Hyundai’s rival to the Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza will go on sale in India in March 2019. The compact SUV (codename QXi) has been spotted testing in India as well as overseas, and based on what the spy pics reveal, it will carry Hyundai's latest design elements.

Up front, the compact SUV gets a wide grille that the Hyundai refers as the Cascading Grille, a design feature now common to the carmaker’s latest models. The SUV gets another design feature which Hyundai calls a Composite Light, where the headlight is placed next to the grille on each side while a separate LED daytime running light is positioned above it.  This makes the upcoming Hyundai compact SUV look quite similar to the brand’s international models like the all-new Santa Fe SUV and the Kona crossover.

Moving to the sides, the Hyundai QXi gets a large glasshouse for front and the rear passengers with the window line ending in an upward kink, again a familiar design feature seen on other Hyundai models.  The SUV gets chunky, rounded wheel arches giving the model a proper off-roader look.  At the back, the SUV is expected to get a simple tailgate design and will look more like a baby-Creta when viewed from the rear three quarters.

The Hyundai QXi will also follow the Creta’s footsteps in terms of its cabin and features. Premium-looking interiors and decent legroom, coupled with a long feature list, is what can be expected from this SUV. Expect a sophisticated touchscreen to be integrated on to the dashboard.

Under the hood, the QXi compact SUV will come with a range of BS-VI ready engines. Hyundai will introduce its all-new 1.0-litre turbo petrol motor good for 118hp and 171Nm of torque. Additionally, there will also be a new 1.5-litre diesel engine on offer, expected to be in a 115hp and 250Nm state of tune. There are talks of Hyundai offering the familiar 1.2-litre Kappa petrol engine as well.

The Hyundai QXi will be the smallest SUV from the Korean carmaker in India. Besides the Vitara Brezza that currently leads the segment in sales, the QXi will also rival the Tata Nexon, the Ford EcoSport as well as upcoming compact SUVs from Mahindra and Kia.

What are the features and traits, you'd like to see on the Hyundai compact SUV? Let us know in the comments section below.