Auto Expo 2020: From Tucson to Creta - All about Hyundai’s bustling stall
At present, Hyundai India offers 13 car models namely Santro, Grand i10, Grand i10 NIOS, Elite i20, Active i20, Xcent, Venue, Verna, Creta, Elantra, Tucson, and Kona Electric, and the recently launched all-new Hyundai Aura.
India’s second-largest carmaker Hyundai launched the premium SUV Tucson and a facelift for the compact SUV Creta at the Delhi Auto Expo 2020. The South Korean manufacturer also showcased the Kona Electric SUV, which was launched in India in 2019, and the hydrogen-powered Nexo.
At Auto Expo 2020, Hyundai’s stall is following the theme ‘Progress of Humanity’, which showcases new styling and technology.
Here’s all you need to know about Hyundai’s lineup from Auto Expo 2020:
Hyundai Tucson
The all-new Hyundai Tucson made its debut in the Indian market at the 2020 Auto Expo in New Delhi. Positioned as a premium SUV, it will be launched soon but the company has not shared an exact timeline.
The 2020 Hyundai Tucson comes with revised versions of the 2.0-litre, four-cylinder petrol and diesel engine. Tucson’s petrol mill yields 152 PS of power and 192 Nm of torque, whereas, the 2.0-litre diesel generates 185 PS of power and 400 Nm of torque. Besides that, the SUV also has a new eight-speed automatic gearbox.
Hyundai’s Tucson has been further modified very elusively in terms of its design. For example, the penta-LED projector headlamps while the new bumper has been segregated for the fog lamps. However, the profile of the car remained unaltered except for the new machined alloy wheels.
The tail lamps have also been changed. To make it more appealing, the interior design has been amended with a revised dashboard, central AC vents, and a touchscreen infotainment system.
Hyundai Kona Electric
The first all-electric SUV in India, Hyundai Kona was launched in 2019. The car is locally pieced together from CKD (completely knocked down) kits imported from Ulsan, South Korea, at the Chennai plant.
In India, the electric SUV is offered with a 100 kW motor, which covers around 452 km per charge.
There are two variants available in the segment such as Electric Premium and Electric Premium Dual tone. The ex-showroom price of the former is Rs 23,71,858 while the latter has a price tag of Rs 23,90,608 in the capital. These prices are bound to change soon as the government has recently recommended increased taxes on CKD vehicles in the Union Budget 2020, be it electric or an internal combustion engine driven product.
Hyundai Kite
The Hyundai Kite is an all-electric four-wheeler and two-seater dune buggy, which can also be used as a personal watercraft. Designed in partnership with the Instituto Europeo di Design, the aim was to bequeath timeless design values with an exclusive formula and architecture.
This windowless, doorless, and roofless vehicle is made up of a structural system called monocoque chassis, with a height of 1,455 mm and length of 3,745 mm.
To make it a fun car, the designers have reduced the barriers between the exterior and interior of the car.
Hyundai i30 Fastback N
Another vehicle debuting in the Indian market at the Auto Expo 2020 is the Hyundai i30 Fastback N. It is the first achievement-oriented five-door coupe in its segment.
On the outside, it has a distinctive front bumper with vast air intakes, black headlamp bezels, 19-inch alloy wheels, boot lid lip, and red brake callipers. On the inside, the i30 Fastback N has sporty seats with cushion extensions. Further, the inside is adorned with a sports steering wheel with a N button for operating the exclusive N-drive mode which is Hyundai’s answer for sports mode seen in its German rivals.
The focal point of the vehicle is its 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine that dishes out 250 PS of power and 353 Nm of Torque.
Hyundai, at the moment, has no plans to launch the i30 N Fastback in the country.
Hyundai Project RM19
Hyundai’s Project RM 19 first debuted at the 2019 Los Angeles Auto Show. The vehicle is the reworked version of the i30 and Veloster TCR touring cars, though with a mid-mounted engine designed to be road legal, with a vision to use it as a sub-brand planned ‘halo’ car.
The concept of RM19 is powered by a racing-derived combustion engine, which could be integrated with fully electric powertrains. Its turbocharged 2.0-litre powerplant is upgraded to produce 395 PS.
To boot, Hyundai affirms that the rear-wheel-drive of the vehicle can pull off 0-96 kmph in less than four seconds, and has a limited top speed of 250 kmph and a six-speed sequential gearbox whose efficiency has been improved for road use.
Hyundai HDC 1 Concept
Another product that Hyundai has exhibited at the Auto Expo is the Le Fil Rouge (HDC-1) concept.
What is most intriguing in this vehicle is its design – it has a sporty aesthetic, which can be spotted in models like Nexo, Santa Fe SUV, and Kona Electrical. It comprises features, such as a large front grille, which is homogenised with headlights, steeply raked pillars, long wheelbase, and short front and rear overhangs.
The interior design of the car has been kept to the slightest with a joint digital instrument cluster and infotainment system. The look becomes even suaver with a wood integrated around the dash.
Hyundai Nexo FCEV
As the acronym suggests, it is the Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle, which Hyundai is studying in the Indian market. Also, this would be the first of its category to go live in the country.
The source of power in the Nexo is a fuel cell stack – the rearrangement of the structure of substances such as hydrogen and oxygen spark off the electricity is then used to power the Nexo’s electric motor.
It has three hydrogen tanks of 156.6 litres of capacity, which capacitates a 666 km range. Further, the Nexo FCEV produces 163 PS and 395 Nm of torque that Hyundai affirms, and can sprint from standstill to 100 kmph in 9.2 seconds.
Hyundai is yet to confirm the Nexo’s launch timeline for India.
(Edited by Saheli Sen Gupta)
