Last year Hyundai had very few car launches but this time around, Hyundai has an aggressive lineup for 2019.
Upcoming Hyundai Cars
Hyundai is India’s second largest car manufacturer with only Maruti Suzuki being ahead of the brand. Hyundai has for years been trying to overtake its main competition in the Indian market. With a slew of launches planned for 2019, Hyundai is closer to its aim than they ever were before. Here’s a look at the top 5 cars that Hyundai has lined up for 2019.
Hyundai Venue
The Hyundai Venue is a compact SUV which is based on the QXi concept showcased at the 2016 Auto Expo. The Venue will be positioned under the Creta in Hyundai’s lineup. The sub-4 metre compact SUV will compete with the likes of Maruti Vitara Brezza, Ford EcoSport, Mahindra XUV300 and Tata Nexon.
The Venue will be offered in the Indian market with three engine options. The compact SUV will make its debut with a new 1.0-litre turbocharged. 3-cylinder petrol engine that produces 120 PS of power with 172 Nm of torque. This engine will come with a 6-speed manual transmission and a new 7-speed dual clutch automatic transmission, which is a first for Hyundai in India. The other engines will be the familiar ones – 1.2-litre petrol motor producing 83 PS and 115 Nm along with the 1.4-litre diesel producing 90 PS and 220 Nm. The former will be offered with a 5-speed manual while the latter will get a 6-speed manual transmission. There will be no automatic diesel on offer at the time of launch.
Hyundai will be offering some segment leading features with the Venue and it’ll be the first Hyundai in India to be equipped with these features. It’ll get the new Hyundai Blue Link connectivity that comes with 33 features out of which 10 are India specific. This connectivity feature lets the owner take control of the car via smartphone and e-sim connectivity. Some of the key features for the Venue include electric sunroof, wireless phone charging, cruise control, air purifier, etc. We expect it to be priced in the range of Rs. 8-12 lakhs (ex-showroom).
Hyundai Elantra Facelift
Hyundai’s Elantra has been in the market for quite some time now and that too without any significant updates. Finally, the Elantra will get its long due facelift this year. The Elantra facelift is already on sale in several international markets. However, looking at the way Hyundai has designed the Elantra facelift, it looks like a complete generation change. The fluidic headlights and taillights make way for triangular units that look very sharp.
Further design updates include a new cascading grille and a revised bumper with new fog lamp housings. On the inside, the new Elantra will feature a new 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system, updated upholstery and rearview camera with cross traffic alert. The facelifted Elantra will renew its rivalry with the Honda Civic, Skoda Octavia and Toyota Corolla Altis upon launch. The Hyundai Elantra facelift is expected to be priced for Rs. 14-20 lakhs (ex-showroom) and will launch by mid-2019.
Hyundai Tucson Facelift
Hyundai is all set to introduce the facelifted version of the Tucson in India. Like the Elantra facelift, the Tucson facelift is already available in several international markets. The new Tucson gets subtle updates only in terms of design elements which include a new sharp cascading grille, all-LED headlights, new fog lamp housing, new alloys and LED tail lamps among others.
The updates continue on the inside with new driver-assistance features like autonomous emergency braking, lane keep assist, adaptive cruise control and a 360-degree camera. We hope Hyundai offers these features in India at a competitive price point. There will also be a new 8.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system. However, the facelifted Tucson will continue to be powered by the same set of engines on offer currently. The Tucson facelift will rival the Jeep Compass, Skoda Kodiaq, Volkswagen Tiguan among others in its segment. It will cost about Rs. 19-23 lakhs (ex-showroom) when launched in the third quarter of 2019.
2020 Hyundai Grand i10
The Hyundai i10 has been a common name in Indian households for as long as 12 years now. Hyundai launched the i10 in 2007 while the second generation i10 came out in 2013. Hyundai renamed it as the Grand i10 then. The Grand i10 received a minor facelift in 2017 and is now all set to enter its third generation. The third-gen Hyundai Grand i10 will be launched in India during the festive season this year. The car will get several updates both on the inside as well as the outside.
The new Grand i10 has been spied testing multiple times around the country. The car will feature a hexagonal front grille, wider headlights and taillights. The new Grand i10 will also be wider than its predecessor while sitting lower than it as well. While not much is known about the interior enhancements, the car will get a larger touchscreen infotainment system along with the present loaded list of equipment. Hyundai will carry forward the 1.2-litre petrol and 1.2-litre diesel engine. However, the current torque converter automatic transmission for the petrol engine is expected to make way for a new AMT gearbox. The third-gen Grand i10 will be launched during this year’s festive season and will be priced similar to its predecessor.
Hyundai Kona EV
Hyundai showcased the Kona EV at the 2018 Auto Expo initially and garnered a lot of attention. It was revealed in all its glory at this year’s Geneva Motor Show. The Kona EV will be Hyundai’s first electric vehicle in India and will be brought in through the CKD route. However, Hyundai has also announced that the Kona EV will later be produced locally in India to keep prices in check.
The Kona EV will feature a 39.2 kWh setup that will deliver a range of up to 312 km on a single charge. Moreover, Hyundai will provide customers with a home charger with the car to charge the battery from zero to 80 percent in 6 to 8 hours. The carmaker also plans to set up fast-charging stations at public places. The Kona EV is expected to be priced around Rs. 25 lakhs (ex-showroom) when launched and won’t face any direct rivals as of now.