All eyes will be on Hyundai’s stall at the 2018 Auto Expo, and even though they are likely to be showcasing their headlining EV the Ioniq, the main attraction will be Hyundai’s re-entry into the Santro small-car space. It is still unclear whether Hyundai will ultimately play the throwback card and use the Santro marquee or whether Hyundai’s mystery small car will get fresh nomenclature, either way, this new small car is going to get a lot of attention. Whether or not, this year Hyundai will be looking to shock and awe at the Auto Expo with a huge range of exciting India bound products!
 
Ioniq EV at 2018 Auto Expo
First off the list is Hyundai’s headlining electric SUV, the Ioniq. Now, this is not likely to make it to the product roster for India, at least not with Hyundai badging. The Ioniq will, however, serve as a showcase model and a lot of technology on Ioniq will make it on to future Hyundai EVs bound for India. The 2017 global-spec Ioniq has been in production for almost a year now, and has an EPA certified range of 200 km and makes an make 118 hp from its single electric motor, which is significantly less than the 139 hp hybrid. However, India is likely to see the 2018 version which will push the range factor to 300 km and adding an addition 2 hp in terms of power.
Kona EV at 2018 Auto Expo
The second vehicle on Hyundai’s list is their recently launched Kona SUV, and while the Kona exceptional design does set it apart, the interiors are the real draw, the India spec Kona is likely to feature an optional 8.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system which uses Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. The Kona will also get optional wireless smartphone charging pad, a heads-up display system and an 8 speaker Krell surround sound system. Now while all specs are certainly not confirmed yet, we suspect that Hyundai might skip the autonomous safety features like emergency braking, lane assist and blind spot detection.
Elite i20 at 2018 Auto Expo
In the mix ahead of the 2O18 Auto Expo is a much overdue facelift for Hyundai Elite i20, which now gets characteristic family lines like the flowing front grille from the Hyundai Verna.Additional changes include redesigned fog lamps, headlamps and a sharper designed bumper that continues the family DNA from the Xcent compact sedan. Being one of Hyundai’s strongest volume drivers in the segment, the Elite i20 is likely to get some additional equipment to make it more competitive vis-a-vis the Swift, which is also scheduled for launch ahead of the 2018 Auto Expo.
Hyundai Santro at 2018 Auto Expo
Finally, the big headline for the Hyundai contingent at the 2018 Auto Expo will be the small-car that Hyundai plans to launch or should we say re-launch. Ever since Hyundai retired the Eon, space has been governed by the likes of the Tata Tiago or Maruti Suzuki WagonR, and Hyundai wants their share of the pie back. It is expected that this model too might undercut at least the Wagon R by a considerable amount but still get a lot in terms of safety features and driver aids such as ABS and Airbags. It is also likely that Hyundai will give it a 1.1-litre iRDE or 1.2-litre Kappa mill mated to standard 5-speed manual transmission. However, we will have to wait until the 2018 Auto Expo to actually find out.
