Hyundai Exter SUV receives one lakh bookings: Five possible factors for success

Hyundai Exter has emerged as a runaway hit for the Koreans in the Indian car market in around four months of its existence. Officially launched in July as a five-seater sub-compact SUV, the Exter has received over one lakh bookings so far, a key driving force behind the company's confident aim of completing calendar year 2023 with over six lakh sales in the domestic market, a personal best.

Hyundai completes 27 years in India this year and while its foundations were laid by enormously popular models like Santro and i10, it has since deviated towards SUVs. And while the likes of Creta and Venue remain the power players, the Exter - which is positioned as the most-affordable Hyundai SUV in India, is now playing on the front foot.

It isn't as if Hyundai did not have a sub-four-meter SUV in the market. The Venue has been present since 2019 and continues to fare strong. But the Exter's positioning is potentially towards the aspirational first-time car buyers in the country. In that sense alone, the model is offered at a catchy price point while still emphasising on its exterior styling and cabin-related feature list. Available in as many as seven variants, the model may have several key factors working in its favour. Here's looking at five of these:

Also watch: Hyundai Exter SUV: First Drive Review

Hyundai Exter: Variants and pricing

At launch, Hyundai Exter carried an introductory base price of ₹6 lakh while the top-end variant was priced at ₹10.5 lakh (ex-showroom). Many believe this is a compelling price bracket for the model to compete in. For an absolutely new model, the SUV design itself has managed to wow many while as many as seven variants further help a wide array of potential customers to fit themselves in accordingly.

Hyundai Exter: Feature list

The pricing of the Hyundai Exter may be attractive to many but the Koreans have ensured that the feature list, especially on the upper variants of the model, isn't exactly compromised. In fact, certain highlights like six airbags, dual-view dash camera, smart electric sunroof and wireless charger combine to give the car a posh feel.

Hyundai Exter: Key specifications

There may be no diesel engine on offer but Exter has enough otherwise to cater to a wide variety of audience. A 1.2-litre petrol motor produces 82 hp and offers 95 Nm of torque. It comes paired to a five-speed manual or a five-speed AMT gearbox. The claimed mileage for Exter is at 19.2 kmpl. Want more mileage? There is also a CNG option on the Exter.

Hyundai Exter: Target customer base

Hyundai continues to offer the Grand i10 NIOS in the Indian market and is the entry-level model in its lineup. But the growing preference for SUV body type means that Exter - which has a similar entry-level price as the Grand i10 NIOS - could attract a younger car-buying audience looking for some stylish design elements and a tall riding height from their purchase. The urban youth may be a specific target base for the brand through Exter.

Hyundai Exter: Robust sales and service network

All Hyundai models benefit from the company's massive sales and service network in the country. And this is more than likely to be helping those considering Exter to sign on the dotted line as well.