Once launched, the Hyundai Casper micro-SUV will rival the likes of Maruti Suzuki Ignis and the upcoming Tata HBX
Hyundai is preparing to launch a micro-SUV in the Indian as well as global market. Internally codenamed AX-1, it will carry the Casper nameplate. Test mules of the Casper have been spotted multiple times by now. However, this is the first time, the spy images of Casper’s interior have surfaced over the internet. At the first glance, Casper’s interior looks upmarket.
It gets white upholstery with black inserts that looks quite premium. In the front row, there’s a centre armrest with storage. Also, the rear bench appears to be quite wide, but it misses out on rear AC vents. The rear seat also gets a 60:40 split.
The Casper will be based on the KI platform, which also underpins the Santro and Grand i10 Nios. For the styling, the Casper gets a tall-boy stance with a boxy silhouette. Over the front, it will get a split headlamp setup with round headlamp clusters and LED DRLs. The radiator grille will feature a unique triangular pattern that will also be seen on the taillamps.
Like the front, the rear-end will also feature circular taillamps in a vertically split fashion. Other design elements will include chunky roof rails, shark-fin antenna, dual-tone alloy wheels, and C-pillar mounted door handles. In terms of dimensions, it is expected to boast a length of around 3.8 meters. It will come with 17-inch rims wrapped in 205-section tyres.
Talking of the feature list, it is expected to be a long one like other Hyundai cars. It is likely to come fitted with an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment unit, Android Auto & Apple CarPlay, keyless entry, cooled glovebox, rearview camera, and push-button start-stop function.
For the powertrain options, the Casper is expected to come with two engine choices in the Indian market – 1.1L petrol and 1.2L petrol. The 1.1L unit will be borrowed from the Santro, and it churns out a respectable peak power output of 68 Bhp and max torque of 99 Nm. The Grand i10 Nios derived 1.2L mill, on the other hand, develops 82 Bhp and 113 Nm. Transmission options include a 5-speed MT and 5-speed AMT.