Hyundai Exter Review: 5 Things To Know About The Sub-Compact SUV - Watch Video

Hyundai India, the second largest carmaker in India recently launched yet another SUV, their second offering in the sub 4-metre SUV category - the Hyundai Exter. The launch has generated a lot of excitement in the Indian market, especially among the buyers looking to buy a feature-rich affordable and small SUV. Despite being the smallest and most affordable SUV from the South Korean automaker, the Hyundai Exter promises many first-in-the segment features among other things. I recently got a chance to experience the car in Jaipur to understand what makes the Hyundai Exter so special and here are 5 things to know about the SUV.

Hyundai Exter: Watch Video

Hyundai Exter: Segment & Competition 

First things first, what exactly is Hyundai Exter? There's a confusion related to the segmentation of the vehicle. Some are calling it an entry-level SUV, some are calling it a sub-compact SUV, while others are calling it a micro SUV. Well, it's actually a sub 4-metre SUV that competes against Tata Punch and Citroen C3 and sits below the Venue, another sub 4- metre SUV in the Hyundai's product lineup.

Hyundai Exter: Design

The Hyundai Exter SUV has a very squarish design language, giving it an SUV vibe, especially from the back profile, which is the best angle to look at the car, according to me. You get an old school large black coloured plate connecting the tail lamps & a large skid plate as well, giving it a solid appeal. While the sides get large blacked out wheel arches, roof rails and 185 mm ground clearance, the front is a different ball game altogether.

It has a modern appeal thanks to a thin black line connecting the H-shaped headlights, followed by an embossed EXTER name, a not so big & wide grille and a skid plate as well. However, the drooping profile fails to give the Exter a big SUV appeal from the front. Overall, the Hyundai Exter looks interesting, and modern, but lacks an SUV appeal. 

Hyundai Exter: Features

 Despite being the smallest and most affordable SUV from the brand, it gets all the bells and whistles one seeks in a car of this segment. You get features like a cooled glovebox, a 8-inch infotainment system with the BlueLink connected car functionality, a 4.2-inch multi-info TFT display among many things. For me, the stand out features has to be the voice-controlled Sunroof, and a Smart Dashcam with dual camera for selfie both of which are segment first. Also, the Hyundai Exter gets standard 6 airbags, again, a big thing for a car of this size and price point. In terms of other safety features, the Exter gets ESP, ESC, TPMS (Highline) and stuff.

Speaking on the practicality bit, anyone who is looking to buy an entry-level SUV over a hatchback, is primarily looking for practicality and in that sense, the Hyundai Exter provides a credible offering to the buyers. It gets a large space inside the cabin that is decent enough for 5-full grown adults. The boot is rated at 391-boot, which is one of the biggest not only in the sub-compact SUV space, but also a segment above.

Hyundai Exter: Engine & Gearbox

The Hyundai Exter is offered with two engine options: a 1.2-litre petrol engine and the same engine with a CNG kit. While the petrol engine delivers 83 PS and 114 NM output, the CNG option delivers 69 PS and 95 NM of output. In terms of the gearbox option, there's a 5-speed manual or a 5-speed Smart AMT option. The highlight here is that the AMT, for the first time in India, comes with paddle shifters, a technology you see in the DCT gearbox.

In terms of the mileage, the petrol engine delivers 19.2 kmpl fuel efficiency, and the CNG version delivers 27.1 km/kg average. The Hyundai Exter offers a very planted ride quality, combined with 185 mm ground clearance and refined suspension, soaking in most of the bumps and crevices. 

Hyundai Exter: Pricing

The Hyundai Exter is priced at Rs 6 lakh (Ex-showroom, introductory), which is similar to the Tata Punch, and a bit cheaper than the Citroen C3. At this price point, the Hyundai Exter is coming with a young look, features like sunroof & standard 6 airbags and an incredible power unit with refined ride quality. The top-spec variant is priced at Rs 10 lakh (Ex-showroom).