2018 new-gen Hyundai Santro is the first vehicle from the brand to incorporate the affordable two-pedal AMT technology
Hyundai Motor India Limited (HMIL) is all pumped to introduce the new generation Santro in the domestic market on October 23 and ahead of that its official unveil has reportedly been planned for October 9. Hyundai celebrates two decades of original Santro’s debut in India, has launched the iconic tall hatchback back in September 23, 1998.
It set the tone for the South Korean brand becoming the second largest automaker in the country and largest exporter of cars from its Sriperumbudur plant in Tamil Nadu. The revival of the Santro nameplate comes at the right time for Hyundai as the Eon’s volume sales have faded away in recent years, while the Grand i10 and Elite i20 have managed to keep their consistency intact.
The new Santro may or may not replace the Eon but it will cover a wider price bracket crucial for Hyundai courtesy of the AMT transmission. It’s the first Hyundai vehicle to incorporate the affordable two-pedal technology and is expected to be mated with an updated version of the 1.1-litre Epsilon petrol engine found in the previous i10.
Carrying the design traits of the original Santro, it will have tall pillars in a compact profile to enable sufficient room for five occupants. Based on the old i10’s HA platform with possible structural reinforcements to meet the upcoming stringent safety regulations, we can expect dual airbags and ABS as standard fitment across the range.
The 2018 Hyundai Santro could bear the smallest version of now-signature Cascading grille and its front fascia has sleek headlamps complemented by a sporty-looking bumper. The rear end is equally compact and the top-spec variants will boast a number of premium features including a touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, reverse parking sensors and camera, steering mounted controls, etc.
We can expect the new Santro to fit in the range between Rs. 3.5 lakh and Rs. 6 lakh (ex-showroom) and going by Hyundai knack of aggressively positioning its products with brimmed features, the new Santro may get a good haul of standard comfort and convenience features as well. However, the biggest question of whether it can replicate the success of the original Santro or not remains to be seen.