Hyundai gears up for aggressive play in the SUV segment

Hyundai Motor is all set to play aggressively in the fast emerging sports utility vehicle (SUV) segment in India. The carmaker eyes a sales milestone of five lakh units in the domestic market, and to achieve this target, the company plans to expand its range in the SUV segment, by introducing the ix25 SUV in India ahead of the festive season.

The SUV segment is one of the fastest mushrooming segments in the country. SUVs have been a preferred choice for most of the car enthusiasts who prefer driving vehicles that has off-roading capabilities as well as masculine looks. The company has a full range of cars from the Hyundai Eon to the Hyundai Elantra in the sedan segment. But, in the premium SUV segment it just has the Santa Fe. The company plans to complete this range with new models.

To achieve its sales goals, the company will also be launching the new Hyundai i20 Active. The carmaker plans to address the section at the lower end of customers, who are looking for a sporty and stylish vehicle with the launch of this car. The i20 will be the car brand’s ninth model in the country and the company is hoping to get a good response from the market.

The i20 Active will compete with the likes of Toyota Etios Cross, Volkswagen Cross Polo and Fiat Avventura which are priced in the range of Rs 6.23 lakh to Rs 8.5 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi).

Hyundai hasn’t revealed details as to which model will sit between the Santa Fe and the ix25, but has signalled that the company will fill that gap too. Reports suggest that the company is set to introduce the ix25 SUV in India around August-September ahead of the festive season this year.

HMIL had  sold 4.11 lakh car units last year. As part of its plans to cross the five lakh units sales milestone in India, the company had recently launched the Hyundai Verna in the mid-size sedan segment.