The 2018 Hyundai Santro will be launched towards the end of next month and will have several segment-first features
Hyundai will reveal the new Santro hatchback on October 9 before entering it into the domestic market by the end of the month. The South Korean automaker is having high volume hopes with the new tall hatchback and it comes with a number of interesting features. The 2018 Hyundai Santro is expected to carry a suffix to its name and will compete against the likes of Tata Tiago, Renault Kwid and Maruti Suzuki Celerio.
Just as any other affordable Hyundai vehicle, the new hatchback will likely be offered in Era, Magna, Sportz, and Asta variants. The entry-level Era grade is expected to have its price starting at Rs. 3.5 lakh (ex-showroom) as we previously reported. The top-spec Asta with petrol AMT may have its asking price quoted at around Rs. 6 lakh (ex-showroom).
The small hatchback will get features like steel wheels, and ABS (Anti-lock Braking System) with EBD (Electronic Brake-force Distribution) as standard in the base Era. Right from the Magna-spec Santro, Hyundai could offer dual front airbags as standard, along with steering wheel integrated controls for audio and other functions.
As said before, the new Santro will come equipped with a number of first-in-class features such as five-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity and rear AC vents. Moreover, a reverse parking camera could also be sold in the high-end trims as well. The upcoming Santro is based on the modified version of old i10’s HA platform with the clear emphasis on interior space and comfort judging by the test mules.
As for the powertrain, it uses a 1.1-litre four-cylinder petrol engine, which should be good enough to produce around 70 horsepower. It will be mated to either a five-speed manual as standard or an optional AMT. Hyundai could target fuel economy of over 22 kmpl with the updated petrol engine from the last generation i10.
The test prototypes do indicate a well-proportioned exterior with sweptback headlamps and sporty bumper section encompassing fog lamps in the top-end variants. With it being the first Hyundai to feature AMT, we can expect the same technology to be used in upcoming volume-based models as well.