Hyundai Santro Should be Re-launched in India

• Hyundai’s ix-Metro concept will act as the ideal foundation for the next installment of Santro
• Premium features that are already available in other cars like Creta, i20 and Grand i10 will help Hyundai in cost cutting.
• Hyundai Santro brand recognition will help the car make its stand in the market and will do for Hyundai what Baleno did for Maruti
• With escalating competition from Tata Zica, a next installment of Santro will be Hyundai’s best bet at retaining its customer base.

Maruti Suzuki WagonR was one of the first tall boy designs of the world, but it did not gain the traction that was expected by Maruti because it was introduced a couple of years after the Hyundai Santro. By then, Hyundai Santro had made its firm stand in the country as India’s first tall boy hatch. The car was one of the most successful offerings from the Korean automaker and we feel that its brand image would be Hyundai’s best bet at tackling the escalating competition, which may come as a courtesy of Tata Zica.

Tata claims that the moniker ‘Zica’ refers to the “Zippy car” driving characteristics of its hatchback, but we all remember the Shah Rukh Khan laden advertisements in which, Santro Xing and its power steering bestowed handling characteristics were highly praised. Hyundai’s ix-Metro concept, which was showcased at the 2009 Frankfurt motor show is the ideal foundation for the next generation Hyundai Santro. The tall boy construction, updated design approach and ‘Hyundai Santro’ branding will act like a marketing adhesive that will help the car dominate its customer demographic. Practically, i10 was the unofficial replacement for Santro in India but it did not achieve the brand recognition that Santro had.

Luxuries like rear air conditioning vent, touchscreen infotainment with 1GB internal storage and other premium creature comforts should be incorporated in the new installment, as it will help enhance the car’s USP and bestow it with a competitive edge. As far as suggestions go, developing the next generation Hyundai Santro based on the ix-Metro concept is as good as it gets. If Hyundai does decide on going through with it, then the next installment of Santro will do what Baleno did for Maruti.

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• Shah Rukh Khan to Participate in Hyundai's 'Safe Move' Campaign