All-new Hyundai i10 caught undergoing pre-launch testing in Chennai

| All-new i10 caught testing in Chennai |

| This is the third-generation of Hyundai's highly-successful hatchback |

| Indian launch is expected towards the end of August |

Hyundai's smash hit, Grand i10, is at the fag end of its life cycle. Launched in 2013, the hatchback - together with the i20 and the Creta - has been the mainstay of the Korean brand's stronghold in India. That the Grand i10 is still a staple in the list of best-selling cars in the country stands testimony to it's popularity and success. 

The upcoming third-generation model, then, has quite big shoes to fill in. Slated for a launch in India later this month followed by it's global debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September, the all-new i10 was caught undergoing what should be one of its final rounds of testing in the busy GST Road in Chennai.

While the first-generation i10 was Made-in-India for the world, Hyundai followed a different approach for the car's second-generation. Europe had a smaller version similar in size to it's predecessor while India had a bigger version with a longer wheelbase and a 'Grand' prefix. For the third-generation though, Hyundai appears to be going back to 'one-size-and-shape-fits-all' strategy.

Compare the two test mules featured in the post with the teaser image posted by Hyundai Europe and you will know why. The C-pillar featuring a rising window-line that shrinks and then expands into a wraparound rear windshield hints at an aggressive and stylish makeover hidden beneath the camouflage. Like all new Hyundais, design cues like the cascading grille and wraparound lights are expected to be part of i10's roster. In terms of size, expect the all-new model to be on par with the current Grand i10; that should make it a fairly-spacious urban runabout.

The interiors are likely to undergo a complete makeover as well with all the features and connectivity options we have come to expect in this day and age. Hyundai is likely to retain the 1.2-liter Kappa petrol and the 1.1-liter U2 diesel engines, albeit with both of them upgraded to meet BS-VI emission norms. While the 5-speed manual transmission is likely to be carried over, the archaic 4-speed automatic transmission is rumoured to give way to an in-house developed Automated Manual Transmission. 

With Maruti-Suzuki going all guns blazing with the new Swift, the new i10 can't come any sooner for Hyundai. This battle would be an interesting one to watch!

MG & Kia make strong debuts in India

| Sales of MG Hector and Kia Seltos are off to a great start |

| Hector bookings cross 21,000 with MG temporarily closing bookings |

| Kia receives over 6,000 bookings for the Seltos in a day |

It's true that the automotive industry in India is going through one of it's toughest phases ever. The mere fact every car-maker out there barring one or two report double-digit drop in sales month-on-month is an indication of the bloodshed that's happening out there. This then is not the right time to enter the market, one would think.

But two brands that most people in India have unheard of are making waves out there, following two different philosophies to penetrate the market. 

Take Morris Garages, for instance. Now owned by SAIC, China's biggest car-maker, MG has been doing everything right ever since they set shop in India. Be it touting their British heritage with nary a hint of their Chinese assocation, be it striking an emotional chord with a small but loyal set of owners of classic MG models, be it their aggressive marketing tactics that kept people talking about the brand or be it the well thought-out maintenance and ownership packages that are designed to alleviate concerns potential customers might have in putting their money on a new brand, MG planned and executed their moves very well.

Backing all these efforts was their product itself, the Hector. Despite being based off a SAIC model, the Hector - endorsed by the popular British actor, Benedict Cumberbatch - never revealed it's Chinese origins which, by the way, isn't a bad thing at all. Indians love bling and MG offered that in dollops with the Hector. Indians crave for features and the vehicle is loaded to the gills and some more with them. With the largest touchscreen ever seen on an automobile in India and next level of connectivity features that's proclaimed with an 'Internet Inside' fender badge, the Hector is tech-savvy, just what the millenials want!

That the Hector's sales crossed 21,000 units within weeks of launch and bookings have been closed until further announcement is a testament to their efforts.

If you're one of those that think MG had an easy way in, thanks to GM's association with SAIC which handed the Halol plant in Gujarat on a platter to MG, what do you have to say about Kia? These folks from South Korea didn't have it easy, despite being closely-knit to Hyundai that has a strong presence and image in India.

From setting up a huge greenfield facility at Anantpur in Andhra Pradesh in record time to counting the days for their first model launch in the country, Indian arm of Kia has put in the 1 Billion Dollars sanctioned by its parent to good use over the last couple of years. The sheer scale shows the commitment and the confidence the brand has in the Indian market. Starting off with an annual capacity to make 100,000 cars, Kia has plans to scale up to 300,000 units a year within two years. Just like Hyundai, Kia has taken along quite a few of it's suppliers and made them set shop close by to solve supply chain constraints.

Though their marketing efforts thus far has been less intense compared to, let's say MG, Kia showed their might at the 2016 Auto Expo. From the Picanto hatchback to the Stinger GT premium sedan, from the Sportage crossover to the Grand Carnival MPV, the Korean brand's 16-strong model lineup brought in for the event left a lasting impression. Taking one of them and adapting it for Indian tastes and requirements would've been the easier option. But Kia didn't do that.

They came up with the Seltos, an all-new model that hits straight at a red-hot segment dominated by Hyundai. Yes, the Creta is what Seltos is aimed at. With it's distinct styling, impressive levels of fit and finish, a gamut of engine and transmission options and bucket-loads of features with many segment-firsts thrown in, the Seltos - based on the SP Signature Concept showcased earlier this year - looks set to usurp it's Hyundai sibling from the throne it currently occupies unchallenged.

Don't believe us? Get this. Bookings for the Seltos opened officially this Tuesday and by the end of the day, Kia had pocketed a whopping 6,000 deposits. And, let's not forget the pricing hasn't been announced yet!

The message then is loud and clear. The sentiments may be down, liquidity might be a problem and lending rates might be on their way up but success is in the offing if car-makers put in earnest efforts and bring in attractive models. 

While it's a great job so far by MG and Kia, the challenge now is to keep the momentum going. It's going to be interesting, let's see how they cope up!

Hyundai launches the Kona Electric in India

| Kona Electric becomes India's first long-range EV |

| Pan-India introductory ex-showroom price of ₹2,530,000 |

We have had a few full-electric cars launched in India already but they have all had a serious limitation or two that prevented them from being serious contenders. The Reva and it's many siblings were too small, unsafe and impractical. With the same technology underneath, Mahindra Electric's eVerito solved the space issue but it was dated and it's range was limited. Tata's Tigor EV, though modern and safe, is crippled by it's limited range too. Both the Mahindra and the Tata offer a range in the thereabouts of 100 km which does nothing to deter the range anxiety these EVs are notorious for!

In short, Hyundai's Kona Electric - launched in the country earlier this week at a pan-India introductory price of ₹2,530,000 ex-showroom - is India's first proper long-range EV!

With a 39.2 kWh battery that powers an electric motor rated for 134 horsepower and 395 Nm of torque, the Kona Electric is quite powerful. And it's fast too, accelerating from 0 to 100 km/h in 9.7 seconds. Four driving modes - Eco, Eco+, Comfort and Sport are on offer as are paddle shifters to adjust regenrative braking. 

Crucially, the Kona Electric has an ARAI-certified range of 452 km on a single charge. In real-world conditions, expect that number to drop down to about 300 km. The claimed time to recharge the battery to 100% with an AC charger is 6 hours and 10 minutes. With a DC quick charger, the battery can be recharged to 80% of its capacity in just 57 minutes. All Kona customers would be provided with a 7.2 kW charger that can top-up the vehicle's battery withan an hour for a range of 50 km.

The Kona Electric is on sale in 11 Indian cities in select Hyundai dealerships. All of them would be equipped with the aforementioned 7.2 kW AC chargers. That apart, Hyundai has joined hands with Indian Oil Corporation Limited to install a charging network in Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Chennai. Hyundai is leaving no stone unturned to deter the range anxiety. There will also be a fleet of cars fitted with power converters to provide emergency charging support in these cities. 

The Kona Electric comes with a 3 years / unlimited km warranty with the battery getting a separate 8 years / 160,000 km warranty. That's another concern every EV buyer has ticked off!

With a modern-yet-quirky design language highlighted by the split light clusters at the front and rear, the fake grille-like thing on the fascia, those bulky plastic claddings and the busy profile with multiple cuts and creases, the Kona is an eyeball-grabber. That said, it's a love-it or hate-it affair! Interiors are a typical Hyundai affair with the Kona Electric getting a ton of features and acceptable levels of fit and finish. 

The kit on offer include six airbags, Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) with Electronic Brake-force Distribution (EBD), Electronic Stability Control (ESC), Vehicle Stability Management (VSM), Hill Assist Control, Tire Pressure Monitoring Sytem, electric sunroof, automatic climate control, cruise control, rear-view camera, ventilated and heated leather seats at the front and a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Voice Recognition, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay connectivity options. 

Measuring the scales at 4,180 mm in length, 1,800 mm in width and 1,570 mm in height with a 2,600 mm wheelbase, the Kona Electric is smaller than a Creta. But then, as a high-riding urban SUV boasting it's EV credentials, it makes perfect sense. 

The Kona Electric is modern, safe, practical and offers a long driving range too. Yes, the price appears higher but you'll know it is not when more EVs with similar driving range enter the country. Let's wait and see if the car-buying public out there are convinced.

Next-generation Mahindra Scorpio spotted testing

In more ways than one, the Scorpio has been Mahindra’s coming-of-age product. It was not just the first indigenous model developed by the Indian car-maker but also the first time the brand had conceptualized and launched something that wasn’t derived from the erstwhile Jeeps they were making under license for decades. Armed with macho styling, potent engines, tough body-on-frame build and competitive pricing that pitched it directly against the mid-size sedans of the time, the Scorpio scripted history. 

Would you believe if we tell you the Scorpio – 17 long years after its launch – is still Mahindra’s best-selling model? Yes, not the trend-setting XUV5OO, not the newest-of-the-lot Marazzo and not even the much-cheaper KUV1OO! That the Scorpio still manages to attract thousands of demanding buyers out there month-on-month speaks volumes about its strengths and the way it delivers what’s expected of it. Remarkably, the Scorpio on sale in 2019 sports the same basic design that it debuted with way back in 2002. Of course, there were four facelifts in-between but you get the point.

That explains how crucial this camouflaged test mule – believed to be the next-generation Scorpio – is for Mahindra. Caught testing near Oragadam on the outskirts of Chennai - not far off Mahindra's R&D Center - the test vehicle hides a great deal of Mahindra's near future underneath it's camouflage. 

At first glance, it’s clear the upcoming Scorpio is wider, longer and shorter than the model it's slated to replace. Thanks to the thick camouflage, design elements of the new Scorpio remain hidden. But, it’s fair to assume Mahindra’s trademark slatted grille will take pride of place up front. We only wish it doesn't end up looking gawky like the one in the test car. On the same note, let's also ignore the crude round headlights and taillights seen here. They are sure be replaced by modern wraparound units in the production version. While a couple of bulges can be seen on the tall and flat hood, the popular offset hood scoop from the current Scorpio seems to have been given a miss. Just like the current Scorpio however, mildly-flared wheel arches and a kink on the window line can be seen in profile. The wheelbase is noticeably longer too, reducing the rear overhang. The rear isn’t upright anymore, bringing the car more in line with the times.

With all of these comes not just better stance and proportions but also potential improvements in interior space and handling. Talk to the current Scorpio owners and you'll know these two are the areas where they feel the current model lags behind rivals. While the improvements in the second row are most welcome, what remains to be seen is the usage of space behind it. Will the new Scorpio continue to get side-facing bench seats in the third row or will the engineers plonk in the better and safer forward-facing bench? That remains to be seen. 

Mechanically, the next-generation Scorpio is expected to retain it's body-on-frame construction. Expect a host of improvements underneath though. That's great news as the Scorpio would continue to be the true-blue traditional SUV in a field full of monocoque wannabe SUVs. Rumour mills state that Mahindra's 2.2-liter 'mHawk' engine is likely to make way to an all-new BS6-compliant 2.0-liter turbocharged diesel engine that generates over 150 horsepower. A 6-speed manual and a 6-speed automatic transmissions are likely with four-wheel drive option available in select variants.

While Mahindra hasn't confirmed yet, we expect the new Scorpio to go on sale late 2020 or early 2021. Let's wait and see if the next-gen Scorp stings Mahindra's rivals as hard and deep as the original did in 2002!

Hyundai unveils the Venue in simultaneous events held in New York and India

South-Korean car-maker Hyundai took the wraps off it's much-awaited compact crossover - the Venue - yesterday. Slotting in below the Kona as the smallest crossover in the lineup, the weirdly-named Venue marks a departure from Hyundai's traditional naming convention for SUVs. For those that do not know, the Kona, Tucson, Santa Fe and Palisade are all named after popular American east coast holiday destinations! 

While the global unveiling took place amidst the glitz and grandeur of the New York Auto Show, the Venue for India was uncovered on-board a cruise ship from Mumbai to Goa. It just goes to show how important the Indian market is for Hyundai in general and the Venue in particular. 

How can it not be? Compact SUVs and crossovers are all the rage these days and every model - from the Ford EcoSport that pioneered the segment to the newest challenger Mahindra XUV3OO - has been successful so far. Of course, Maruti-Suzuki's Vitara Brezza is the runaway sales leader in the pack and the model Hyundai is aiming for with the Venue.

Featuring Hyundai's signature design language first seen on the current Santa Fe, the Venue's fascia is rather striking. The eyeball-grabber, without a doubt, is the Cascading Grille with a checkered chrome mesh. To keep it short, all we can say is it's going to divide opinions. Split light clusters - the latest fad in SUV design circles - give the Venue a strong character that's hard to ignore. From the sides, the Venue looks pretty much like a Creta, albeit a size smaller. At the rear, things are simple and elegant with LED-equipped square-shaped taillights and bold 'VENUE' badging spread across the sculpted tailgate stealing the limelight. 

While the pictures in this post are of the American Venue, the design remains unchanged for India apart from minor detailing differences. It's dimunitive size apart, we got to admit that the Venue is quite a looker!

The interiors - going by the images released - look impressive. A sporty-looking multi-function steering wheel greets the driver while a well-designed and neatly laid-out dashboard look classy. A high-set 8.0-inch touchscreen system, equipped with Hyundai's latest 'Blue Link' connectivity technology that's making it's India debut, occupies prime place in the center. With a total of 33 features - of which 10 are unique for India - spanning safety, vehicle control, location-based services, remote access and voice recognition, the Venue will keep the tech geeks amongst us happy. 

Being a Hyundai, expect the Venue to boast class-leading fit and finish and an extensive feature list.

A 1.2-liter petrol engine generating 83 horsepower and 115 Nm of torque and a 1.4-liter diesel engine churning out 90 horsepower and 220 Nm of torque are the main engine options for India. Both these engines are shared with the popular i20. The petrol comes mated to a 5-speed manual transmission while the diesel gets a 6-speed manual gearbox. For enthusiasts yearning for more, Hyundai is also bringing along a 1.0-liter turbo petrol with 120 horsepower and 172 Nm of torque paired with a 6-speed manual or a 7-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission! 

Globally, a 1.6-liter petrol engine is likely to be Venue's mainstay fitted with a 6-speed manual or an Intelligent Variable transmission.

With the recently-unveiled Palisade expanding Hyundai's SUV lineup at the top, the pint-sized Venue is all set to do the same at the other end. The car goes on sale in India later this month and globally towards the end of the year. Should the Vitara Brezza be concerned? Probably not. Should the EcoSport, Nexon and XUV3OO be worried? Hell, yeah!