Hyundai Grand i10 sedan world premiere at 2014 Indian Auto Expo

The 2014 Indian Auto Expo is turning out to be the best Indian motor show in its short history. Almost every manufacturer is showcasing highly anticipated models and one not to be left behind is Hyundai. India’s second largest carmaker will unveil the Grand i10 sub- 4 metre sedan for the first time at the Expo.

The sedan will take the Maruti Dzire and Honda Amaze head-on in this quickly expanding segment. Expect the sedan to be available with a choice of petrol and diesel engines. The 1.2-litre petrol and 1.1-litre CRDi diesel engines should power the sedan too but it will be interesting to see if Hyundai tunes the diesel to deliver a higher output than the current 71 PS. While the five-speed manual gearboxes are standard, expect the Grand i10 sedan to be fitted with a four-speed automatic transmission as well, which will be directly sourced from the hatchback. We think the Grand i10 sedan will have a bit more space on the inside compared to the hatchback. Pricing should be competitive because economies of scale by using components from the Grand i10’s parts bin will keep prices in check.

The next big offering from Hyundai will be the new Santa Fe. The attractive SUV with new design philosophy will hope to turnaround Hyundai’s fortunes in the SUV segment and wipe the slate clean of previously unsuccessful SUVs from the Korean carmaker’s stable. While the car is built on an all-new platform, the engine carries forward from the outgoing Santa Fe. The new Santa Fe will be powered by the same 197 PS 2.2-litre 4-cylinder diesel engine mated to six-speed manual and automatic transmissions. On demand four-wheel drive is also standard on the new Santa Fe.

Hyundai will also showcase the i20 based WRC car. The WRC car is Hyundai’s second entry into the rallying world after opting out in 2003. The Korean carmaker is aware that it falls short in the handling department to European and Japanese manufacturers and wants to use the motorsport knowledge it gains with this WRC car into developing better handling road cars.