Upcoming cars of Hyundai in 2012

Hyundai, the second largest small car maker has an interesting lineup of models for the 2012 Delhi Auto Expo. The company plans to showcase a concept SUV and we expect two production cars, the Hyundai Sonata (i45) and the Hyundai Elantra. Both these cars will likely be launched next year. Let’s take a closer look at each of these cars.Hyundai Sonata – March 2012 – Rs. 16 lakh*

The Sonata (i45) will be one of the best looking cars from Hyundai in its Indian product portfolio. When launched, the Sonata/i45 will be the third model (after i10 and i20) in Hyundai’s i-series in India with a price tag of roughly Rs. 16 -18 lakh.

The company’s ‘fluidic sculpture’ design seems to suit the Sonata best. It gets attractive lines and curves. The rear of the Sonata has stylish, wide tail lamps and sculpted boot lid that accentuates its premium feel.

Hyundai may consider launching the Sonata with a 2.2 litre diesel engine that produces 197 bhp of power and 420 Nm of torque. It has to be noted that Hyundai’s 2.2 litre CRDi engine already does duty in the Santa Fe SUV which was launched in December 2010.

For the petrol variant, the Korean car maker may employ a 2.4 litre petrol engine for the India-bound Sonata. This motor puts out 198 bhp of power and will likely sport a 6-speed manual or a 6-speed automatic transmission.

The outgoing Sonata has not been a hot selling model because its design did not appeal to customers. The new Sonata may however strike the right chord and help Hyundai widen its market share in the premium sedan segment.

Hyundai Elantra/Avante – June 2012 – Rs. 12 lakh*

The upcoming Elantra, may retain the Avante name when launched in India. It too adopts the popular ‘fluidic sculpture’ as adopted by Hyundai cars such as the i10, Verna and the recently launched Eon small car. We feel that, the new Elantra will be a better looking model with its attractive curves.

The Elantra diesel is expected to get a 2.0-litre common-rail diesel engine that makes 138 bhp of power. The petrol variant will likely be powered by a 1.8-litre Dual Continuously Variable Valve Timing (D-CVVT) petrol motor that puts out 146 bhp of power. The engines will be mated to 6-speed manual and 6-speed Shiftronic automatic transmission.

Expect the Elantra to be equipped with six airbags, cruise control, optional sunroof and an attractive infotainment system to compete with other cars in the segment. To be priced in the range of Rs. 12 – 15 lakh, the Elantra will compete with the Honda Civic (Rs. 12.21 -13.96 lakh), the Chevrolet Cruze (Rs. 12.03 – 14.44 lakh) and the Skoda Laura (Rs. 12.44 – 15.05 lakh).

Hyundai i20 Facelift – July 2012 – Rs. 5 lakh*

Hyundai has begun testing the facelifted i20 in Chennai. The i20 facelift will come with a new front grille that will resemble the i10 and the fluidic Verna. Expect minimal or no changes in the car’s side profile and interiors.

Under the hood, Hyundai will likely use the same engines on the face lifted model that are found in the outgoing model. At present, the diesel variant sports a 1.4 litre CRDi engine that puts out 89 bhp of power and 220 Nm of torque. Among the petrol variants, there are two engine options: 1.2 litre petrol & 1.4 litre petrol. The 1.2-litre petrol engine churns out around 80 bhp of power and 112 Nm of torque. The 1.4 litre petrol engine develops a healthy 100 bhp of power but comes only with an automatic transmission. The i20 has both manual and automatic transmission options which will likely be carried forward in the new model as well.

The new i20 may cost slightly more than the outgoing model which is priced in the range of Rs. 4.5 lakh -6.2 lakh for the petrol variants and Rs. 5.7 lakh – 6.9 lakh for the diesel variants. The face lifted i20 will compete with Maruti Suzuki Swift, Fiat Punto, Volkswagen Polo, Skoda Fabia and Nissan Micra.

Apart from these models, Hyundai will showcase a concept SUV. There are speculations that the concept SUV may likely be the latest generation Tucson or ix35 sold in international markets. However, Hyundai may surprise us with a 5-seater concept SUV which could later enter into production for Asian markets.