Facelifted Hyundai Santa Fe and next generation Hyundai i10 spotted testing

The facelifted Hyundai Santa Fe and the next generation i10 hatchback have been spotted testing outside Chennai by the team at Indianautosblog.  Both vehicles will be launched for the Indian market in their respective time frames; the 2013 Santa Fe will be launched later this year while for the next generation i10, we believe that Hyundai will have its global launch in India itself, making us one of the first markets to get the car.  

The 2013 Santa Fe was unveiled during the 2012 New York Auto Show and has adopted the Korean automakers ‘storm edge’ design.  The test mules that have been spotted are the five-seater short wheelbase version.  However, we still believe that Hyundai will also bring to India the long wheelbase seven-seater version, dubbed the Grand Santa Fe, because the current Santa Fe is also a seven seater.  

The India-spec Santa Fe will continue to be powered by the 2.2-litre diesel engine which produces 194bhp and 436Nm of torque. The AT/MT options as well as the two-wheel and four-wheel drive options are all expected to remain the same.

The next generation i10 is bigger and wider and will adopt the fluidic design philosophy completely. It has been spied testing  in India at least four times in the last two months and was even seen going head to head with the Volkswagen Up!  near the Arctic Circle.

The 2014 Hyundai i10 is expected to debut the Korean automaker’s small three cylinder diesel engine that will manufactured at Hyundai’s upcoming engine plant near Chennai which signals the start of better pricing for Hyundai’s small diesels including the i20.  The new i10 will not replace the current car but will slot in between the i10 and the i20 and may even facilitate the retirement of the Hyundai Santro. 

Source: IAB