were known for their driving dynamics, such as the Cedia and Lancer, which became famous for their performance and as tuning platforms, and SUVs like the Outlander and the Pajero. The Pajero was especially known for its size and bulletproof nature.
Mitsubishi stopped its India operations in 2016 due to low sales and issues with its partnership with Hindustan Motors, as HM had also ceased operations during that time. Just like Fiat, Mitsubishi did not upgrade its engines to the BS6 emission norms, which killed the brand in India.
Datsun, a sub-brand of Nissan, entered India in 2014 as a budget car manufacturer mainly targeting first-time buyers.
It introduced models like the Datsun Go, Go Plus, and the Redi Go. All the models were under the ₹5 lakh range and were mainly an alternative to the likes of the Renault Kwid and Suzuki Alto. The Go Plus was a one-of-a-kind product which offered a 7-seater on a budget.
Datsun was criticised for its low build quality and poor safety ratings, with its cars often scoring 0 stars in safety ratings. That, coupled with a poor dealership and sales network, led to very low sales compared to its competitors. Datsun wrapped up its India operations in 2022.
Daewoo entered India in 1995 with the Cielo sedan and established a manufacturing plant in Surajpur, Uttar Pradesh.
Within its short time in India, it released popular cars like the Cielo and the Matiz and became a prominent figure in the small car segment, mainly competing with the Maruti 800 and the Esteem.
Due to the bankruptcy of its South Korean parent company, Daewoo ceased its operations in India in 2002. Its assets were taken over by Hindustan Motors in the subsequent years.
While these brands have left India, there is always a possibility that they might come back, as India is one of the fastest-growing markets in the world. These brands serve as a reminder that sometimes good brands come in at the wrong time. But even though the brands have exited India, their products continue to live on the roads as well as in the hearts of enthusiasts.
