Hyundai will be entering the micro SUV by launching the Exter on July 10th. The Exter will be positioned as the most affordable SUV in the Hyundai portfolio below the Venue. We take a closer at its features and find out whether it has what it takes to knock out its rival, the Tata Punch.
Hyundai Exter: Multiple powertrains
Hyundai is going all guns blazing with the upcoming Exter as it will be available in both naturally aspirated petrol and CNG versions. Based on the Grand i10 Nios and the Aura, the Exter will share the same powertrains and transmission options. Starting from the 1.2-litre 4-cylinder petrol, it has a total power output of 82bhp and 113.8Nm. The petrol engine will be available in two transmission options, a 5-speed manual and AMT.
Hyundai will also offer a CNG trim of the Exter which will churn out 68bhp and 95.2Nm of torque. The CNG version only comes with a 5-speed manual gearbox.
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The Tata Punch, on the other hand, is also powered by a 1.2-litre petrol engine but it is a 3 cylinders motor. Its output is 85bhp and 113Nm and like the new Exter, it is mated to both a 5-speed manual and AMT. Even though Tata Motors had showcased the Punch CNG at the Auto Expo, it’s still to make its debut.
Hyundai Exter vs Tata Punch: Engine and gearbox
| Specification | Hyundai Exter | Tata Punch |
| Engine | 1.2-litre, four-cylinder | 1.2-litre, three-cylinder |
| Power | 82 bhp | 85 bhp |
| Torque | 113.8 Nm | 113 Nm |
| Gearbox | 5-speed MT / AMT | 5-speed MT / AMT |
Hyundai Exter: Safety
Exter will be equipped with a slew of safety features. Available in five variants — EX, S, SX, SX(O) and SX(O) Connect, the new SUV will come standard with six airbags, keyless entry, ABS with EBD, Rear Parking Sensors, Emergency Stop Signal, Electronic Stability Control (ESC), Vehicle Stability Management (VSM) Hill Assist Control (HAC) and much more. The Exter will also offer segment-first features like a tyre pressure monitoring system (TPMS) (Highline) and Burglar Alarm.
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Tata Punch is the only vehicle in its segment that has been awarded a 5-star safety rating from Global NCAP. It comes standard with dual airbags, reverse parking camera, cornering lamps, rain-sensing wipers, ABS and EBD etc.
Hyundai Exter: Convenient features
The Exter sports a large and intuitive 8-inch infotainment system that supports 10 regional ]and 2 international languages. Hyundai has also equipped it with seven nature-based ambient sounds. It comes with wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, a wireless phone charger, a C-Type port and cruise control. It sports a 4.2-inch all-digital instrument cluster.
The Punch comes with a 7-inch floating touchscreen, which lets you personalise the wallpaper. It gets phone-connected features, a navigation system and a six-speaker Harman music system. The Punch’s 4.2-inch driver’s console is semi-digital with analogue dials.
Hyundai Exter: Sunroof and Dashcam
The Exter is the first vehicle in the segment to come with an electric sunroof. The sunroof will be voice-enabled. The new micro SUV offers a dashcam with dual camera vision for front and rear cameras, a 2.31-inch LCD display, smartphone app-based connectivity and multiple recording modes. The dashcam has different recording options like Driving (Normal), Event (Safety) and Vacation (Timelapse) to enhance customer experience.
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