All-new Hyundai Santro hatchback in CarToq’s exclusive render!

At the upcoming Indian Auto Expo, Hyundai India’s showstopper will be an all-new hatchback – likely to be called the 2018 Santro. The car’s been spotted testing multiple times on Indian roads, but with heavy camouflage. Based on the spyshots floating around, here’s CarToq render of the 2018 Hyundai Santro, a car that’s likely to take on the Maruti Alto and the Renault Kwid.

As the render indicates, the 2018 Santro will be a tall-boy hatchback with a please-all-offend-none design language. Hyundai designers are unlikely to be very flamboyant with the new Santro’s design considering the conservative set of first-time car buyers the hatchback will be aimed at. This explains the gentle curves all around, with the Hyundai family look up front.

In terms of engines and transmissions, a brand new, 3 cylinder petrol motor is likely to power the new car.While a 5 speed manual gearbox is expected to be standard fare, the new Santro is touted to be the first Hyundai to offer an automated manual transmission (AMT) option. A diesel engine option is unlikely for the new car while Hyundai may eventually offer a CNG-Petrol dual fuel option in specific markets of the country.

Expect the car to have an airy cabin, with adequate space for four adults. That said, five adults should be able to squeeze into the car as is the norm with other offerings in the segment. Like all Hyundais, the interior quality is likely to be a notch above what the competition offers. Top-end variants are likely to get a touchscreen infotainment system with Bluetooth pairing and smartphone connectivity.

In terms of safety features, the new Santro is likely to be future-ready, with provisioning for airbags, a seatbelt indicator, reverse parking sensors and overspeeding alert functions – all of which will become mandatory once new safety norms kick-in. However, it remains to be seen if Hyundai offers these safety features at least as an option in the 2018 Santro.