Hyundai Santro Price and Launch: Launched
at an introductory price range of Rs 3.90 lakh to Rs 5.65 lakh
(ex-showroom Delhi), the Hyundai Santro marks the Korean carmaker's
return in the compact hatchback segment. While it doesn't get alloy
wheels in any of its variants right now, Hyundai has confirmed the
top-spec Asta variant will get the same from next year.
Hyundai Santro Variants: The 2018 Hyundai Santro is
available in five variants: D-Lite, Era, Magna, Sportz and Asta. The new
Santro can also be had with an all-new AMT or a factory-fitted CNG kit.
For more details click here.
Hyundai Santro Engine and Mileage: Powering the new
Hyundai Santro is a 1.1-litre, 4-cylinder petrol engine which produces
69PS of max power and 99Nm of peak torque. It can be had with either a
5-speed MT or a 5-speed AMT. Hyundai claims that the new Santro returns a
certified fuel efficiency of 20.3kmpl for both, manual and AMT
variants. A factory-fitted CNG kit is also available on the Magna and
Sportz variants, albeit only with the manual transmission. Running on
CNG, Santro’s 1.1-litre engine makes 59PS of max power and 84Nm of peak
torque. Hyundai claims that the Santro CNG returns a mileage of
30.48km/kg.
Hyundai Santro Features: A driver airbag, along with
ABS and EBD are standard across the range. Only the top-spec Asta
variant gets an additional passenger airbag. There are a few
segment-first features on the Santro too such as the 7-inch touchscreen
infotainment system with MirrorLink, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
connectivity, rear parking camera & sensors and rear AC vents.
Hyundai Santro Rivals: The Hyundai Santro rivals the likes of the Datsun Go, Maruti Suzuki WagonR, Celerio and the Tata Tiago.
Hyundai Santro Review
The
fact that the new Hyundai Santro is longer, wider and more feature-rich
than the last-gen model holds no significance if it does not come
together as a product that can offer better value than its present-day
rivals. So we parked any emotions that we may have attached with the
brand 'Santro' on the back seat and took the new Santro out for a
few-hundred-kilometres spin to find out just how good a product it is.
So, the Santro didn’t impress us on two counts. First, it lacks dual
airbags, which we think should be standard in any car that’s on sale in
India. And secondly, the ‘at par’ features list that misses out on
tilt-adjustable steering wheel, adjustable headrest, alloys and DRLs, at
least in the Asta variant. We’re used to seeing Hyundai bettering
rather than just matching the competition.
Where the Santro truly shines is with its interiors, which feels
modern and from a league above. The quality of plastics and materials is
so good that you can compare it with non-Hyundai cars from not one but
two segments above. It’s also sporting that familiar 4-cylinder engine
with a new AMT that matches its relaxed character quite well.
As a package, the new Santro is a mixed bag. On the one hand, it
leaves us wanting in the features department and on the other, it
surprises us with its interior quality and sorted mechanicals. While the
older model left the scene playing the value card, the new version
offers a more premium experience, but at a price. So if you're someone
who's not looking for outright value from your car but will not mind
spending more for quality, the Santro should be your pick.
- Looks wide, but not the biggest car in its segment
-
Looks distinctive compared to other modern Hyundai cars
-
Not a traditional tallboy hatchback
-
Top 2 variants (Asta and Sportz) look largely the same on the outside
The 2018 Santro is not the biggest car in its segment, but it's not
the smallest either. It's amongst the widest, though. Standing next to
even the Grand i10, the Santro does not come across as a car from a
segment below size-wise. So whether it's your first car or an additional
purchase, it's not going to look entry level.
| Measurements |
Hyundai Santro |
Datsun GO |
Maruti Suzuki Celerio |
Tata Tiago |
Maruti Suzuki WagonR / WagonR Vxi+* |
| Length |
3610mm |
3788mm |
3695mm |
3746mm |
3599mm/ 3636mm |
| Width |
1645mm |
1636mm |
1600mm |
1647mm |
1495mm/ 1475mm |
| Height |
1560mm |
1507mm |
1560mm |
1535mm |
1700mm/ 1670mm |
| Wheelbase |
2400mm |
2450mm |
2425mm |
2400mm |
2400mm |
| Boot space |
235 litres |
265 litres |
235 litres |
242 litres |
180 litres |
Design-wise, it looks more like a successor of the i10 than Santro. Take
for instance, the headlamps, which bear a strong resemblance with the
pre-facelift i10. The front may look odd to some, especially the wide
black plastic base and upright fog lamps, but I liked it from the day I
saw it at the exclusive media unveil. I’ll also take the liberty to
mention here that the overall front design reminds me of the older
Porsche Cayenne from front quarters. Agree or disagree?
There’s minimal use of chrome on the outside and it’s likeable. The
door handles are old-fashioned flappy units, like on the original
Santro. Chrome applique on these would have anyway looked overdone, so
it's a good thing Hyundai chose to keep things subtle. Oddly, though,
the new Santro doesn’t get alloy wheels even on the top variant, and
that’s a miss in our books. You won’t be able to get the Grand i10’s
alloys fitted onto the Santro, although wheel size on both is 14 inches
(PCD is different for both the cars). So you’ll have to find the right
ones in the aftermarket as Hyundai is still in the process of developing
new alloy wheels for the 2018 Santro. On a positive note, absence of
alloy wheels (and LED DRLs) in the equipment list means both the Sportz
and Asta variants look largely similar on the outside.
The Santro looks particularly wide at the rear, thanks to the black
plastic cladding on both sides of the licence plate on the rear bumper.
There’s no rear spoiler, which could have made it look sportier, but
we’re told the hatch will soon get it as an accessory. Overall, unlike
the WagonR, the new Santro is not a traditional tallboy in any sense. It
looks modern. Although it does get Hyundai’s signature cascading
grille, the front design is distinctive even compared to other Hyundai
cars.
-
Sets new benchmark for overall interior quality and design
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Black cabin with green inserts and seatbelts on the green exterior colour looks youthful. Will make a compelling case for buyers
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Seating is relatively low (compared to older Santro); can’t walk into the cabin
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AC is really powerful
-
Rear passengers will complain about lack of headrests, but will appreciate the otherwise roomy interior
The quality of plastics, switchgear and practically everything inside
the cabin is appreciable. Without a doubt, the Santro would make you
feel like you’re sitting in a shrunken premium hatchback -- it appears
that well-built. And with this, it has certainly raised the bar quite
high for its peers in terms of interior quality.
Talk of design and the first thing that will wow you are the
propeller-like air conditioning vents on both ends of the dashboard. I
have to agree that there’s some influence of Mercedes-Benz here -- and
while these are not done in metal but in plastic in the Santro, you have
to give it to Hyundai for executing these so well that they don’t look
cheap. Downside is, these vents can’t be shut completely and the AC is
quite powerful. Adjusting the manual air-con to a lower temperature
setting would help.
Driver controls for front and rear power windows are situated near
the gear lever instead of the window. Hyundai might have done that to
keep costs in check but again, the quality and placement of switches is
superb and the Santro doesn’t appear to be built to a price.
There are a few other things that you should know since these might
affect your buying decision. The Santro doesn’t come with a
height-adjustable driver’s seat or tilt-adjustable steering. Those with
average build won’t have an issue getting into a decent driving
position, but if you’re taller than 6 feet you might feel the need for
either tilt steering or height-adjustable driver’s seat (to lower it) or
both.
The rear row gets its own AC vents and with the front seat set to my
liking (I’m around 5’9”), there’s enough space for someone of my build
to sit behind the driver comfortably. So seating 4 average-sized adults
shouldn’t be an issue. But there are no adjustable headrests at the
rear, so it’s not the best of cars to have if the rear seat is occupied
most of the times.
The Santro’s cabin is done in a dual-tone colour combination of black
and beige. But if you buy the Santro in Diana Green exterior colour,
which is available from the Magna variant onwards, you get a black
interior with green inserts on the dashboard, around the gear lever and
the rear AC vents. What’s most striking are the green seatbelts --
youngsters are bound to love them. If I were to buy the Santro, I would
buy it in Diana Green exterior colour only.
Like on the outside, there’s minimal use of chrome on the inside as
well, irrespective of the interior colour combination. Even the Hyundai
logo on the steering wheel is not done in chrome. Hyundai might have
done that to contain costs, but it’s it is not something that I
particularly mind.
Since the Santro is not a traditional tallboy hatchback, you don’t
walk in straight into the cabin. Instead, you’re are seated a tad low,
especially at the rear. The headroom inside is decent for average-sized
adults both at the front and the rear. There’s a downward slope around
the rear window line that you would appreciate when seated at the rear.
It makes the cabin feel airy. Boot space is rated at 235 litres -- that
should be enough for a family of four with luggage for a weekend.
Overall, the Santro is pitched as a family car and it will do a good
job at that -- if the family is nuclear. Adults at the rear will feel
the need for headrests over long distances. Older parents, who would
otherwise step in or out of the previous Santro, will find the new
Santro’s seating position a little low.
For
the new Santro, Hyundai’s got the old 1.1-litre Epsilon engine back
that did duty on both the older Santro and the i10. The 4-cylinder
engine has been reintroduced for two reasons. One, for the sake of
product distinction: the Eon gets a 1.0-litre engine, Santro a 1.1-litre
and the Grand i10 a 1.2-litre unit. Two, being a 4-cylinder engine,
it’s more refined than the Eon’s 1.0-litre, 3-cylinder unit.
The Santro’s engine makes 69PS of maximum power, which is on par with
its rivals, barring the Tiago, which makes 85PS. The Santro can be had
with both manual transmission & AMT. The same engine can also be had
with a factory-fitted CNG kit, but power output for this combination
drops to 59PS.
Within the city limits, if you’re driving calmly, you’ll be able to
drive at around 50kmph in 4th gear. Try doing it in 5th and you’ll
realise that you’ll have to shift down so that the engine has enough
juice for you to accelerate. Doing the same speeds in 3rd gear won’t
make much of a difference as it would pick up pace at roughly the same
way until the engine is revved beyond 4000rpm or thereabouts.
Verdict? Drive calmly, appreciate the interior quality, pair your
phone and let the car entertain. Out on the highway, the engine again
likes to cruise rather than change pace. The Santro can do a 100kmph all
day in top gear at around 3000rpm and without much effort. Picking up
pace will require you to drop a gear or two. Good thing is, dropping
gears is a delight. The manual transmission’s shifts are precise and
short and the clutch is light.
The AMT complements the engine’s character really well. Since the
engine doesn’t pick pace rapidly, you don’t feel as much head-nod in the
AMT when it changes gears than what you do in some other cases.
We drove the Santro in its top Asta and Sportz variant shod with
14-inch wheels. The Santro’s cabin remains planted while tackling road
uncertainties in a manner that we expect from cars from a segment above.
The suspension isn’t overly tuned for comfort and there’s just enough
stiffness to ensure the car regains composure quickly once it deals with
road inconsistencies.
The Santro’s steering is light at city and parking speeds. On the
move and at speeds of 80kmph, it feels confident as it becomes a little
heavier. The Santro feels planted like a car from a segment above when
driven at highway speeds.
Talk
of safety and the new Santro comes with ABS with EBD and driver-side
airbag as standard. While that may be at par or more than what the
competition offers, a new generation vehicle bearing the ‘Santro’
moniker was the ideal platform for Hyundai to set a new benchmark in
terms of safety. Dual airbags begs to be standard in a vehicle pegged as
a ‘family hatchback’. For now, only the top Asta variant comes with
dual front airbags and front seatbelt pretensioner with load limiter.
The
Santro comes with driver-side airbag as standard but a passenger side
airbag is available in the top variant only. That deters us from
recommend the lower variants to those users who will mostly drive with
passengers on board.
For those who mostly drive alone, the Magna and Sportz variants offer
good value in terms of features on offer. Youngsters who’re looking for
a car to drive to college will particularly like the Santro in its
green exterior colour with black cabin and green seat belts. Both these
variants are available with AMT, so there’s a choice of powertrains as
well.
The Santro’s top Asta variant is available with a manual transmission only.
