Hyundai Santro codenamed AH2 spied in India, launch on Oct 23: Details here

The first-gen Hyundai Santro, launched 20 years ago, is believed to have been the stepping stone for the South Korean car manufacturer's success in India

South Korean automobile manufacturer Hyundai’s upcoming hatchback, codenamed AH20, will perhaps carry the iconic name 'Santro', suggest sources. To be launched on October 23, 2018, the AH2 is expected to succeed Hyundai Eon. A prototype has been spied testing in India for a while now, and Hyundai is about to reveal the official name by October 9.

Shah Rukh Khan, Hyundai's brand ambassador for 20 years who is known to have three santros himself, recently said at a TV show that he had the desire to buy the 'new Santro'.

The AH2 will also sport a tall-boy design like Maruti's WagonR. The car will be powered by an updated version of the Santro Xing’s 65hp, 1.1-litre petrol engine mated to a five-speed manual gearbox. It will also be the first Hyundai car to get an Automated Manual Transmission (AMT) along with the gearbox.

A dash-mounted gear lever is likely to make it to the AH2, while a touchscreen infotainment system on top models is also a certainty. Other features like dual front airbags, ABS and rear parking sensors are expected to be a standard. 

The AH2 will have an edge over its rivals in terms of safety since it is based on i10’s HA platform, as opposed to the Eon’s low-cost PA platform. 

While the AH2’s is speculated to replace the Eon, Hyundai is expected to charge more nevertheless, given that the new 2018 Santro will be better in every aspect. However, competitive pricing will be a key for Hyundai, since the AH2 will compete against the likes of Maruti Suzuki Celerio and Tata Tiago, two hugely popular picks in this segment.