Hyundai i30 expected to make its Indian debut around Diwali

Hyundai is planning to bring its i30 premium hatchback in India around October this year during festive season. This was revealed by Rakesh Srivastava, senior vice-president, marketing and sales, Hyundai Motor India Ltd who also divulged that the car will be ‘definitely’ priced under Rs 10 lakh.

The Hyundai i30 was internationally unveiled at the 2011 Frankfurt International Motor Show, though it has gone through quite a few updates since. Developed at the company’s technical centre in Rüsselsheim, Germany, the i30 is available in three guises- three-door hatchback, five-door hatchback or as an estate. For the Indian market though, Hyundai will only launch the five-door hatchback, which measures 4,300 mm in length and has a wheelbase of 2,650 mm.

Speaking to Financial Express, Mr Srivastava said, “The i20 is among the finest hatchbacks in the country, but we also believe that above the i20, there is room for a very premium hatchback. Therefore, we are planning to come up with a new car that will be slotted above the i20. By this year-end we may come up with a new, very premium hatchback.”

Globally, the i30 is offered with four engine options -1.6-litre MPi, 1.6-litre GDi, 1.8-litre MPi and a 1.6-litre VGT. All these engines power the front wheels through either a six-speed manual or a six-speed automatic gearbox. For India though, Hyundai might offer the i30 with smaller capacity and a more efficient range of engines.

Mr. Srivastava says that the i30 will attract a following in India because of the car’s easy maneuverability in a congested city environment along with the luxury and space of a mid-size sedan it offers. He also revealed that by next year, Hyundai will enter the country’s compact SUV segment with a new product. The ix25 has been spotted testing in China and Korea quite a few times now and will mark Hyundai’s foray into the lucrative sub-four metre compact SUV segment.

Hatchbacks form a major chunk of cars sold in India, claiming a 68 per cent market-share. In its other markets, the i30 rivals the likes of Mazda3, Ford Focus, Honda Fit (Jazz) and Toyota Corolla hatchback. In India though, it will occupy a niche segment going up against the other cars in the price range like the Volkswagen Cross Polo, Honda Jazz and base variants of the Ford EcoSport and the Renault Duster.