Hyundai looks all set to make its presence felt in the mid-size and premium sedan segments of India after a gap of 4 years. It is working towards bringing the newest versions of its Elantra and Sonata to the country in the next two months in a bid to improve its sales in the country. The manufacturer will launch the Sonata first and follow it up with the new Elantra soon thereafter. Both the cars had gone through an unsuccessful run in the domestic market when they were launched in India previously by the South Korean manufacturer.
According to Arvind Saxena, Hyundai Motor India Director (Marketing and Sales), "We would fill the vacuum in the premium car space with two new cars lined up this year.” He continued, “We are targeting much larger volumes with the new cars. Both these are global models developed on the same aggressive 'fluidic design concept' that has been accepted well by Indian customer in the new Verna making it the segment leader in mid-size cars.” The company will introduce a total of 10 new cars in India over a period of five years and these two cars mark the beginning of this expansion plan.
When the latest edition Sonata will be launched in India, it will cost between Rs. 18 to 20 lacs and stand directly against Volkswagen Passat, Toyota Camry, Honda Accord, Skoda Superb. Approximately 15000 cars are sold in the domestic premium sedan segment on a yearly basis and Hyundai will try to takeover a large portion of the pie with the new Sonata. The luxurious vehicle, which is known by the moniker i45 in the international market, was recently showcased in the country at the 2012 New Delhi Auto Expo.
The new Sonata features a 2.4 L direct injection petrol engine and has been developed on the manufacturer's successful Fluidic platform. This powerful engine will allow the sedan to generate 198 bhp of maximum power and 250 Nm of peak torque. Along with the petrol edition, a diesel variant of the car may also hit the market if speculation proves to be correct. According to rumours, a 2.0 L CRDi engine for the new Sonata is also in the works, though there is no clarity in this regard right now.
Elantra is the manufacturer's mid-size sedan, called the i40 around the globe though it is expected to come to India with the name Avante. When launched, it will bear a price tag of Rs. 10-13 lacs and contend against Honda Civic, Toyota Corolla, Chevrolet Cruze and Volkswagen Jetta for the title of India's favourite mid-size sedan. Close to 50000 units are sold in this segment in the domestic market every year. The car is expected to arrive in the country with a 1591 cc CRDi diesel engine, along with a DOHC petrol motor. The 1.6 L diesel unit will be able to produce 115 bhp of maximum power and 255 Nm of highest torque.
