Hyundai’s India Plans
The South Korean manufacturer is gearing up for a year of new releases. Rahul Ghosh reveals everything to look forward to from the brand in 2019
The lowdown on upcoming products for our market
Hyundai is currently celebrating its 20th anniversary in India and at a recent media event, the company went on to reveal their India strategy. Y K Koo, MD and CEO, Hyundai Motor India said “As we look forward to the journey of next 20 years, we will strengthen our commitment to the Indian market by launching eight new products between 2018-2020 including an electric SUV.”
Having recognised the potential that Indian markets possess, Koo isn’t the first to dive into a new product line, not to forget refined marketing strategy. The likes of BMW, Audi, JLR are all gearing up to take on their competitors. So what’s Hyundai offering? Well, the first to come into the India market will be the AH2 (aka the new Santro). The AH2 will be positioned between the Eon and the Grand i10 and will be a small but properly loaded hatch. Power is expected to come from a 1.1-litre petrol motor and it will be mated to a 5-speed manual gearbox. The AH2 will also debut Hyundai’s AMT technology. So expect an automatic as well. The AH2 will be loaded with features much in sync with other Hyundai cars and it’s scheduled to be launched in October 2018.
Next in line will be another SUV positioned below the Creta and will take on the Maruti-Suzuki Vitara Brezza. The new SUV will feature futuristic looks inspired by the Kona SUV. Code-named QX-I, the new SUV is expected to be based on the i20 platform to be offered with both petrol and diesel engines. We also expect an automatic gearbox to be offered in the QX-I. The vehicle is out on the road testing and we have the first exclusive images for you. This one will be launched in March 2019. In the second half of 2019, Hyundai will also launch an electric SUV and we expect it to be the Kona electric. The new electric will come to India via the Completely Knocked Down (CKD) route and we expect Hyundai to price it right. To ensure this is possible, Hyundai is working overtime to refurbish its mega plant in Chennai. The Kona, in the mean time, is expected to offer futuristic looks and a genuine 250km plus range which helps enhance its acceptance in the country as wide as India.
THE FIRST TO COME INTO THE INDIAN MARKET WILL BE THE AH2 (AKA THE NEW SANTRO). IT WILL BE POSITIONED BETWEEN THE EON AND THE GRAND I10