The new 2018 Hyundai Santro’s attractive price range along with AMT transmission could prove to be a success factor
Hyundai Motor India Limited (HMIL) is all set to unleash the new Santro the domestic market on October 23 and bookings had commenced online for Rs. 11,100 before dealerships taking orders from October 22. To make the offering more attractive, the introductory prices are limited to first 50,000 customers and Hyundai will be targetting big volumes with the tallboy hatchback.
Picking up where the original Santro left off, the new version blends old school tall hatch design with modern styling elements like the now-signature Cascading front grille. It comes with a slew of segment first features including rear AC vents and seven-inch touchscreen infotainment system with reverse parking camera but misses out on dual airbags even as optional.
The 2018 Santro sits in the middle of Eon and Grand i10 as far as pricing is concerned. To be available in five variants, the hatchback will range between Rs. 3.87 lakh and Rs. 5.38 lakh (ex-showroom). Hyundai’s intention in reviving the Santro nameplate clearly proves the vision for garnering big volumes and it’s amplified by the inclusion of brand’s first ever AMT called ‘Smart Auto’.
The two AMT variants, mated to regular petrol powertrain, are expected to contribute 20 to 30 percent of Santro’s total sales. Unlike the Grand i10’s four-speed torque converter AT, the new Santro will enable a conventional five-speed AMT with similar claimed mileage as MT at 20.3 kmpl. Currently, the Grand i10 is priced from Rs. 4.93 lakh to Rs. 7.56 lakh (ex-showroom).
Since the Grand i10 AT variants cost nearly Rs. 2 lakh more than that of Santro’s, we can expect buyers wanting to own two-pedal technology equipped cars to find the Santro as an even better option.
Moreover, the range-topping Asta and Sportz CNG are packed with features such as touchscreen with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, multiple USB ports, rear washer, wiper and defogger, steering mounted controls, electrically adjustable wing mirrors, etc.
The features list will make the new Santro highly attractive for customers and make them consider it over the Grand i10 at a lesser price tag.
What is your take on this and can the new Santro obliterate the high demand for Grand i10 that averaged well over 11,000 units monthly in the last 12 months?
Pic Source : Team BHP