Hyundai Exter: India’s automobile industry is no longer the same after the advent of the The Indian automobile sector has indeed come of age with the advent of the Exter, the compact SUV from Hyundai which has shattered the misconception that a vehicle can’t be budget-friendly yet be stylish, feature-rich and sturdy.
This shrewdly-positioned new model in Hyundai’s product range has so far managed to carve a niche of its own, delivering ‘premium’ experiences at low sticker prices and in the process redefining what’s possible at the budget end of the SUV segment.
Table of Contents
Hyundai Exter Strategic Market Positioning
Sitting beneath the best-selling Venue in Hyundai’s growing SUV line up, the Exter compelling prospect as an affordable entry to the world of SUVs.
Priced at a comfortable starting point of around ₹6 lakh (ex-showroom), it shares the space with the likes of the Tata Punch and Maruti Suzuki Ignis but with a different value on offer which has found many takers in first-time SUV buyers, and those looking to make a switch from hatchbacks.
Bold Design Language
The Exter is remarkably affordable and has a number of design cues you’d expect to find on more expensive cars.
At the front, you have Hyundai’s trade mark parametric grille with bold and distinctive H-shaped LED daytime running lights that give it a unique road presence. Square whee arches, chunky body cladding and a beefy stance give it proper SUV proportions from the rear, despite its compact size.
The exterior has been well designed to include subtle and premium touches such as dual tone paint options, stylish alloy wheels in the higher trims and the integrated roof rails, that not only add to the aesthetics but to the utility as well.
The additional ground clearance not only adds to the car’s rugged and strong look but will also come handy in terms of practicality in terms of typical Indian road conditions.
Surprisingly Premium Interior
Climb aboard the Exter and the sense of expensive-yet-affordable luxury is upheld with a level of cockpit that wouldn’t look amiss on a boat from a higher price point.
At the heart of the dashboard is a purposeful yet stylish layout that focuses on pure aesthetic appeal and ergonomic ease, based around an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system that is sited to provide the best possible sightlines.
The digital dashboard — rare at this price point — conveys all the necessary driving data with neat graphics that take the tech to the next level.
For an interior quality standpoint, Hyundai has not compromised despite tight cost targets. The form-fitting seating has been carefully engineered to provide support for long trips, while intelligent packaging provides more room than one would expect from a subcompact for both front and rear passengers.
The cabin is replete with useful storage solutions and has an everyday usability that adds to the life of you owning it.
Feature-Rich Package
Perhaps the Exter’s best attribute is its comprehensive equipment list, which can match cars several notches higher up the food chain.
Safety has also been a focus here, with six airbags available across the majority of the line-up – another class-leading addition and new yardstick for budget-focused SUVs.
The full safety package includes traction control, hill-start assist, and a tire pressure monitor for extra peace of mind for families.
And convenience and technology haven’t been forgotten, with available wireless smartphone connectivity, voice recognition, automatic climate control, and a cooled glovebox on upper trims.
There also are practical security benefits and young-buyer friendly adventure-documenting capabilities of the factory-fitted dashcam with both front and rear cameras.
The below features of the vehicle answers the intelligent vision by which Hyundai interprets what new generation will expect and demand.
Powertrains and Performance
The Exter provides a choice between several powertrains that fit a variety of customer tastes.
There are other engines too, but there is nothing to look far beyond the fantastic 83PS/113Nm 1.2L naturally aspirated petrol unit that is just right in providing enough power and returning brilliant fuel efficiency– a key factor, for the buyer this car caters to.
The CNG version allays the concern about running costs by soaking up cheap fuel while it’s also a decent performer in city driving.
The driving dynamics have been tailor-made for Indian roads and the suspension does a fair job to insulate the occupants from the broken and no-good roads while offering acceptable body control around the corner.
The steering is light for quick flickability in the city, and heavy enough for good feel on the highway.
This evenhandedness makes for a more sophisticated driving experience than one might expect for the cost of the vehicle too.
Market Reaction and Response from Customers
Since its introduction, the Exter has moved traditionally entrenched market forces by appealing across a range of customer bases.
The near real SUV looks and rich feature-pack to do wonders, roping in multiple week waiting period for top variants, all this happening at highly competitive pricing which showcase the strong market acceptance of the product despite the competition prevalent.
CodeWord: According to dealer responses, the car is getting new people into the Hyundai brand.
If the success of the Exter has forced competitors to take an honest look at their options and value equations to the benefit of the SUV-buying public as a whole.
Industry watchers observe that cars such as the Exter are helping to continue the migration from traditional hatchbacks to more aspirational body styles, even at lower price points.
Hyundai Exter Making Premium Accessible to Everyone
The Hyundai Exter is a philosophy which refuses to succumb to the common perception that an inexpensive car should be a taste and/or boring vehicle.
Hyundai has managed to maintain a balance between authentic SUV design cues, genuinely useful features and engineering big picture thinking within the tight confines of a dollar menu budget on this vehicle, lifting everyone’s expectations in the segment.
With this visual expression, the Exter is well-positioned for this evolving demographic of urban Indian car-buyer, a group that prioritizes status and esteem in a vehicle as well as the confidence they will not break the bank.
Its early market acceptance is evidence that with careful engineering and a keen understanding of its customers, most of the typical trade-offs associated with lower-priced vehicles can be minimized, at least with most of the vehicles on the long list where practicality and emotion joust for the right to have a spot in garages without blowing the household budget all to hell.
