Hyundai Ai3 micro SUV begins on-road testing in India

Hyundai Ai3, which was first spotted in Korea last year, has now started its testing phase in India. Hyundai is planning a festive season launch for the micro SUV. We could see the Ai3 hitting dealerships by mid-October. Hyundai Ai3 will sit below Venue in the automaker’s SUV lineup.

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Hyundai Ai3: What to expect?

Even though it is underpinned by the same platform as the Grand i10 Nios and Hyundai Casper, from the outside Hyundai Ai3 looks undoubtedly like an SUV. The Ai3 will be a sportier version of the Casper, although the India-spec version could get some modifications. The micro SUV gets split LED headlamps with LED DRLs, similar to the one on Hyundai Venue. The profile of the SUV looks similar to that of the Casper, with the only difference being the conventional positioning of the door handles. The Ai3 gets an angular design at the rear instead of the round tail lamps found on the Casper.

As mentioned earlier, Hyundai Ai3 will be based on the K1 platform found on the Grand i10 Nios. Ai3 is expected to be 3.7 metres long. It will also feature a bigger wheelbase which will exceed the Casper by 50mm in length. In comparison, the Casper stands at dimensions of 3595mm x 1595mm x 1575mm and has a wheelbase of 2400mm.

Hyundai Ai3 is expected to share its interiors with the Grand i10 Nios. The micro SUV can get an 8.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system, a digital instrument console, six airbags, and more. One of the features that will set the SUV apart from its competition is the electric sunroof. The Ai3 which was spotted in South Korea last year had an electric sunroof.

Under the hood, Hyundai Ai3 will share its engine with Grand i10 Nios and Hyundai Venue. The 1.2-litre naturally aspirated petrol engine can produce a maximum power output of 81hp and 114Nm peak torque. There will be manual and automatic transmissions on offer. Hyundai may also introduce a CNG variant of the Ai3 down the line. There will be no diesel powertrain.

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Conclusion

After testing concludes, Hyundai Ai3 will go into production in India by August/September. Hyundai will most likely launch the micro SUV during the festive season in October. Hyundai Ai3 could be priced anywhere between Rs 7-8 lakh. Upon launch, the Hyundai Ai3 will rival the likes of Tata Punch, Citroen C3, and Maruti Suzuki Fronx.

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