Hyundai has been garnering media attention since the last few days thanks to its Grand i10. Especially a beefed up version of the Hyundai i10, this car is about to take on the Swifts and the Figos of our world. The Grand i10 will be positioned in between the current i10 and the i20.
We have been covering the Grand i10 exhaustively and the launch will take place on the 3rd of September. You can also have a look at our detailed report on the Grand i10 here.
While many may think that its a job well completed for Hyundai, the truth is that Hyundai isn’t resting. In a typical Hyundai fashion, they have been very proactive in developing a saloon variant of the Grand i10. Autocar India states that the saloon version of the Grand i10 will probably hit Indian roads by the first half of 2014.
Hyundai had an exemplary model in the saloon segment which was phased out earlier this year. Right now, this segment is also seeing some growth. Thus, the saloon version of the Grand i10 could be a well-planned move to cash in on that. The sedan version of Grand i10 sedan will obviously be a direct competition to the Honda Amaze and the Maruti-Suzuki Swift Dzire. A notable detail is that the Grand i10 was probably cut out to have a Saloon sibling, as the puny i10 would have looked out of place if it was handed over a rear extension and some tweaks.
There will obviously be the sharing of parts to keep costs in check. It is being said that the Saloon will be identical to the hatchback upto the B-Pillar. The rear will be different one, to prevent bit from looking like a Copy-Paste Job. It is also being said that the Grand i10 saloon will share the same wheelbase with the hatchback, unlike that of the Amaze-Brio duo.
The options of powerplants could be the same as that on the Grand i10 hatchback. A 1.2 Litre Kappa 2 Petrol mill could be present, along with the all-new 3-pot 1.1 Litre VGT “U2” diesel mill that will power the Grand i10. Though these mills might make the saloon a bit slower, the sharing will keep costs lower.
The Grand i10 has created quite a flutter with its (revealed) interiors and loaded equipments and we can safely expect a similar top-notch interiors and feature loaded compact sedan. If is might be slower in engine performance, the features list might fill up for the deficit.
It is also probable that this compact could be christened as ‘Accent’, thus drawing upon the older brand’s image. It can’t be named the i15 as “5” is meant for crossover products in Hyundai’s policy.
So, is Honda’s happiness short-lived?
Also Read: SPIED: After Korea, India Bound Hyundai’s Compact SUV Gets Caught In China
