Hyundai Santro

Hyundai Santro 2018 Overview

We have had a behind-closed-doors look at the highly anticipated hatchback, the all-new Santro. In short, we think this will set a new segment benchmark! Click here to read the detailed first impression report.

Hyundai has revealed a lot of details of the upcoming all-new Santro hatchback and also revealed some images showing parts of the car's exterior and interior - check it out here. What we see is a car which, at the front, looks like a mashup of the discontinued i10 and the company's newer SUVs. The large 'Cascade' grille and the fog-lamps placed high up create a gaping face which is striking but not that surprising.

The tall-boy design influence is not as obvious as it was it the first-gen Santro, the large glasshouse on the side and surface designs on the side panels hide its height very well. Highlights here include the kink on the rear lower window line, the crease on the front fender and the flared rear wheel arches. While there is no photo of the rear, we do have spy shots of the same, and here too the Santro 2018 has taken inspiration from the larger Grand i10 (in the shape of the taillamps) and the discontinued Maruti Suzuki A-Star (in the way the bumper is designed).

The interior feels rich for a car that is expected to be priced in the Rs 3.5-5 lakh range, with no panel gaps, no sharp surfaces or obvious cost-cutting measures observable at first glance. In fact, the interior is very similar to other modern Hyundai hatchbacks like the Grand i10 or the Elite i20. 

The highlight of the interior is the 7-inch touchscreen being offered. The system seems familiar to the ones on the Grand i10/Xcent, which means it is a large and well-designed system with a responsive user interface and smartphone connectivity options. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity will be offered on variants which get the touchscreen.

Other feature highlights include the first-in-segment rear A/C vents and power windows on all 4-doors, reverse parking sensors (only two of them though) and a reverse parking camera.

The tall boy design does free up a lot of space, in our short experience, we could fit two 6-footers one behind another or side-by-side without very little discomfort. Neat touches including large storage spaces on all doors, an open storage space above the glovebox and a deep space in front of the gear lever make the cabin a practical place to be in. We could not check out the boot space, but expect it could be on par or better than the competition.

The new Hyundai Santro 2018 is based on a new platform which allows it to be light but strong enough to pass upcoming safety regulations in India. At launch, the hatchback will be offered with ABS+EBD and a driver-side airbag as standard. 

Propulsion is provided by a 1.1-litre, 4-cylinder naturally aspirated motor which can run on both petrol or CNG. When powered by petrol, this engine develops 69PS of maximum power and 99Nm of peak torque, which puts it on par with most of the competition except the Tata Tiago. This is a heavily revised version of the Epsilon engine which powered the Santro Xing and the i10, it will be compatible with new BSVI emission norm when it is introduced. With a claimed fuel efficiency of 20.3kmpl, the Santro will not beat any efficiency records but should be light on the pocket nevertheless.

We had a small spin in the new Santro and we can say that it will be best used as a city runabout. The steering is light at all speeds, the clutch is light, the gearshift is sure-slotting and the suspension is set up to be comfortable without being wallowy. The engine is all about being smooth and efficient, shifting down to lower gears and letting the engine rev out to its limiter does not make it quick. The addition of the first-ever AMT from Hyundai also adds to the convenient and comfortable character of the car.

The Hyundai Santro is expected to set a new benchmark in its segment when it launched on 23 October 2018. Can it match the legenday status of its predecessor? We will have to wait and watch.