The 2017 Hyundai Xcent went on sale with a starting price of Rs 5.38 lakh for the petrol range and Rs 6.28 lakh for the diesel range (ex-showroom Delhi). The Xcent facelift came in at the right time when the Korean compact sedan was ageing a bit, and this update makes it look more upmarket. The top of the line variant gets a new 7.0-inch touchscreen system with support for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and a new diesel heart from the Grand i10. Available across 11 variants, with the top-spec diesel priced at Rs 8.41 lakh, here are other options worth your consideration, for the money you would spend on the all-new Hyundai Xcent.
For the entry-level trim of the new Xcent, the E petrol, you can have a go at the top-of-the-line Tiago petrol. For a similar amount, the Tiago AMT could also be one of your choices. Or you can just go ahead and get the top-spec Kwid, Eon, or the Maruti Alto and Celerio. That will save you a good amount of money and get you the touch-screen audio along with power windows. However, you’ll miss out on the boot space of the compact sedan. Another alternative is the Datsun Go Plus, which with seven seats is affordable still.
The E+ petrol Xcent is priced at Rs 5.93 lakh while the E+ diesel gets a price tag of Rs 6.38 lakh. At this price, you have the option of buying the Chevrolet Beat diesel LT or the Wagon R VXI+ (O) AMT. The Ignis Delta 1.3 MT can also be capped under the Xcent pricing. The new E+ trim is available with rear AC vents, electrically adjustable ORVM, all-four power windows, two-DIN Integrated Audio with Bluetooth and aux-in and USB connectivity. The Swift VDI ABS or the top-of-the-line Tigor petrol is an excellent alternative.
The Xcent S trim is loaded with LED DRLs, parking sensors, keyless entry, smartphone charger, and comes mated to automatic transmission. The manual version in petrol and diesel is priced at Rs 6.29 lakh and Rs 7.19 lakh, respectively. While the automatic petrol variant is priced at Rs 7.09. You can have a look at the B-segment hatches such as the top-spec Honda Brio, Ford Figo Titanium1.5 TDCi, or the second–to-top Hyundai Grand i10 diesel. The Renault Pulse and its sibling, Nissan Micra, could get you potent diesel hatches.
On to the SX trim, the ABS is a welcome addition, apart from the driver seat adjustment, and the new seven-inch touchscreen infotainment system which gets smartphone connectivity. The petrol variant is priced at Rs 6.73 lakh, while the diesel version is Rs 7.63 lakh. At this price, you get a Fiat Linea 1.3 L Multijet Classic complete with a boot and a torquey diesel motor. And then, there´s always the premium B+ segment hatches in this price range. The Delta variant of the Baleno will fit in at this price either with a petrol auto option or the diesel manual option. The Honda Jazz will also be available either in the base diesel or the mid-level petrol trims exactly like the Elite i20.
Moving on to top-spec SX (O), the Xcent comes loaded with all the bells and whistles here. The 15-inch alloy wheel, leather upholstery, engine start/stop button, all comes as standard. The petrol version is priced at Rs 7.51 lakh, while the diesel trim is offered at Rs 8.41 lakh. Apart from all the premium hatches, at the price of the SX (O), the body style can be shifted up a notch and you can get yourself a compact SUV, entry level Ford EcoSport. Top-seller Vitara Brezza ZDi, the workhorse Mahindra Bolero Plus, Maruti Ertiga ZDi or VXi CNG, all of them can be had for the price of a Xcent SX (O) diesel. Entry level premium sedans like the Volkswagen Polo and Maruti Ciaz also cap in under that pricing.
