Hyundai's upcoming SUV may take on Tata Punch. What we know so far

Just a fortnight after Hyundai Motor India launched a new version of its mid-sized sedan Verna, the automaker said that it will launch an all-new SUV in the country. But the carmaker did not share much details. "The next big adventure is here to make you flutter! Get ready to spread your wings outside. An all-new SUV coming soon to take you places," Hyundai tweeted, teasing the all-new SUV.

The sports utility vehicle segment has emerged as the fastest growing segment in the domestic passenger vehicle segment. And some models of automakers have a long waiting list as well.


The company currently sells models like Venue, Creta, Alcazar and Tucson in the sports utility segment in the domestic market. "Hyundai has been one of the forerunners to induce new mobility experiences and we are all set to once again excite customers with an all-new SUV that is coming soon to take you places," Hyundai Motor India COO Tarun Garg said in a statement.

The company management did not share any details about the engine, or size of the vehicle. According to a Times Of India report, Hyundai's all-new SUV for the Indian market has been codenamed Ai3 and the upcoming sub-compact SUV will be based on the Hyundai Grand i10 Nios platform. Domestic automaker Tata is present in the sub-compact SUV segment with its model Punch.

The Times Of India report also mentions that Hyundai's upcoming SUV could take design cues from the Casper model, currently on sale in South Korea. The Hyundai Ai3 could be powered by the same 1.2L Kappa VTVT petrol engine, which powers Grand i10 Nios.

India has been a bright spot for Hyundai despite global uncertainty. Hyundai Motor India Ltd achieved the highest ever annual total sales volume (domestic plus exports) of 720,565 units in the just concluded financial year 2022-23, registering a annual growth of 18%. It registered highest ever domestic sales volume of 567,546 units, on the back of strong sales of its Creta, Venue, Alcazar, Tucson, Aura and Grand i10 Nios models. It exported 153,019 units during the financial year 2022-23, a yearly increase of 18.4%.

Hyundai Motor India Limited (HMIL) is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Hyundai Motor Company. It currently has 1,336 sales points and 1,498 service points across India.