Reference Auto

At a time when car makers are opting for cheaper versions of their cars (like Honda, which has trimmed the price of its Jazz substantially), is Hyundai’s latest move to raise prices of its new i20 models by a whopping Rs 20,000 and rechristening them as iGen i20 a judicious one?

The all new iGen i20 is set to replace the i20. The petrol variants of the new models will carry a price tag from Rs 4.73 lakh to Rs 6.65 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi), the auto company informed.

The diesel version will come for Rs 5.96 lakh-Rs 7.44 lakh and the automatic variant will be priced at Rs 7.67 lakh, it added.

While the petrol variant is propelled by a 1.2-litre engine, the diesel option has a 1.4-litre engine. With 12 versions, there are a slew of choices for the customer.

Hyundai Motor India Ltd managing director and CEO BS Seo said the auto major has incorporated changes in the new iGen i20 to meet customers’ requirements of hi-tech features.

The Korean giant has claimed that on its new iGen i20 it has added new features such as rear parking camera with display in the cabin mirror and electro chromic mirror, which comes with anti-glare vision during night.

The i20’s 1.2 Kappa petrol engine now has dual-variable valve timing and offers 84 PS of power against the 80 PS of the earlier motor. The diesel variants are powered by a 90 PS 1.4 U2 CRDi engine and Hyundai has reverted to a 6-speed unit instead of the 5-speed one.

The 1.4 Gamma petrol automatic of the iGen i20 offers 100 PS of power and 136 Nm of torque. Changes in the exterior include a new hexagonal front grille and snazzy headlights, which is in sync with Hyundai’s fluidic design ethos.

Hyundai has also included automatic headlamps for the top variants along with rain sensing wipers and reverse camera in its new iGen i20.

On the interior, the new i20 has revised air-con louvres and comes with a new audio unit, a display panel for automatic climate control and a slightly altered instrument binnacle.

So, the slew of new features does sound interesting but whether the prospective customer will really get to be aware of all these changes is a big question that needs to be asked.

In India, cutting down prices or leaving them unchanged is similar to winning half the battle.

The Hyundai i20 has been a very popular car, selling over 2.5 lakh units since its launch in 2008. So, the high sales have probably prompted Hyundai to bet on the new model (iGen i20) by raising prices.

However, customers initially may shy away from the iGen i20 but by stressing on the features (especially in advertisements) and raising awareness could help spur sales of the new i20 despite the steep prices (although competitors are on a slashing spree).