Hyundai’s upcoming small SUV officially announced; Will take on Tata Punch and Maruti Fronx

After unveiling the all-new Verna in India and making a comeback in the sedan segment, Hyundai is now gearing up to make a mark in the compact SUV category. Hyundai has dropped a teaser image of what could be a new sub-compact SUV. Codenamed Hyundai AI3, this new SUV will be positioned between the Grand i10 Nios and Venue in Hyundai’s lineup for India and will be launched in August 2023.

Based on the K1 small car platform, which also underpins other compact Hyundai models like the Grand i10 Nios and Aura, the new Hyundai AI3 sub-compact SUV will be the same size as the Korea-specific Hyundai Casper. However, the new AI3 will have a completely different design from that of the Casper and will have a less radical design in comparison. The new SUV will have a boxy and upright stance, much like that of the Venue. However, both SUVs will have entirely different designs, with the possibility of a ‘sensuous sportiness’ design philosophy being seen in the new AI3.

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The major highlight of the exterior of the new Hyundai AI3 sub-compact SUV will be the split headlamp design, which has become a common feature in all Hyundai SUVs from the Venue to Tucson. The test mules of this SUV have already been seen a few times on Indian roads, hinting at H-shaped daytime running LEDs and LED projector headlamps. The tail lamps of this SUV will also have LED inserts and are expected to have a more angular design.

While it is yet unclear, it is expected that the new Hyundai AI3 will be powered by the 1.2-litre four-cylinder naturally-aspirated 83 PS petrol engine from the Grand i10 Nios and Aura. There’s a slight possibility that this new sub-compact SUV might also get a detuned version of the 1.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine, which was earlier available as an option in the Grand i10 Nios and Aura. However, this new sub-compact AI3 SUV will be sold as a petrol-only car, with no option for a diesel engine.

The new Hyundai AI3 sub-compact SUV is expected to measure 3.8 meters long, making it a direct rival to the Tata Punch and Citroen C3. It will also compete with the lower-spec variants of other compact SUVs like the Renault Kiger, Nissan Magnite, and the upcoming Maruti Suzuki Fronx.

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