Hyundai Carlino compact SUV launch timeframe revealed: To take on Maruti Brezza & Ford EcoSport

Hyundai will launch the Carlino/QXi code-named sub-4 meter compact SUV sooner than expected. The baby Creta has already been spotted testing on Indian roads, and NDTV reports that it will be launched in India during April 2019. What this means is, we’re just about 6 months away from a brand new Maruti Brezza rival, which will also take on the likes of the Ford EcoSport and the Tata Nexon.

The new compact SUV will bring many new innovations for Hyundai as a brand in India. The South Korean automaker is said to be targeting big numbers for the new SUV, and existing vehicles in this segment – the Maruti Brezza, Ford EcoSport and Tata Nexon – are likely to face big heat.

Hyundai will offer the Carlino/QXi with an AMT option, and the SUV will be the second Hyundai in India after the Santro hatchback to offer an automated manual transmission. It’ll be the first Hyundai car to get a turbocharged petrol engine, in the form of a 1 litre-3 cylinder unit with about 115 Bhp of peak power.

The 1.4 litre CRDI turbocharged diesel engine, a standard fixture on the likes of the Hyundai Elite i20 and the Creta, will be offered on the sub-4 meter SUV. This motor makes 89 Bhp-220 Nm, outputs that are at par with the rivals in the sub-4 meter compact SUV segment. While a 6 speed manual gearbox will be standard with this engine, it remains to be seen if a 6 speed AMT is also on offer. The latter is highly likely as the Maruti Brezza offers a similar option.

As for styling, the new SUV is expected to resemble the Hyundai Creta, but with a smaller form factor and many key differences to ensure that the two vehicles don’t look alike. A lot of butch styling cues are likely on the Carlino/QXi but don’t expect it to be too squared up in terms of design as Hyundais typically pack in plenty of curves.

The exact platform that this SUV will use remains under wraps for now. Considering that Hyundai introduced the Elite i20 platform only in 2014, the same platform is likely to be used on the new SUV as well. More details about this brand new Hyundai are expected to surface in the coming months.