With the launch of Santa Fe just ahead of the festive season, Hyundai Motor India will again try its luck in the Indian SUV market, which has witnessed demand stir of late The Indian sports utility vehicle (SUV) market,which has undergone a tremendous metamorphosis in the last few years with launch of several premium vehicles such as Tata Sumo, Tata Safari, Mahindra Scorpio and Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara, among others, is set to witness a new entrant. Santa Fe, to be launched by Hyundai Motor India just ahead of the festive season, will be the new player in the segment.
Speaking to a Machinist360 correspondent, on the
 company’s plan to launch Santa Fe, Rajeev Mitra, head of corporate communications at Hyundai Motors India, said, “The SUV segment in the country is still at a nascent stage as compared to other segments and our goal is to have at least one product in every segment of the Indian auto industry. We would like to tap the huge potential of the SUV segment present in India. Initially, Santa Fe will be assembled and brought from Korea; however, depending on demand, in future we might start assembling the car in India.” Surprisingly Hyundai enjoying a dominant presence in the small and passenger car segment of the country cuts a sorry figure when it comes to the SUV segment. The company had earlier introduced models such as Terracan and Tuscon, but because of some odd reasons withdrew it from the Indian market.
Consumer demand
“Increase in disposable income of Indian consumers has propelled the growth of the SUVs in the country. The time is apt for Hyundai Motor India to venture into the SUV segment. After Santa Fe hits the market, consumers will be all the more spoilt for choice,” comments Ravi Jain, managing director of Ravi Transmission Products, a mid-sized manufacturer of automotive parts in Mumbai.
Santa Fe, with a price tag somewhere between Rs 22 and Rs 24 lakh and having a 2.2-litre diesel engine, is expected to pose stiff competition to the recently launched Toyota Fortuner and other established players in the segment.
Arup Choudhury
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