Bye-bye Hyundai Eon, Welcome back Santro – Here’s why

Hyundai is working on an all-new hatchback, codenamed AH2. Numerous test cars have been spotted all over India for some time now. Hyundai is expected to bring back the Santro moniker with the all-new hatchback, which will be placed between the entry-level Eon and the Grand i10 in its Indian line-up. The Santro is expected to replace the ageing Eon from the Indian market but as it will be more expensive than the Eon, the phase-out process will happen slowly.

As per a report in Business Standard, the all-new Santro will replace the Eon hatchback from the market eventually. It is quite possible that the ageing Eon will be discontinued from the Indian market in 2019 when the stringent crash norms will be put in place. The Santro will become the new entry-level model from the South-Korean manufacturer.

The upcoming hatchback will utilise the same platform that also formed the base of the discontinued i10 hatchback. From the spy pictures, it is clear that the car will get the tall-boy design that made the Santro popular when it was first launched in the Indian market. The spy pictures also reveal a distinct similarity between the discontinued i10 and the upcoming car’s design. However, the all-new car is expected to get a new age face that is seen on all modern Hyundai cars.

On the inside, the all-new Santro will get a three-spoke multi-functional steering wheel. The dashboard will be dual-tone – a black-beige combination that will give it a premium feel. Even the door trims get the beige inserts. The car is also expected to get a dash-mounted gear-lever similar to the Santro, and a spacious cabin. The upcoming car will also feature a 3-pod instrument cluster.

Hyundai will power the all-new hatchback with a  1.1-litre, four-cylinder petrol engine that generates a maximum of 68 Bhp and 100 Nm. The diesel engine is not expected with the all-new Santro at the moment.