Planning to buy a car? Or are you an automobile enthusiast? Hold on tight as the year ahead looks quite racy. Hyundai, the South Korean car maker, has lined up an array of SUVs, sedans, and hatchbacks for launch in India. While a few of these are likely to be brand new entrants, some are upgraded variants or “facelifts” of current favorites. Here’s a snapshot of the new releases Hyundai Motors has planned for launch in late 2017 and 2018.
- Hyundai Carlino SUV – After the Creta, Tuscon, and Santa Fe, Carlino SUV is set to be Hyundai’s fourth SUV for the Indian market, albeit its smallest one yet. Right now it looks likely that the box shaped Carlino’s petrol variant will come with a 1.0 litre turbocharged engine for 130 bhp power, while the diesel variant will come with a 1.4 litre engine and 90 bhp power. The Carlino SUV is set for a 2017/18 launch and will be priced between INR 8-12 lakhs.
- Hyundai Creta Facelift – Hyundai’s bestseller in the SUV range has been the Creta since it was launched in 2015. Creta is now set to get a ‘Facelift’ based on the Fluidic Sculpture 2.0 design. Creta Facelift is expected to be launched early in 2018 and could cost about INR 14.5 lakhs. It looks likely that the 1.6 litre diesel and the 1.4 litre diesel and petrol variants may get more powerful engines and 6 speed automatic and manual gearboxes. A hybrid variant may also be introduced.
- Hyundai Eon Facelift – The Hyundai Eon has been one of the most popular entry level hatchbacks since its launch in 2011. Apart from the 1.0 litre engine that was added in 2014, the car has not received any major design upgrade. So it is now time for the Eon Facelift with its stylish fluidic design and plush interiors to hit the market. The price range is likely to remain the same and so are the 0.8 and 1.0 litre options though fuel efficiency may be improved in the facelift model.
- Hyundai Genesis – The sporty luxurious Hyundai Genesis is currently available in international markets and may make an entry on Indian roads by late 2019 or even as late as 2020. The G90 wowed auto lovers at the Auto expo 2016 and may be launched under the new premier brand that Hyundai is likely to come up with (also called Genesis).
- Hyundai Ioniq Hybrid – With the Ioniq Hybrid, Hyundai is planning to make a grand entry into the Hybrid cars market of India. Hybrid cars are set to become the rage in the years to come and Hyundai plans to compete in the same space as Toyota Camry Hybrid and Honda Accord Hybrid. We’re not sure of the pricing yet but Hyundai may match the pricing of rival sedans. Ioniq may be launched in 2018.
- Hyundai Tucson 4×4 – The Hyundai Tucson 2×2 variant was launched in 2017 and became rather popular. The company is now gearing up to launch the 2.0-litre CRDi diesel Hyundai Tucson 4×4. We know it will sport AWD (All-Wheel-Drive) features and a trendy look. We await more announcements about the Tucson 4×4’s features.
- New Hyundai Santro – remember the Hyundai Santro – the car maker’s most popular car in India as yet? The Santro was withdrawn, possibly to make space for the launch of the i10 and later the i20. But we Indians are still in love with it and Santro will be making a comeback in 2018. The design, however, is likely to be completely different and the car is likely to be available with 1.1-litre and 1.2-litre petrol engines.
- New Hyundai Verna 2017 – Hyundai’s popular C segment sedan will receive a complete overhaul – starting from its design features to its engine. New stylish exteriors to give the Verna a plush look combined with new alloy wheels, new bumper, and dual barrel reflectors. It is likely that both the diesel and petrol variants will find more powerful engines. The price may go up marginally from the current (INR 8 lakh) level.
