Hyundai plans to rival the Maruti Alto with a low-cost version of the Santro.
With Maruti Suzuki coming up with a BS6 compliant Alto, Hyundai is now set to rival the most popular hatchback for first-time car buyers. With the Hyundai Eon being discontinued, the Korean manufacturer plans to provide another option in the entry-level segment in the form of a cheaper version of the Santro.
The current gen Santro is not placed in the entry-level segment as was its predecessor, the Santro Xing. Hyundai believes that the market demands more comfort and practicality from the cars in this price range. Hyundai does not want to lose out on the entry-level segment of the market as in FY2019, the combined sales of Hyundai Eon, Maruti Wagon R (previous gen), Maruti Alto and Renault Kwid stood at 4,70,482 units. These numbers show the huge market of the entry-level cars and surely, Hyundai does not want to miss out on these sales figures.
The new model, if developed by Hyundai would have to comply with the new safety norms which could turn out to be a costly affair. The current Hyundai Santro is priced at Rs. 3.90 lakhs (ex-showroom, Delhi) and is not in competitive pricing with the Maruti Alto. However, the cost-effective Santro could be stripped down of some features to price it competitively.
The base model of the Santro misses out on AC and is stripped down to the bare minimum. The low cost model is expected to get a plain black interior instead of the dual tone dashboard. There is no concrete news as of now of what tactics the Korean manufacturer is going to take but it’s sure that the low-cost Santro will come with an attractive price tag and a small profit margin for Hyundai.
Hyundai Santro Low Cost
– Currently, Hyundai does not have a car in the entry-level segment to rival the Alto
– Hyundai Eon was the Korean automaker’s answer to the Alto until it was discontinued in 2018
– The current gen Santro is not an entry-level car, unlike the Santro Xing
Source – AutocarIndia.com
