Hyundai wants all-new Santro to outsell Tata Tiago & Renault Kwid

Renault Kwid and Tata Tiago, the all-new Hyundai Santro hatchback is coming straight for you. According to a Team -BHP source, Hyundai is said to be targeting monthly sales of 10,000 units for the all-new Santro, which means that the hatchback is expected to sell more than the Kwid and the Tiago. The Renault Kwid now sells about 6,000 units per month while the Tata Tiago just has its best ever month, with sales of about 9,200 units. With the new Santro, Hyundai seems to be setting its sights high as far as sales go. In fact, the sales projection for the new car is much higher than the monthly numbers of its cheapest offering – the Eon.

The all-new Santro will also take on the Maruti Alto 800 and K10 variants. It will be launched on the 23rd of October with a reveal that will take place much earlier that month. The car will get a tall-boy hatchback design, and will be a five-seater, much like the other cars in the segment. As for pricing, Hyundai is expected to peg the Santro between Rs. 3-4 lakhs.

The all-new Santro will initially sell alongside the Hyundai Eon but will eventually replace it. The Santro will get a petrol engine, likely to be a 1-litre 3-cylinder unit, perhaps borrowed from the Eon. Some other reports note that the car would get a 1.1-litre 4-cylinder petrol motor.

Whichever engine Hyundai eventually chooses to offer, the car will get a 5-speed AMT option in addition to the manual gearbox, which will be standard. The new Santro is also expected to be sold with CNG-Petrol and LPG-Petrol dual fuel options in specific markets of India.

The Santro badge enjoys tremendous brand recall, and the new car will get the Santro name in addition to a suffix. The addition of this suffix will ensure that Hyundai is able to differentiate between the various generations of the Santro, while retaining the big appeal that the original badge has.

The official nameplate for the all-new Hyundai hatchback, which is currently code-named the AH2, will be revealed in early October, during the media drives. Right from the outset, the new Santro will meet India’s upcoming crash test norms.

Why is this good news for small car buyers?

Renault and Tata both would know how big a threat the all-new Santro is to their popular small cars. And they would be preparing, make no mistake. Which means that there could be serious price cuts, making the Tata Tiago and Kwid even more attractive buys. There could also be the addition of extra features just before, or after, the launch of the Santro.