Hyundai’s biggest car launches of 2023: Deep dive

The South Korean multinational automaker Hyundai’s Indian subsidiary – Hyundai Motor India is under immense pressure from its Japanese, German and Indian competitors. Despite the brand maintaining a second spot on the top-selling carmaker’s list, it’s still in dire need of launching some facelifts and a few new products. And it’s not like the company is not planning to, but it’s just that it’s taking a little more time than anticipated. Hyundai India is gearing up to launch the all-new facelift of its popular mid-size sedan the Verna as well as it is also getting ready to showcase the country its Tata Punch rivaling micro SUV the Casper (AX1).

2023 Hyundai Verna Facelift

Just a few days the list of top sellers in the mid-size sedan segment was revealed and the list was topped by Honda’s all-new fifth-gen City. The Hyundai Verna on the other hand which used to be the City’s top competitor dropped to number three and it would have been lower if the Volkswagen Virtus was launched a bit earlier. So in order to make things right and crawl back up the list, the South Korean automaker is getting fired up to launch the facelifted iteration of its mid size sedan Verna. Recently the model was once again spotted testing in Delhi wearing a heavy camouflage.

As of now, we are aware that both the exterior and the interior of the sedan will be extensively redesigned. Its split headlamp design with daytime running LEDs on top is confirmed by the images and renderings we have seen so far. The new Verna will also have a parametric grille, which was originally seen on the brand-new Tucson. Numerous test mules of the Hyundai Verna have been spotted thus far, and these vehicles have been found to sport diamond-cut alloy wheels, a taller waistline, and front parking sensors. The vehicle appears to be far longer than the current Verna, indicating that it will be longer than 4.5 metres, exactly like all of its new competitors.

Also read: All-new Hyundai Verna spotted testing; Will launch in India as well

It will also undergo substantial interior renovations and very certainly have a brand-new layout. The upcoming Verna will also have advanced driver assistance system (ADAS) technology, which is a noteworthy aspect. While this is going on, rumors suggest that the company will give the Verna an entirely new 1.5-liter turbo-petrol engine that will also be featured in the forthcoming Creta, Seltos, and Alcazar. This new engine is expected to have a maximum output of 160 PS and 260–265 Nm of torque. This engine will be mated with manual and DCT transmissions, sources claim. Regarding the launch date, it’s anticipated that the company will launch this well-liked sedan in the last month of this fiscal year i.e. the March of this year.

2023 Hyundai Casper (AX1)

At the same time last year, the hype around this Tata Punch rivalling micro SUV reached its heights and it was believed that the car will make its debut in 2022 itself. Although for some reason that did not happen and now it has been reported that the company is planning to launch this tiny SUV this year. Recently the first test drives of this highly anticipated model began in the United Kingdom and it was revealed that the model will look just like we have shown here on Cartoq before.

From all the pictures that we have seen of this upcoming micro SUV till now, on the front, we will get a prominent grille with triangular elements. The grille runs the entire length of the fascia, and the headlights are large circular units with circular LED Daytime Running Lamp surrounds. The turn signals are located above and have a black border that blends in with the black strip that houses the Hyundai insignia.

Roof rails will be mounted on the sides, and rear door handles will be mounted on the C-pillar. Meanwhile, the back receives a unique design as well. A huge glass area will be present, with the brake lights incorporated into it. The brake lights will likewise be triangular in shape. The reverse lights and turn indicators will be round in shape and situated in the bumper. This micro SUV will have dimensions of 3,595 mm in length, 1,595 mm in width, and 1,575 mm in height. It will be built on the K1 platform, which has previously been seen on the Hyundai Grand i10 Nios, Santro, and Kia Picanto.

Moving on to the interior, the micro SUV will have a luxurious interior and an 8-inch floating touchscreen entertainment system that will enable Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. The steering wheel, which will be two-spoke, will also be new. It will have controls for the multi-information display, phone, and entertainment system. As with the i10, Grand i10, Xcent, and Aura, the gear lever will be integrated into the dashboard.

In terms of powertrain the Casper will most likely be offered with two petrol engine options. Both will be 1.0-litre units having three cylinders. The naturally aspirated engine will produce 76 PS of max power while the turbocharged engine would produce 100 PS of max power. Both engines will come mated to a 4-speed automatic transmission as standard. As for the launch of this micro SUV it could also make its debut by March of this year.

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