Hyundai Exter SUV Surpasses 75,000 Bookings in India, Production Ramped up to 8,000 Units A Month

Hyundai Motor India has announced that it received over 75,000 bookings for its entry-level Exter SUV, which was launched on July 10 at Rs 6 lakh (ex-showroom) in the domestic market. Hyundai's first all-new offering in the sub-Rs 10 lakh segment has received a positive customer response so far. In September 2023, over 8,500 units of the Exter were sold. The demand for the SUV continues high, particularly for the higher-spec variants. Currently, it has a 9-month waiting period. In order to cater to the high demand for the SUV, the Indian arm of the South Korean carmaker has decided to increase its production capacity from 6,000 to 8,000 units a month.   

Also Read: Exter, Creta and More Help Hyundai Record Highest-Ever Total Monthly Sales in September

According to some industry reports, Hyundai is also rerouting export volumes to the domestic market due to the high waiting period for most variants of the SUV. The SUV's production is expected to further increase sometime in 2024. After the Tata Punch, the Exter is now the second-best-selling entry-level SUV. With its launch in India, the Tata Punch-rivalling Exter has helped Hyundai regain a 20 per cent share in the SUV segment. 

Currently, Hyundai has an extended network of 1,354 sales zones and 1, 531 service centres across the country. The carmaker's comprehensive product portfolio consists of 13 distinct models, including the Hyundai Aura, Exter, Venue, Verna, and the Creta.

Hyundai Exter SUV: Safety Equipment

The Hyundai Exter comes with extensive safety features, including 6 airbags, a burglar alarm, electronic stability control (ESC), vehicle stability management, three-point seat belts and reminders for all five seats, hill assist control, ABS with EBD, rear parking camera, automatic headlamps, child seat anchor (ISOFIX), rear defogger, Day & Night IRVM (with Bluelink controls), etc. 

Hyundai Exter SUV: Engine and Output

Underneath the skin, the Exter SUV comes with a 1.2-litre Kappa petrol 4-cylinder normally aspirated petrol engine, which produces 82bhp at 6,000rpm and 113.8Nm of peak torque at 4,000rpm. For transmission, it gets either a 5-speed manual or a 5-speed automatic transmission option. Whereas a 1.2-litre Bi-Fuel Kappa petrol engine with a CNG unit makes 68bhp and 95.2Nm. The CNG version gets a manual gearbox for transmission duties. Except for the entry-level variant, all other petrol units are offered with both MT and AMT gearboxes, while the CNG option is available with both mid-spec variants – S and SX.  

Hyundai Exter SUV: Mileage

The Exter SUV is claimed to have an ARAI-certified mileage of 19.4km/l for the manual and 19.2km/l for the automatic variant. As for the factory-fitted CNG unit, the SUV yields a fuel economy of 27.1km/kg. 

Hyundai Exter SUV: Price, Market Rivals

In terms of pricing, the Hyundai Exter retails between Rs 6 lakh and Rs 10 lakh in India. All prices are ex-showroom. It is available in 5 core trims – EX, S, SX, SX(O), and SX(O) Connect.

Also Read: New Hyundai Verna Scores 5-Star Crash Test Safety Rating from Global NCAP: Watch Video

In the sub-4m entry-SUV sub-segment, the Exter has a close rival in the form of the Tata Punch. In addition, the Exter also takes on the Maruti Suzuki Ignis, Nissan Magnite, Renault Kiger, Citroen C3, and Maruti Suzuki Fronx.