Why Tata Punch-rivaling Hyundai Casper small SUV makes more sense after Santro's demise?

The Indian audience is betting big on SUVs or cars which look like SUVs. Therefore, a drop in the sales of entry-level hatchbacks have been observed. The segment that once raised cash cows for the OEMs is slowly shrinking. In a recent development, the Hyundai Santro has faced the heat. The vehicle that made Hyundai stand tall in the Indian market is now discontinued. However, as per rumours, Hyundai is planning to bring in a new micro SUV that will fill the void left by the Santro. The potential choice for this space remains the Hyundai Casper.

With the warm welcome of the Tata Punch, it is evident that the Indian audience has enough to spend on SUVs. Well, it won’t be wrong to state - Hyundai Casper makes sense for the Indian market. In fact, it could be a better fit for the segment that Santro catered to.

Hyundai Casper Design

The Casper is designed for the South Korean market, but it packs in the element of an SUV. Black cladding running across the length and width, chunky roof rails, upright stance, they all add practicality apart from making it look butch. Also, it is loaded with more features on the inside than the Santro. Hence, an appreciation from millennials and more so from Gen-Z can be expected.

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Hyundai Casper Dimensions

Furthermore, the Casper is smaller than the Santro. It is 3,595 mm long, 1,595 mm wide, and 1,575 mm tall. The wheelbase measures at 2,400 mm, thereby making for a great entry-level city car. For reference, the Tata Punch is 3,827 mm long, 1,742 mm wide, and 1,615 mm tall. 

Hyundai Casper Engine

Talking of powertrain, the Casper is internationally available with either a 1.0L NA petrol or a 1.0L turbo-petrol. While the 100 PS turbo-petrol motor is already available on a host of Hyundai models in our market, Hyundai could reserve the 1.2L NA petrol motor for the Casper to keep the costs down.

Hyundai Casper Price

Hyundai could also price the Casper competitively, making it enjoy the price benefit over the Punch. Considering the Tata Punch’s monthly average of over 10,000 units, the Hyundai Casper has enough canvas to paint. Expect the pricing to start well below Rs 6 lakh in India.

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