Confirmed: Hyundai's new small SUV will launch soon in India

Hyundai Motor India Limited (HMIL) has announced that they are working on an all-new SUV for the Indian market. The manufacturer says that the all-new SUV will enable customers with smart mobility experiences that exemplify the pulse of Gen MZ. It is expected that this SUV is the new Tata Punch rival which was spotted on Indian roads some time back. As of now, not much is revealed by Hyundai about the new SUV.

It is expected that Hyundai is using the Ai3 codename for the new small SUV. Hyundai Ai3 will sit above the Grand i10 Nios but below the Venue, so it will go against rivals like Tata Punch, Citroen C3, Maruti Suzuki Ignis, Nissan Magnite and Renault Kiger.

At the first glance, the spy shots of Ai3 looked quite similar to the Casper which is being sold in the global market. However, that is not the case, Hyundai is not bringing the Casper and the Ai3 is expected to have a larger footprint than the Casper. There is a high chance that the Hyundai Ai3 will use the same platform as the Grand i10 Nios.

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Powering the new Hyundai Ai3 will be the 1.2-litre naturally aspirated engine that is doing duty on several Hyundai models such as the Grand i10 Nios, i20 and Aura. It produces 82 bhp and 113 Nm of peak torque. It comes mated to a 5-speed manual gearbox or a 5-speed AMT.

Speaking on the announcement, Mr. Tarun Garg, COO, of Hyundai Motor India Ltd., said, “Today, when you think outside, when you think of exploration and travel, you think of an SUV. Hyundai has been one of the forerunners to induce new mobility experiences and we are all set to once again excite customers with an all-new SUV that is coming soon to take you places. As India’s leading smart mobility solutions provider, we are aiming to elevate the wanderlust in customers and democratize the Hyundai SUV life for our most loved customers."