Compact SUV segment crucial to Hyundai

The next 'new' product that Hyundai will launch in India will be a sub-compact SUV. Hyundai India's Rakesh Srivastava (sr. vice president, sales & marketing) said that although there are no plans to introduce any more products this year, and the aim is to consolidate performance with the existing product portfolio, nothing can be ruled out and if the market is ready, a new variant / facelift can surely be introduced.

After launching the Xcent in the competitive entry-level sedan segment, Hyundai India now has products in almost all the mass-segments, except the sub-compact SUV and MPV. So, the company's focus now is to bring in a compact SUV, followed by a compact MPV.

Although no specifics were shared, we expect the car to be built on the popular BA platform (on which the Grand i10 and Xcent are based). Not just the platform, the sub-compact SUV might also share the 1.2-litre Kappa2 petrol engine that powers the Grand i10 and Xcent. The big gamble could be played with the diesel option. Hyundai currently has a 1.4-litre diesel that does duty in the i20 and Verna, while there's also a 1.1-litre U2 common-rail diesel unit in the Grand i10. Since the compact SUV will be based on the BA platform, it would be logical to plonk in the 1.1L mill from the Grand into it. But, because both Ford's EcoSport and Renault's Duster get 1.5-litre diesel engines, and Honda is also expected to fit City's 1.5L oil-burner into their compact SUV, Hyundai may even consider the 1.4 motor from the i20 / Verna.

The company hasn't also revealed the exact launch time of the sub-compact SUV, but we expect it to be rolled out by mid next year. The other two products that might see revisions are the Elantra and the i20. Test mules of the i20 that have been spotted suggest broadly the same design, so it can't be deduced if this premium hatch will run a new platform or will have yet more aesthetic enhancements on offer. As for the MPV segment, Hyundai surely is interested in it seeing the success of the Maruti Ertiga and may work on its introduction after the sub-compact SUV.