2018 Hyundai Santro launched at Rs 3.89 lakh

After many teasers, spy shots and leaks, Hyundai has finally launched the much-awaited budget hatchback, the all-new Santro, with prices ranging between Rs 3.89 lakh and Rs 5.64 lakh (ex-showroom, pan India). The new Santro is available in five trims – D-Lite, Era (Rs 4.24 lakh), Magna (Rs 4.57-5.23 lakh), Sportz (Rs 4.99-5.64 lakh) and Asta (Rs 5.45 lakh).

A return to the tall-boy body style, the Santro’s name also harks back to the original model that was launched in India exactly 20 years and one month ago. While its side profile may not seem particularly tall-boy-like, especially compared to the original model or even Maruti Suzuki’s WagonR, the new Santro is wider and taller (at 1,645mm and 1,560mm, respectively) than its competition, while being one of the shortest in length (at 3,610mm).

Launched with seven exterior paint options (silver, white, grey, beige, blue, red and green), the new Santro does not get alloy wheels, but does get wheel caps for the 14-inch steel wheels wrapped in 165/70 tyres on the higher-spec Sportz and Asta trims (lower variants make do with 13-inch wheels shod in  155/80 rubber). The higher-spec models also sport body coloured bumpers, wing mirrors (with integrated turn indicators) and door handles.

On the inside, all trims get a dual-tone beige and black cabin (the green-finished model gets an all-black interior), though the higher variants get the option of green highlights as well. All variants also sport a tachometer in the instrument cluster, along with a 2.5-inch multi-info display.

In terms of safety equipment, all trims come equipped with a driver’s side airbag (the top-spec Asta gets a passenger side unit too), ABS with EBD and a driver’s seatbelt reminder. The CNG variants also get a fire extinguisher as standard.

The base D-Lite trim is quite sparse in terms of features, with only power steering, a folding rear bench and a remote opening boot and fuel lid on offer. The Era trim does get a segment-first in the form of rear AC vents.

However, the top-spec trim features rear parking sensors with a reversing camera, a rear wash/wipe, a 7.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and MirrorLink compatibility, steering-mounted controls and power adjustable wing mirrors.

The new Santro is powered by an updated version of Hyundai’s Epsilon engine. The 1,066cc, four-cylinder, three valves per cylinder motor is capable of producing 69hp and 99Nm while running on petrol and 59hp and 84Nm when fuelled by CNG. The petrol versions get 5-speed manual and 5-speed AMT gearboxes while the CNG models only get the former. ARAI rated fuel efficiency figures are 20.3kpl for the petrol-manual and petrol-AMT models while the CNG variants can go 30.5km on a kg of gas.

Also see:

2018 Hyundai Santro vs rivals: Specifications comparison

2018 Hyundai Santro image gallery