Introduction

Hyundai’s newest offering in India this year is the Exter. And after being leaked online, the Hyundai Exter has now been officially revealed in full ahead of its launch. Moreover, bookings for the Exter have commenced for an amount of Rs. 11,000. So, it’s a perfect opportunity to discuss everything you need to know about the all-new Exter.

Positioning:

Like all Hyundai cars, the Exter is also a global product. It’s an entry-level mini-SUV and it is positioned below the Venue in Hyundai’s SUV lineup. Underpinning it is the K-series platform. However, we know that it will make use of the K1 platform, which also supports the Grand i10 and the Aura. Although dimensions have not been divulged yet, the Exter is expected to measure around 3.8m in length.

Styling and Design

The Exter carries a new ‘Parametric Dynamism’ design language, which is unlike anything in the current Hyundai lineup. The good thing is it doesn’t look like a hatchback on stilts. With a proper SUV-like stance, the Exter gets an upright nose, flat roof, floating C-pillar, blacked-out cladding, and some polarising elements too.

The character lines include flared sheet metal over the wheel arches. And there’s an H-like insignia on the LED units sitting on the bonnet line and in the tail lamps as well. The fascia also gets a square-ish headlamp setup, like in the Venue, and it is integrated into the black grille running across the face. Even the tail lamps are now connected across the tailgate. With little overhangs both fore and aft, the wheelbase appears to offer better space utilisation inside the cabin – something we have seen working well with the Tata Punch.

Powertrain

Under the hood, there’re no surprises. The Exter shares its underpinnings with the Grand i10 Nios, and the powertrain is shared with the hatchback as well. Thus, powering the Exter is the familiar 1.2-litre, four-cylinder, naturally aspirated petrol engine. When it goes on sale, it will initially be offered with a five-speed manual or an AMT. There’s also the CNG alternative of the same engine but only with manual transmission.

Interior and Features

Hyundai hasn’t given out any information about the interior of the Exter. However, we know that it will be offered in five trim options – EX, S, SX, SX(O) and SX(O) Connect, and there will be six monotone and three dual-tone paint schemes to choose from. But we expect it to have a feature-loaded cabin. It will offer every feature you could ask for in the segment, while also bringing in some segment-first features. We could expect a floating touchscreen as seen in the new Verna, with a newly-designed driver’s display, a wireless charger, an air purifier, a sunroof, and even new-age connectivity features to be offered in the Exter.