India’s first smart mobility provider, Hyundai has been in the country for many years now. The company not only produces passenger cars for domestic consumption in India, but also exports its products to 88 countries. To produce a car fit for both, the brand strives hard to manufacture a well built product. One of the 13 car models that Hyundai retails in India, is the very popular Exter. A compact-SUV for the masses.
The Hyundai Exter is not only a compact-SUV for the new-generation buyer, but a family member thanks to its amorous design and affluent features. But, India not only appreciates a well designed, well built car, the country is also price sensitive. So, is the Hyundai Exter a Value For Money SUV?
More Value, Less Money
The Hyundai Exter is a sub-4-metre SUV with a length of 3,815mm. However, the car gets a wheelbase of 2,450mm. Which means, the wheelbase is around 64.2% of the overall length of the vehicle. Now compared to its direct rival, which is similarly priced, the percentage of wheelbase that it offers is slightly less at around 63.8%, as compared to the Exter.
When it comes to packaging the interiors, this small percentage difference could make an SUV look either cramped or spacious on the inside, and the Exter definitely wins a point for that. Even the boot space of the Exter is capable of not only accommodating day-to-day luggage, but can also pack enough bags for your weekend outing.
More Miles, Less Fuel
The Hyundai Exter also comes with a choice of either a pure petrol or a CNG Bi-Fuel variant. For your everyday commute, Hyundai offers the Exter with a factory-fitted CNG Bi-Fuel (Petrol+CNG), naturally-aspirated, 1.2-litre 4-cylinder Kappa engine. The naturally aspirated engine produces 69 PS of power and 95.2 Nm of torque and comes with a 5-speed manual gearbox. If the performance figures have not enticed you, the mileage figure definitely will. The Exter in the CNG avatar comes with an ARAI certified mileage of 27.1 km/kg.
Petrol enthusiasts who are going to buy the SUV for their weekend trips and mild weekday runs can opt for the more powerful 1.2-litre 4-cylinder Kappa naturally-aspirated petrol engine that delivers 83 PS of power and 113.8 Nm of torque. The engine is matched to a 5-speed manual as well as a 5-speed AMT gearbox.
However, purists need not worry about the mileage, the Exter in the petrol engine option comes with an ARAI certified mileage of 19.4 km/l for the Manual Transmission and 19.2 km/l for the AMT. To corroborate this, we also took the Exter on a Mega Mileage Run from Mumbai to Mahabaleshwar and back; and managed to beat the ARAI claim even though we drove through traffic & ghat roads.
More Car, More Features
Now let’s come to the crux of the story. Is the Hyundai Exter Value For Money?
Starting from INR 6,12,800 ex-showroom, Hyundai offers the Exter with a number of First-in-Segment as well as Best-in-Class features. This includes features such as a Smart Electric Sunroof with Hindi Voice Commands, Rear AC Vents with Power Outlet, Paddle Shifters, Multi language UI Infotainment, Bluelink Connected Features, On-board Navigation System, Ambient Sounds of Nature, Home to Car to check remote status of vehicle, Footwell Lighting, Metal Pedals and the list is endless.
More Safe, Less Worry
So the Exter does sound like it offers a lot of creature comfort features. But can it take a serious punch in an unfortunate crash. Well, the Hyundai Exter not only comes with a number of safety equipment as standard such as 6-airbags, but also gets a number of First-in-Segment and Best-in-Class safety features. This includes – 6 Airbags (Dual front, Side & Curtain), Electronic Stability Control, Vehicle stability management, Hill assist control, 3 Point Seatbelts (All Seats), Seatbelt Reminder (All Seats), Burglar alarm, and even a Dashcam with Dual Camera with Full HD Video Quality. These features are not only offered on the top-spec variant but most of them are also available as an option on the entry trims, EX and S.
The SUV also comes with a segment best warranty of 3 years or unlimited kilometres for an anxiety free ownership. If this is not value for money then what is?
