2018 Hyundai Santro Caught Testing Again Ahead Of Official Debut

A test mule of the upcoming new-generation Hyundai Santro (codenamed - Hyundai AH2) was recently spotted in India, ahead of its official debut. The car was caught on the camera somewhere in Delhi, just a week after we shared images of a Santro prototype under test. In fact, judging by the camouflage pattern and the partially visible number plate in the latest photos, it appears to be the same test mule. While the car will be launched in India later this year, we expect Hyundai India to share more detail or even showcase the pre-production prototype version of the all-new Hyundai Santro at the upcoming Auto Expo 2018, next month.

Also Read: Hyundai Santro Nameplate is Coming Back to India

New-gen Hyundai Santro will be positioned below the Grand i10

Now, the prototype model is still covered in heavy camouflage, but we can see that the car is nearing production-ready stage. This is judging by the several production parts like the wheels with hubcaps, taillamps, outside rear-view mirrors and more. Having said that, the car is still covered in some pseudo cladding to disguise its actual exterior design and styling, which indicates we might have to wait a little more before the new Hyundai Santro finally goes on sale.

Also Read: Hyundai Santro Spotted Testing in India

Now, as we have already told you, the upcoming Hyundai Santro is a new car in every aspect, right from the platform and design to styling and features. In fact, the car is being introduced to take the now discontinued i10 position, which means it will rival the likes of the Tata Tiago, Maruti Suzuki Celerio and Renault Kwid. Considering the segment the car is about to enter, the features on the new Santro will also be largely modest.

2018 Hyundai Santro will rival the likes of Tata Tiago and Maruti Celerio

For instance, we won't be getting any alloy wheels or integrated turn signals for ORVMs or projector headlamps. Having said that, Hyundai latest design language has been quite impressive across its segment range with some signature features, which means the Santo will also come with the carmaker's new cascading design for the grille and LED daytime running lamps. But, we still do not have an image of the car's front section, to confirm any of this.

We still do not have an image of the cabin as well, but we expect some decent features like fabric upholstery, a well-designed dashboard, air conditioning, and maybe even a touchscreen infotainment system with steering mounted controls for volume and track change. We also expect Hyundai to offer better safety features like a dual airbag, ABS with EBD and ISOFIX child seat mounts.

While the details still haven't been confirmed yet, we expect the all-new Hyundai Santro to come with a 0.8-litre and 1.0-litre engine options, possibly the same petrol mills that the i10 used to offer. Transmission duties to be carried out by a 5-Speed manual gearbox and Hyundai might also consider offering an AMT option, seeing the growing demand for an automatic option in entry-level cars in India.

Image Courtesy: TeamBHP