Hyundai Exter Launched at Rs 5.99 Lakh

The Korean automaker has finally launched its smallest and most affordable SUV, Hyundai Exter at Rs 5.99 lakh (ex-showroom). With the Exter, Hyundai is looking to capitalise on the lucrative segment created by the Tata Punch, one of the best-selling cars in India. Sharing its underpinning with the Grand i10 Nios and Aura, the Exter is available with both petrol and CNG fuel options, and in five trims – EX, S, SX, SX(O) and SX(O) Connect. Here is a closer look at the Hyundai Exter and its prices.

Hyundai Exter: Design

The Hyundai Exter is 3,815 mm long, 1,710 mm wide and 1,631 mm tall and has a wheelbase of 2,450 mm, 185 mm ground clearance, and segment-leading 391-litre boot space.

With a boxy silhouette, the Hyundai Exter follows its brand’s parametric design language that adorns it with textured detailing on the C-pillars, tailgate, and flared wheel arches. The face looks bold with the stubby bonnet, blacked-out rectangular grille featuring Hyundai’s parametric pattern, prominent skid plate, unique H-shaped DRLs, and the square housing of the LED headlights. The side profile highlights rugged body cladding, 15-inch dual-tone alloy wheels, and sharp creases bringing about a macho appeal. At the rear, the H-shaped tail lamps are joined by a thick black strip and the rear skid plate starts from a relatively higher  position to give it a more rugged look.

Hyundai Exter: Interior and Features

With nearly identical interiors to those of the Grand i10 Nios and Hyundai Aura, the Hyundai Exter gets the same layout of the centre console and the diamond pattern on the dashboard. The differences start with the colour scheme – the Hyundai Exter gets an all-black colour scheme instead of the Nios’s grey/black or Aura’s bronze/black interior. Moreover, it features a fully digital instrument cluster with a 4.2-inch MID, which is seen in more expensive Hyundai cars like the i20 and Verna. In higher variants, the Hyundai Exter gets semi-leatherette upholstery finished in dual-tone black and olive-green shades, however, misses out on an armrest for the rear seats.

Being a Hyundai car, the Exter is laden with features. It sports automatic projector headlamps, keyless entry and go, an 8-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, automatic climate control, wireless charging, in-built navigation, cruise control, connected car tech, voice-activated commands in multiple languages and over-the-air (OTA) updates. All the same, the most appealing features of the Exter are a single-pane sunroof and a factory-fitted dash cam with dual cameras (front and rear).

On the safety front, the Hyundai Exter gets six airbags, ABS with EBD, electronic stability control (ESC), vehicle stability management (VSM), hill hold assist and 3-point seatbelts for all passengers as standard. On the higher trims, it offers tyre pressure monitoring system (TPMS), day and night IRVM, a rearview camera, and a rear defogger.

Hyundai Exter: Engine, Transmission, and Mileage

Sharing its mechanicals with the Grand i10 Nios and Aura, the Hyundai Exter packs a 1.2-litre naturally aspirated petrol engine that generates 82 PS power and 113 Nm peak torque. The transmission options include a 5-speed manual or a 5-speed AMT automatic.

The Hyundai Exter is also available with a factory-fitted CNG kit, with which the engine generates a lower output of 69 PS and 95 Nm and comes paired with a 5-speed manual transmission. The unavailability of CNG powertrain in the Tata Punch, will give the Hyundai Exter a significant advantage over it.

As far as mileage is concerned, the petrol manual claims 19.4 km/l mileage, the petrol AMT claims 19.2 km/l mileage, and the CNG-powered variant claims 27.1 km/kg mileage.

Hyundai Exter: Price and Rivals

With these prices, the Hyundai Exter will primarily rival the Tata Punch, and the secondary rivals include the Citroen C3, and Maruti Suzuki Ignis.