Korean automaker, Hyundai will launch an entry-level hatchback in the Indian market this festive season. The new model will be slotted between the Eon and Grand i10, and will take on the likes of Tata Tiago and Maruti Suzuki Celerio. The new model will come with a tall-boy design and is likely to be called Hyundai Santro.
Codenamed AH2, the upcoming small car will offer roomy cabin and is likely to come with split seats to create more space. The new model will be designed on Hyundai’s new design philosophy, which we have already seen on new breed of Hyundai cars. The small car will also get Hyundai’s signature ‘cascading grille’. Also See – New Hyundai Santro – 5 Things To Know
We believe that the small car could also replace the Eon hatchback. Unlike Eon which is based on low-cost PA platform, the new car will use the i10’s HA platform. The Eon won’t be able to meet the upcoming crash test norms, and improving this platform will require huge investment. This will make Eon expensive. A small car based on more robust and safer HA platform would make more sense in Hyundai’s future plans for Indian market.
The upcoming Hyundai Santro or AH2 hatch will get dual front airbags, ABS with EBD and rear parking sensors as standard safety features. Similar to modern Hyundai cars, the small car will have premium cabin with better fit and finish. This model will share most of the interior components with the larger Grand i10. Going by the spy images, it is visible that the small car gets a Grand i10-like steering wheel with controls for audio and phone, dual-tone black and beige finish and power windows. This small car is highly unlikely to get a touchscreen infotainment system. Instead, it could receive a basic music system with Bluetooth functionality. Read – Upcoming Hyundai Cars In India
The new Hyundai small car will use the updated version of the original Santro’s ‘Epsilon’ four-cylinder petrol engine. Adding to it, the company will also offer a factory-fitted CNG kit. This CNG kit variant will be offered to both taxi market and private car buyers and will be around 50,000 pricier than the regular petrol-only variant. The new model will also be offered with the option of an automated manual transmission (AMT).
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