Reference Auto

Hyundai is set to create a dhamaka ahead of the festive season (read Diwali) with arguably one of the biggest rollouts this year – the Eon, which is slated to vie with the likes of Maruti small car Alto with a starting price of Rs 2.5 lakh, and if a first look is anything to go by, it could be concluded that the Eon would leave the Alto miles behind.

At this price, the South Korean giant is offering much more than what the Alto offers. The high-end Eon would probably come for Rs 3.2 lakh (ex showroom).

For instance, the Eon’s design is mind blowing and the look can surely give cars like the Chevrolet Beat, Maruti Ritz and the Ford Figo as well as Hyundai’s own cars the Santro and the i10 a run for their money.

The Eon is believed to be propelled by an 814 cc three-cylinder engine from the Santro stable with a fuel economy promise of over 20 km per litre.

This is a good mileage but with Tata Motors setting a benchmark of 25 km to a litre on its diesel hatchback the Indica as well as the Indigo sedan, this could seem somewhat inadequate.

The Eon has a five-speed manual and the engine produces 56 bhp@5,500 rpm and 7.65 kgm of peak torque, arriving at 4,000 rpm.

Based on the Santro platform, the Eon could have myriad components from both the Santro as well as the i10.

On the space front, there is adequate room for four, though a fifth passenger could manage to cram in.

In this season of bleak car sales, Hyundai has timed it just right for the launch, with the Korean major keeping Diwali as the date for the Eon rollout.

“There is no car that can compare with the Eon. Yes, it is an entry-level car but with no compromises and offers much more than what its peers do. It is a very spacious car with a large boot space, which can only be seen in bigger cars. And most certainly, it doesn’t compromise on style,” averred a confident Arvind Saxena, Hyundai India sales and marketing director.

Maruti Suzuki has ceased to produce its iconic Maruti 800 model, despite the car doing substantial numbers. This move seems really baffling. Hyundai seems to have sniffed a huge opportunity in this segment and hence brought in the Eon.

Apart from Hyundai, some other car majors are also planning new launches for a bite into the compact segment - the hottest in India so far.

Tata Motors is believed to be working on a vehicle between its iconic small car, the Nano, and the Indica. Moreover, Volkswagen compact wonder Up is also expected roll out in India, probably early next year.

Ford is also coming up with a car that will be on par with the Figo. But this move by the American giant is likely to see its new car cannibalise into the Figo’s market.

The Reserve Bank’s move to raise interest rates has tightened the demand for car loans as well as cars, but the small car market will always remain hot. And sooner car majors realise this, the better.

So, the Eon is likely to come with a litany of features despite falling in the small cars category. And considering the looks and prudent pricing, it could leave the Alto miles behind to become the highest selling car in India in the medium to long term.