The 2020 Xcent will join the new Grand i10, New Elite i20 & New Hyundai Creta in a bid to revamp the whole lineup by Hyundai in the Indian market
Hyundai is going full swing to revamp the product portfolio both globally and in India. Alongside the third-gen Elite i20, Hyundai is also testing the second-gen Xcent compact sedan, which has been spotted testing for the first time internationally. The all-new model will be launched in India somewhere next year and can drop the name Xcent to do away with fleet image it has stuck with.
The spy shots reveal a similar looking sub-4m profile but with styling changes throughout. Up front, the new Xcent gets the Hyundai’s ‘cascading grille’ which is taller and wider and has honeycomb inserts. The redesigned bumper with wide chin and a separate intake, vertically placed fog lamp inserts, boomerang-shaped LED daytime running lamps, all make it look different than the outgoing mode.
At the side has the similar three-box silhouette squeezed into a compact body giving it a not so balanced look. The rear gets large wraparound lights with LED elements extending into the boot lid. Like the Elite i20 on test, the Xcent will carry the Sonata and Elantra design trend forward.
Inside the cabin the Xcent will have a layout similar to Grand i10, but with elements from Venue, including a floating 8-inch touchscreen dashtop infotainment system with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and also Hyundai’s BlueLink connected car tech. There will be more features, safety tech and trim options available. The space inside the cabin is already decent and Hyundai might add more legroom.
Under the hood, Hyundai will add a new BS-VI compliant 1.2-litre Kappa petrol engine and a 1.2-litre U2 diesel motor. The output is likely to remain the same while the gearbox options can change. Expect an AMT with the petrol variant replacing the current model’s 4-speed torque converter.
Once launched, the Hyundai Xcent will continue to compete against the arch rival Maruti Suzuki Dzire and Honda Amaze along with the Ford Aspire and soon to be launched Tata Tigor facelift.
