2018 Hyundai Santro will make for a compelling case among first-time young customers wanting to own an affordable hatchback
Arguably, the most awaited launch of the year is finally upon us as the iconic Santro nameplate is being brought back tomorrow by Hyundai in a bid to try and establish another affordable hatchback to strengthen its volume sales figures. The Santro has a long storied history among Indian customers and it was pivotal in Hyundai becoming the second biggest automaker in the country.
The new Santro hopes to go a step further while not deterring from the bloodlines of its predecessor with a tallboy design. The small hatchback is modern and the exterior stands in testament to it with a Cascading front grille almost covering the entire width, appealing front bumper with distinctive fog lamps, a compact rear profile and side view reminiscing the old i10.
Here’s the pricing list of new Hyundai Santro:
| S.No | 2018 Hyundai Santro Variants | Pricing (ex-showroom) |
| 1. | DLite | Rs. 3.87 Lakh |
| 2. | Era | Rs. 4.12 Lakh |
| 3. | Magna | Rs. 4.48 Lakh |
| 4. | Magna AMT | Rs. 4.87 Lakh |
| 5. | Sportz | Rs. 4.78 Lakh |
| 6. | Sportz AMT | Rs. 5.20 Lakh |
| 7. | Asta | Rs. 5.29 Lakh |
| 8. | Magna CNG | Rs. 5.00 Lakh |
| 9. | Sportz CNG | Rs. 5.35 Lakh |
Based on the updated HA platform that underpinned the previous i10 with 63 percent high strength construction, the new Santro goes right up against Maruti Suzuki Celerio on the dimension front. Moreover, the old rivalry with Wagon R will be revitalised when the tallboy Maruti Suzuki hatch gets a new version towards the end of this year or in early 2019.
The 2018 Hyundai Santro will be sold in seven colour options namely Diana Green, Typhoon Silver, Stardust Grey, Polar white, Marina blue, Fiery red, and Imperial beige. It will be retailed in five grades with the factory-fitted CNG available in Magna and Sportz. The 1.1-litre, four-cylinder, petrol engine pumps out 69 PS and 99 Nm torque and is mated to a standard five-speed manual transmission.
Buyers get an option of Hyundai’s first-ever five-speed AMT with 20.3 kmpl claimed mileage. The less powerful CNG version, on the other hand, churns out 59 PS and 84 Nm and is rated to return 30.5 km/kg. The top-end variants will come equipped with seven-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, rear AC vents, reversing camera and sensors and so on.
Prices for the new Santro are expected to start at around Rs. 3.8 lakh and it will go up to Rs. 5.3 lakh for the range-topping CNG variant (both prices, ex-showroom). The introductory prices will only be eligible for first 50,000 customers as Hyundai focusses on luring more customers right from the get go.