Close on the heels of presenting the 2017 edition of its Grand i10 hatchback, Hyundai Motor India has launched the refreshed version of its Hyundai Xcent sub-compact sedan that will co-exist with its older variant earmarked for fleet operators.
The introductory prices of the petrol variants of the 2017 Hyundai Xcent range from Rs.538,000 to Rs.751,000 (ex-Delhi) and the diesel variants are priced between Rs.628,000 and Rs.841,000 (ex-Delhi).
Unlike the existing Hyundai Xcent, which was the Hyundai Grand i10 with a boot attached, the facelifted version has borrowed its cues heavily from its elder siblings such as the Verna and Elantra. To be more than 90 per cent localised, the entry-level sedan will be taking on the likes of Maruti Suzuki Swift Dzire, Honda Amaze, Ford Figo Aspire, Volkswagen Ameo, Tata Tigor, among others.
Speaking at the global launch, Y.K. Koo, chief executive officer and managing director, Hyundai Motor India, said, “The fast-changing trends and rising customer aspirations have always been the key driving force at Hyundai. Considering the evolving market dynamics and customer voice, we keep enhancing our products for customer delight.”
Powered by a 1.2-litre Kappa Dual VTVT petrol engine, the all-new Hyundai Xcent delivers an output of 81bhp at 6,000 rpm and 113 Nm of torque at 4,000 rpm. The 1.2-litre U2 CRDi diesel engine churns out 73bhp of power at 4,000 rpm and 190 NM of torque at 1,750-2,250 rpm. While the petrol variants give a mileage of 20.14 kmpl for manual transmission and 17.36 kmpl for automatic transmission, the diesel variants generates a fuel efficiency of 25.4 kmpl.
The 2017 Hyundai Xcent features a new cascade design grille with horizontal chrome slats. The front bumper gets LED DRLs (daytime running lamps), along with fog lamps and the rear of the car gets a new premium two-piece wrap-around tail lamps and dual tone rear bumpers. It’s also the first in the segment to get shark-fin antenna and wheel air curtains for better aerodynamic stability. Other features include pull-type chrome door handles and aerodynamically designed ORVM’s with turn indicators.
The dashboard of the compact sedan gets a 7.0 inch touchscreen infotainment system with smartphone connectivity — Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and Mirror link — features for seamless connectivity. Other features include smartphone navigation interface, dedicated voice recognition button for safe driving experience, dual airbags (standard), anti-lock braking system (ABS), central door lock, impact sensing auto door unlock, rear defogger, reverse parking sensors and rear parking camera.
Meanwhile, Hyundai India is gearing up to launch its fourth SUV by 2018 after brining in the Creta, Tucson and Santa Fe. The sub-four metre SUV will be positioned below the Creta and is estimated to be priced in the range of Rs.7-12 lakh. It is widely believed that the compact SUV will be the production version of the Hyundai Carlino concept car unveiled at the 2016 Auto Expo. The Indian arm of the South Korean carmaker has already announced that the development process of its fourth SUV at its Global and Indian R&D Centre is in full swing and will go on sale in India in the first half of 2019.
Hyundai India is also looking to double its sales to 1 million units by 2021 and has earmarked Rs.5,000 crore to roll out 8 new models and variants. Apart from the aforementioned compact SUV, the company will also be launching hybrid models and new variants. However, it has no immediate plans to set up a new production line.
On the sidelines of launching the facelifted Xcent, Y.K. Koo told reporters, “We are planning to invest Rs.5,000 crore in the next four years to develop eight new products and out of them three models will be new segment products. By the turn of the decade, we should be able to sell 1 million units.”
HMIL, which currently sells 10 models in the country, notched up 0.5 million units in the domestic market thus commanding a market share of 17 per cent in the passenger vehicle segment. It sold a total of 662,000 units last year, which included exports. It is aiming for a similar market share with a slight increase in volumes.
BW Reporters
The author is a Principal Correspondent at BW Businessworld.
