Santro launch: Hyundai launches new small car; prices start Rs 3,89,900; puts Maruti, Tata on notice

Hyundai Motor has launched the iconic Santro in a new avatar priced at a starting Rs 3,89,900 today and thereby put a number of carmakers on notice from Maruti Suzuki (Alto K10, Celerio, even WagonR), Tata Motors (Tiago) to Renault (Kwid). Santro is a hatchback that was very popular once and is now targetted at families and first-time carbuyers. Problem that Hyaundai needs to surmount is that they have launched this car after a whopping gap of over 5 years. And to overcome that problem, the carmaker is looking to provide the kind of features that entry-level cars do not have. The first ''tall boy'' car of the South Korean automaker has already claimed to have received as many as 23,500 pre-booking of the car at Rs 11,000 a shot. The All-New Santro is completely a 'Make in India' project and the automaker will be exporting it to the international markets as well.

The new car, which is powered by a 4-cylinder 1.1 litre petrol engine, comes with automated manual transmission (AMT) and factory-fitted CNG fuel options. The automakers claims to have added 25 new features in the Santro besides the design modification. 

There are five variants of the car based on the Trims - Santro D-Lite, Era, Magna, Asta and Sportz. The base model Santro D-Lite comes only in Petrol variant priced at Rs 3,89,900. The two variants with automated gear shift are priced at Rs 5.18 lakh and Rs 5.46 lakh.

The Santro Era is priced at Rs 4,24,900 and is available in petrol engine only. The All-New Santro Magna comes in two fuel variants - petrol priced at Rs 4,57,900 and CNG priced at Rs 5,23,900. The AMT model of the Magna is priced at Rs 5,18,900. On the other hand, Santro Sportz's petrol engine model is priced at Rs 4,99,900 and the CNG has been priced at Rs 5,64,900. The Sportz AMT model comes at the cost of Rs 5,46,900.

The cosliest petrol engine model of the Santro is Asta priced at Rs 5,45,900.

To enhance customer experience, the top variant Santro have a 7-inch touch screen infotainment system. The 17.64cm Touchscreen AV System can be connected to Android and Apple CarPlay.

As far as the safety features of the car is concerned, it include ABS with EBD and impact sensing auto door unlock. The company has already received bookings for over 23,500 units in the 13 days.

HMIL Managing Director and CEO Y K Koo told PTI that the all- new Santro is a true example of Hyundai's Made in India philosophy and a shining result of numerous product clinics and rigorous durability test on various terrains in India.