Hyundai is currently working on entering a host of new segments in the Indian market, and is expected to launch five all new cars in a period of 18 months
Hyundai Motor India is currently the second largest manufacturer in the Indian market, only behind Maruti Suzuki. The Korean carmaker currently offers eleven products in the country across various hatchback, sedan and SUV segments, and not even halfway into the year, Hyundai has already launched three new offerings in the country in 2020.
However, Hyundai certainly does not want to stop, and hence, the carmaker is currently evaluating entering a whole lot of new segments that are gaining popularity in the country. We have compiled a list of the five cars that the Korean carmaker could bring to the Indian market in the next 18 months –
1. Maruti Ertiga rivaling MPV
While the Korean carmaker has entered almost all mass-market segments in the country, it is yet to launch a people mover in India. Well, it does seem like the wait is over, since Hyundai was recently caught testing an MPV for the first time in South Korea.
The MPV featured a compact design, confirming that it will likely go on to rival the Maruti Suzuki Ertiga in the Indian market. The spy shots suggest that the people mover will likely get a large cascading radiator grille up front, along with split-headlamps, and an overall curvaceous body.
The upcoming Hyundai MPV is expected to be launched in the Indonesian market first, then subsequently be brought to the Indian shores. An Indonesian launch is expected in 2021, while the Indian launch is still at least a year away.
2. Palisade
The Hyundai Palisade is currently the carmaker’s flagship SUV offering in the North American markets, and has continued to generate a lot of interest from Indians. Hence, Hyundai is “assessing the feasibility” of bringing the SUV to the Indian market, confirmed Tarun Garg, Director – Sales, Service and Marketing at Hyundai India.
Powering the left-hand drive Palisade is a sole 3.8-litre naturally aspirated V6 petrol engine that produces 291 hp of power and 355 Nm of torque. The power is sent to all four wheels with the help of an 8-speed automatic transmission as standard. The Palisade can be had with a 7- or an 8-seat configuration, and will be pitted against the Toyota Fortuner and Ford Endeavour if launched in India.
3. 7-seater Creta
News about the development of a seven-seat version of the Hyundai Creta first started emerging when camouflaged test mules of the said vehicle were snapped on roads, and launching the car actually makes a lot of sense.
Tata will soon be launching the seven-seat Gravitas, MG is also working on launching the seven-seat Hector Plus, while Mahindra is contemplating giving the seven-seat XUV500 a generational update next year. The seven-seat Creta will sit atop the Creta in Hyundai’s line-up, and will be pitted against the three aforementioned SUVs in the Indian market.
4. New-gen i20
Hyundai was all set to debut the third-gen i20 at this year’s Geneva Motor Show, but had to postpone the show due to unanticipated circumstances. However, the new-gen premium hatchback is expected to make its European debut in July, while it will likely be brought to the Indian shores around September.
Features like a 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment system, wireless smartphone connectivity, connected-car tech, a fully digital instrument cluster, navigation-based Smart Cruise Control, Intelligent Speed Limit Information, an 8-speaker sound system from Bose etc will be some of the features on offer with the foreign-spec car. However, Hyundai could tone down the feature list a bit before bringing the premium hatch to India.
5. HBX rivaling micro-SUV
The micro SUV segment is gaining a lot of popularity in the Indian market, thanks to the Maruti Suzuki S-Presso, as well as the Tata HBX concept displayed at the 2020 Auto Expo, which will soon spawn a production-ready micro SUV.
Apparently, Hyundai is also working on its own micro SUV, which has internally been codenamed ‘AX’. The car will likely be based on the same K1 platform that is currently used by the Santro, and in typical Hyundai fashion, will set new benchmarks in the segment.
The production-ready AX is expected to be powered by the same 1.1-litre engine as the Santro, which is currently the smallest engine Hyundai offers in India. This engine puts out 69 PS of max power and 99 Nm of peak torque.
*Some Pics For Reference Only