Bookings for the Hyundai AH2/Santro to start on October 10

- Launch on October 23

- Expected price Rs 3 lakhs to Rs 6 lakhs, ex-showroom

Hyundai will open pre-bookings for the all-new Hyundai AH2/Santro replacement on October 10 before its launch on October 23. The new compact hatchback will have a two-word badge with one of them being Santro and is being built to take on the likes of the Tata Tiago, the Maruti Suzuki Celerio and the Renault Kwid.

Having already strengthened their premium segments, Hyundai is renewing its focus on budget offerings to add to their market share and the Santro, with its two-decades-old legacy in India, is expected to bring in large volumes. 

The new Santro is based on underpinnings similar to the Grand i10. It will have the typical Hyundai styling and feature-rich variants list. Under the hood, we can expect the 1.0-litre petrol engine with both manual and AMT gearbox options with the popularity of the latter rising steadily over the past couple of years.

In terms of safety, ABS with EBD and dual airbags should be standard on the Santro owing to the new norms which will be applied in April 2019. We expect Hyundai to price the new Santro beginning at about Rs 3 lakhs for the entry-level petrol going all the way up to Rs 6 lakhs ex-showroom for the fully loaded diesel.