REVIEW ON: HYUNDAI SANTRO LONG
REVIEW ON: HYUNDAI SANTRO LONG
Is
that the new Santro?", inquired a gentleman at a traffic signal. You could
see from his eyes that he was mighty impressed with what Hyundai has done with
the new-gen offering. He insisted on seeing the car in detail and made me pull
over. As soon as he got inside the car, it is the space and the features that
impressed him. "Abhi kaafi modern lagta hai" (It feels more modern
now).
My
previous long-termer was the Hyundai Xcent and
I was extremely happy with its stress-free ownership. Obviously, my
expectations from the new-gen Santro are similar. We have the Sportz trim which
is the top-spec AMT variant priced at Rs 5.46 lakh, ex-Mumbai. Compared to the
Asta variant, this one misses out on passenger airbag and rear parking sensors
with camera. However, the Asta variant, which is Rs 18,000 more expensive, can
be opted with a manual transmission only.
Among the things that I have liked is the Diana Green shade that
makes the Santro look more funky and modern with connectivity options such as
CarPlay, Android Auto and Mirror Link, premium design of the dash, especially
the AC vents and lastly the spacious cabin. Not to forget, the smooth 1.1-litre
petrol engine paired with the AMT unit which is an absolute delight in the
city. The only bit that I am not convinced about yet is the overall design of
the Santro. It brings out mixed feelings, every time I see it. Perhaps, I will
get to used to it. Also, I have decided to name it Bugsy. The inspiration is
from its headlights and the roof design. Let's see how the Santro performs over
the course of a year.
Acquired: Dec
2018
Inducted
at: 2,900km
Total
mileage: 3,730km
Fuel: 66.4
litres
Economy: 12.5kmpl
Next update:
Can Hyundai's first-ever AMT unit maintain its cool in dense
Mumbai traffic?
Price (Ex-Delhi)
Starts Rs 3.9 Lakhs
Displacement
1086cc
Transmission
Manual
Max Power(ps)
59
Max Torque(Nm)
84.33
Mileage
-NA-
What do
you'll like:
• Excellent quality & refinement. Truly impressive for
this class of car
• Smart, practical & well-designed cabin with a chilling
air-con & nice audio system
• 4-cylinder goodness in a segment full of 3-cylinders
• AMT with electric actuators is easily the best-in-class;
this is the most sorted AMT in India
• Suspension offers a compliant ride & neutral handling
• Features such as the touchscreen head-unit, reversing
camera, rear air-con & more
• Hyundai's fuss-free ownership experience & excellent
after-sales service
Whatdo you
won't:
• Pricey! Top variants are undeniably expensive
• Quirky front-end styling will polarize opinions
• AMT unavailable in the Asta variant with dual airbags.
Also, it’s not as smooth as a regular AT
• Missing equipment – no alloy wheels, a fixed steering
position & useless rear headrests!
• Rear seat is better suited to 2 adults rather than 3
• After dealer discounts, the superior Grand i10’s price is
too close