Hyundai QXi aka Styx is expected to have highly competitive price range to rival big guns like Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza and Tata Nexon
Hyundai Motor India Limited (HMIL) has a slew of new models waiting to be launched next year and chief among which is the subcompact SUV catering to the volume segment by rivalling Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza, Tata Nexon, Ford EcoSport and upcoming Mahindra S201. It will be first launch from the South Korean brand in 2019 and carries plenty of anticipation on its shoulders.
Codenamed QXi, the Hyundai SUV is expected to bear Styx nomenclature upon launch and it will take plenty of inspiration from the Carlino concept showcased at the 2016 Auto Expo in New Delhi. Hyundai has already spotted testing the small SUV in Indian as well as foreign roads and it could cater for the ever demanding emerging markets with India playing a significant role in its potential success.
As has been the case, Hyundai will likely position the sub-four-metre SUV at an aggressive price range and it is expected to arrive with both manual and AMT transmissions. The latter could be sourced from new Santro or an evolved version from the same unit and only front-wheel-drive configuration will be made available to keep the costs under control understandably.
Hyundai QXi or Styx’s pricing could start from well under Rs. 7 lakh and it may go all the way up to Rs. 9.5-10 lakh (ex-showroom). Sticking by the latest trend, Hyundai may offer several customisation options with the upcoming model. It will boast a slightly edgy appearance and has upright stance. Up front, the SUV will come fitted with the now-signature cascading front grille.
It will make domestic premiere before the end of this financial year at around March and will have a feature packed cabin with several standard safety features such as dual front airbags, ABS with EBD, reverse parking sensors, seatbelt reminder, high speed alert function and speed sensing auto door lock, etc.
The top-end models will get touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, and it will double up as display for reversing camera. Other important features expected are cruise control, push button start/stop, steering mounted audio and telephony controls, use of soft touch materials, and so on.