Hyundai's Two New SUVs To Challenge Maruti Victoris And Tata Nexon EV
The mid-size and sub-4-metre SUV segments have seen tremendous growth in the last decade. We have seen new models like the new Hyundai Venue and Maruti Victoris get launched in these segments in the last one year. Hyundai, which is also a leading car brand in India, is now trying to challenge the Maruti Victoris and the Tata Nexon EV in the segment by coming up with two new products for India. What are those? Let’s find out.
Let’s start with the Victoris rival. Hyundai is calling this upcoming SUV BC4i. It was being referred to as the India-spec Hyundai Bayon SUV and was earlier assumed to be a sub-4-metre SUV. However, the latest details that have surfaced online reveal that the upcoming BC4i SUV will be based on the same platform as the Hyundai i20, and it will be an SUV that is 4.2 metres long. This means it won’t be a sub-4-metre SUV competing with the likes of the Nexon, Vitara, and Fronx, but will instead compete with the likes of the Maruti Victoris.
We have seen this SUV being tested, and compared to the Bayon, the upcoming SUV is expected to get a completely different design. It is expected to come with premium-looking elements like most of the latest Hyundai products. We expect to see an LED connecting bar, split headlamps, a premium bumper, wheel-arch cladding, LED tail lamps, and so on. This upcoming SUV is expected to come with a naturally aspirated petrol engine, and in order to compete with the Maruti Victoris, Hyundai is also expected to offer a CNG option with the vehicle.
Apart from the naturally aspirated engine, Hyundai is also expected to offer its brand-new 1.2-litre turbo-petrol engine that is being specifically developed for the Indian market. It will be a hybrid-ready engine and is expected to make its way to other Hyundai models in the future.
Next on the list is the electric SUV that Hyundai is working on. It is a sub-4-metre SUV that was once spotted testing on our roads. Unlike other Hyundai models, the upcoming EV will be developed to meet Indian conditions. It is also expected to see a heavy amount of localisation, and that is expected to reflect in the pricing as well.
The upcoming EV from Hyundai will get a boxy design, and the exterior styling is expected to take inspiration from the Hyundai Inster EV. We expect to see split headlamps, sleek LED DRLs, and pixel-like LED tail lamps.
The upcoming EV from Hyundai will use the E-GMP(K) platform and is expected to come with two battery-pack options. There will be a 42 kWh and a 49 kWh battery option. Both of these are expected to deliver range figures of over 300 km on a single charge.
Hyundai, during a recent interaction with the media, said that both these SUVs are part of the company’s plan to regain market share at a time when competition is growing rapidly. These two new SUVs are just the tip of the iceberg, and Hyundai plans to launch over two dozen products in India.