Hyundai To Consolidate SUV Portfolio With Upcoming Alcazar & AX1 Models
The firm is currently the leader in the growing SUV segment in India.
With 2 more SUVs upcoming, Hyundai Motor India aims to further consolidate its position as the leader in the segment for the next few years.
It is no secret that the Indian consumer is more inclined to buy SUVs, be it of any size, than sedans these days, for they offer more practicality and are better suited to tackle the country’s battered roads.
The numbers state in 2019, SUV sales in India were 25 percent of the total passenger car sales, while last year, that rose to 29 percent. In January this year, SUVs contributed to 33 percent of the total car sales in the nation.
With models like the Venue, Creta and the Tucson, Hyundai leads the SUV space in India by selling 1.8 lakh units last year. The Venue and Creta are found at the top of the pile, or near it, every month.
Now, the second largest passenger vehicle maker in the country, is gearing up to launch the Alcazar which is a 7-seat version of the very popular Creta. This upcoming model has been spotted on test quite a few times now.
Expected to be launched by the second quarter of this year, the 7-seat SUV will come with a different grille than the one on the Creta, will be longer and sport a revised rear profile.
One other model that the carmaker is feverishly working on is the AX1 micro SUV that will slot in below the Venue. This car is expected to be introduced in the market by next year.
Apart from the update about upcoming Hyundai SUVs, the firm has also revealed that it will continue selling diesel cars in many segments in the country. MD and CEO of Hyundai Motor India, Seon Seob Kim, says if a customer wants some product, the firm will give that.
Speaking about the upcoming second phase of the Corporate Average Fuel Efficiency (CAFE) and Real-time Driving Emission (RDE) test norms, he said if implemented the initiatives would lead to rise in the asking price of vehicles.
Although Hyundai is ready to follow the regulations, Kim said, if the government decides a 1- or 3-year deferment, it would be helpful in the market recovery.
Source – PTINews.com
