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2021 Hyundai AX1 crossover looks set to rival Maruti Suzuki Ignis & Tata HBX

Written by Nizam Shaikh

It’s no secret that South-Korean car manufacturer Hyundai is developing a new Micro-SUV which has been codenamed the AX1 in the home market. The brand has been testing the AX1 on public roads in Korea and the car has been spotted on more than one occasion but it was only the last time when we reported the AX1 appeared on the internet with slightly less than heavy camouflage. 

The Hyundai AX1 was captured on video and the car could be in the final validation process. The new AX1 is now speculated to be only a few months away from making its public debut. The new spy shots reveal that the Hyundai AX1 will come with compact dimension but carry a tall stance similar to the Maruti Suzuki Ignis urban-SUV. 

The front end design is similar to the design language used on the Venue but it can only be confirmed when a test mule is spotted sans camouflage. The AX1 which was spotted earlier revealed slight details of the front which appeared to have a LED daytime lights close to the bonnet shutline and main headlamp units mounted on the bumpers of the car. The car also features flared wheel arches trapezoidal in shape along with plastic claddings, SUV traits also means that the AX1 is likely to come with roof rails. The spied pictures also reveal a short front and rear overhang along with high set tail lamps, multi-spoke alloy wheels and C-pillar integrated door handles for the rear doors. 

The interiors of the car have not been spied yet, but Hyundai is likely to take the minimalist approach with this car. The car though is expected to be equipped with features such as touchscreen infotainment system on higher-spec versions, control mounted steering, digital instruments, climate control AC and safety features such as Airbags, ABS with EBD, seatbelt pretensioners as standard.

In the engine department, the Hyundai AX1 could pack a 1.1-litre naturally-aspirated petrol engine and the option of a 1.0-litre turbocharged three-cylinder petrol engine matched to CVT or manual gearbox options. It is also speculated to come in a fully electric powertrain variant. 

The Hyundai AX1 is also expected to arrive in the Indian market with heavy levels of localisation to enable the car to compete with the Maruti Suzuki Ignis, Tata’s upcoming HBX Micro-SUV that has been spied earlier in the Indian market. 

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