Hyundai India is working to launch an all-new car in India that is codenamed ‘AH2’. The hatchback has not been officially named by the manufacturer yet but there are strong chances that the Santro nameplate will be used when the new hatchback is launched in India later this year. The car has been caught several times testing on Indian roads and here is a video that shows the upcoming Santro testing again.
The all-new Santro will be based on the same platform as the Hyundai i10, which has been discontinued now. The hatchback will sit between the Eon and the Grand i10 in the current Hyundai line-up and will go against the likes of Tata Tiago and Maruti Celerio in the Indian market.
Hyundai discontinued the i10 in the Indian market as the car was getting much lower attention after the arrival of the Grand i10 in the market. The new vehicle will be larger than the discontinued Hyundai i10 and will get more features too.
The AH2 or the Santro will be powered by a 1.1-litre, four-cylinder engine that also powered the i10 in the Indian market. However, the engine will receive thorough updates that will make it more efficient than the older engine. Also, the new engine will meet the latest emission standards of the Indian car market.
The design of the vehicle has not been revealed but various spy pictures show the vehicle’s tallboy design that made the Santro popular in the market. It borrows a few design cues from the discontinued i10. Heavy camouflage shows the pillar designs are similar to the last gen i10.
On the inside, the car is expected to get a touchscreen infotainment system. With a touchscreen on the dashboard, Hyundai may add other features like an airy cabin with large windows. The 1.1-litre naturally aspirated petrol engine will get a maximum power output of around 68 PS and 100 Nm. The upcoming hatchback will also get an optional AMT transmission, making it the first Hyundai to do so in the Indian market. The car is expected to be launched by August 2018.