Will The New i20 Catalyse Hyundai’s Growth?

Will The New i20 Catalyse Hyundai’s Growth?

The i20 has already sold over 25 lakh globally, including 10 lakh is in India. According to the vehicle maker, over 50 percent customers in the premium compact segment choose i20. Therefore, the expectations of the new avatar are more. How magnetic will the new i20 be to appeal to customers is the key question to be answered. HMI left no stone unturned to make it suitable to get attracted by the customer through its six key pillars approach improving on interiors, exteriors, performance, safety, offering innovative technology and peace of mind in maintaining the car. Inspired by Hyundai global design philosophy – Sensuous Sportiness, the new car is sleek, agile and has progressive dimensions, incorporating a seamlessly integrated blend of advanced and modern character lines.

Exteriors

LED headlamps with i20 branded LED DRLs, projector fog lamps and parametric jewel pattern grill that is designed to be oblique, accentuating smooth curvature around the car, make the exterior iconic. The muscular looks of the bonnet with sharp lines, the flyback chrome beltline design bold, large daylight opening area with quarter glass, shark fin antenna makes the car stand apart. The chrome garnish connecting the Z-shaped LED tail lamps with i20 branding, makes the rear appear wider. The branding is also in the side sill garnish.

With an improved vehicle forward flow, lowered front hood and implementation of the air curtain, among other enhancements, the new car offers enhanced aerodynamics. Through a combination of a body structure and systemic structural engineering materials, the vehicle provides customers with a thrilling and fun drive experience. The shell is designed not only to be attractive but also to be aerodynamic to support fuel economy, as the drag coefficient is as low as 0.33.

Compared to the outgoing i20 the new variant is longer by 10mm to 3,995mm, wider by 16mm to 1,750mm and wheelbase longer by 10mm to 2,580mm. The legroom is increased by 88mm and shoulder room by 40mm.

The new car comes in a wide choice of colour options on the all-new i20 including polar white, typhoon silver, titan grey, fiery red, starry night, metallic copper and dual-tone colour options such as polar white with black roof and fiery red with blacktop.

Interiors

As and when you enter the car, the first thing that you notice is the roomy interior, perhaps due to the horizontal design pattern that runs across from door to door. The leatherette upholstery, the sleek dashboard, ambient blue light, digital cluster with TFT displaying multiple information, Oxyboost air purifier, wireless charger with a cooling pad, electric sunroof, add not only to comfort and convenience but also matches the taste of NexGen customers.

The 10 inch HD touchscreen infotainment system with navigation, compatible with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, can be connected with multiple devices through Bluetooth. Hyundai is the first in the country to introduce the BOSE 7-speaker system (four speakers, two tweeters and a subwoofer), in this segment. Besides, the sliding front armrest, rear-seat armrest and tilt / telescopic steering add comfort.

Improved convenience is now delivered through BlueLink that offers 50 Connected Car features including first-in-segment Over-The-Air Updates (OTA) for enhanced in-car connectivity offering customers convenience and comfort. Customers can now experience voice-enabled functions by using Wake-Up Word ‘Hello BlueLink’ to control essential vehicle features such as climate control -temperature, fan speed control, airflow direction and air-intake type control (fresh/ circulation), radio, media, navigation assistance along with in-vehicle assistance like dial by number, India’s public holiday information and track live cricket scores, at the ease of a voice command.

It also offers enhanced convenience features such as remote engine start/ stop, remote lock/ unlock & climate control, remote vehicle status & alerts and even functions such as find my car location & share my car. The function also empowers customers with information such as auto crash notification, tyre pressure information and stolen vehicle tracking/ immobilisation.

The car also gets features such as digital cluster with TFT multi-information display offering information display for individual tyre pressure, drive info, fuel economy, parking warning and turn by turn navigation.

The horizontal lines in the exterior and interior make the car appear more expansive and roomier inside. Hyundai is offering the vehicle in Magna, Sportz, Asta and Asta (O) variants. Besides, it gives the customers a variety of petrol, diesel and turbo petrol engines and transmission options that include Intelligent Manual Transmission (iMT), Intelligent Variable Transmission (IVT), 7-Speed Dual Clutch Transmission (DCT) and Manual Transmissions. The 1.0-litre turbo petrol that develops 120PS of power comes in DCT and iMT options while the 1.2 Kappa that develops 88PS is mated to iVT – intelligent Variable Transmission. The 1.5-litre diesel engine that generates 100PS of power is coupled with 6-speed manual transmission.

The speciality of the car is that it is built on a lightweight K-platform with 66 percent of the body structure in advanced high strength steel. It not only enhances the crashworthiness but also make the car lighter. The use of advanced digital gauge to check the panel thinning distribution - crack, neck prediction methodology, helps in manufacturing zero crack panels. Since there are over 4,000 welding spots in each car, and more than 70 cars being processed every hour, the company deployed a high-quality welding process that features over 450 fourth-generation robots offering 100 percent weld automation. For an added layer of protection the car is equipped with 6-Airbags, Hill Assist Control, Vehicle Stability Management, Electronic Stability Control, Emergency Stop Signal, ISOFIX compatibility, DRVM (Driver Rear View Monitor), ABS with EBD, rear parking sensors, driver and passenger seatbelt reminder with pre-tensioner/load limiter.

The company is offering product assurance through wonder warranty options - three years/ 100,000 kms, four years/ 50,000 kms and five years/ 40,000 kms. Further, customers can get three years BlueLink subscription plus three years roadside assistance.

The company has also introduced a wide range of 50 accessories for the new car. It offers three accessory packs such as Essentio, Platinum and Radiant.

Overall there are 13 variants with different combinations of engines and gearbox, and all India ex-showroom prices range from INR 6.79 lakh up to INR 11.17 lakh.

With all the attributes the all-new i20 is a smart car for the smart Indian customers offering quality time for a happy life. (MT)

Tata Motors To Gift Sierra SUVs To Women's World Cup Winning Team

Tata Sierra

Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles has announced it will present the Indian Women’s Cricket Team with the first lot of the soon-to-be-launched Tata Sierra SUV following their victory at the ICC Women's World Cup. The Tata Sierra is slated to be launched on 25th November.

The company will gift the top-end model of the Sierra to each team member as part of its salute to the team’s journey and contribution to the country.

Shailesh Chandra, MD and CEO, Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles, said, “The Indian Women’s Cricket Team has made the entire nation proud with their extraordinary performance and remarkable win. Their journey stands as a true testament to determination and the power of belief, qualities that inspire every Indian. At Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles, we are privileged to present these legends with another legend, The Tata Sierra. This is our salute to their spirit and the pride they have brought to the nation – Two legends, One spirit, Infinite inspiration.”

Maruti Suzuki India Crosses 30 Million Unit Sales Milestone

Maruti Suzuki India

Maruti Suzuki India, the country’s leading passenger vehicle manufacturer, has attained a new milestone by crossing the 30-million-unit sales milestone in the domestic market.

The new benchmark was attained by the company over a course of 42 years, with the first 10 million unit sales taking 28 years and 2 months to achieve.

The 20 million unit sales took 7 years and 5 months, while the recent milestone took just 6 years and 4 months.

Interestingly, the entry-level hatchback Alto was the most preferred model in the country, with over 4.7 million units sold, followed by Wagon R with 3.4 million units and the sporty Swift with 3.2 million units.

The Brezza and Fronx SUVs also played an instrumental role in contributing to the sales milestone, being featured among the top 10 models sold in the country.

It was on 14th December 1983, Maruti Suzuki India delivered its first model, the iconic Maruti 800, to its first customer.

Hisashi Takeuchi, Managing Director & CEO, Maruti Suzuki India, said, “When I look at the length and breadth of India and think that 3 crore customers have placed their trust in Maruti Suzuki to realise their dream of mobility, it fills me with humility and gratitude. Yet, with car penetration at approximately 33 vehicles per 1,000 people, we know our journey is far from over. We will continue to make every possible effort to bring the joy of mobility to as many people as we can, while also be an asset to both the economy and the environment at the same time.”

Sharad Agarwal Is Tesla India’s First Business Head

Sharad Agarwal

American electric vehicle maker Tesla has appointed Sharad Agarwal, former Chief Business Officer of Classic Legends, as its new business head, according to a report by Bloomberg.

The report further stated that Agarwal joined the EV maker a week ago and is tasked to drive sales for Tesla in India, which as per industry observers, has not performed as per the company’s expectations.

Agarwal, an automotive industry veteran, had begun his career with TVS Motor Co as Area Sales Manager in December 2002, before joining Mahindra First Choice Wheels as its Business Head for North and Eastern region in March 2007.

It was in January 2013, he moved to Audi India as the head of Sales, before taking over as the head of Lamborghini India in April 2016, where he spent almost 9 years, before joining Classic Legends.

During his tenure at Lamborghini, the Italian super luxury car maker saw its dealerships across India achieved a Return on Sales (RoS) of more than 10 percent, setting a new benchmark for the automotive business in the country. He also grew India’s ranking for the automaker as the third market globally in terms of PR visibility in 2021.

He also expanded Lamborghini India’s reach to over 60 cities, with sales volumes from Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities contributing more than 25 percent of the total.

Tesla, which formally started deliveries in September 2025 with its first dealership in Mumbai and the second facility in Delhi, has till date delivered 114 vehicles, of the estimated 600-plus bookings.

File photo for representational purposes only.

Mahindra & Mahindra Reports INR 36 Billion Net Profit For Q2 FY2026

Mahindra Rise

Mumbai-headquartered business conglomerate Mahindra & Mahindra has announced its financial results for Q2 FY2026 with consolidated Revenue reaching INR 461 billion, marking a 22 percent YoY growth.

The consolidated Profit After Tax (PAT) stood at INR 36 billion, a 16 percent increase YoY. The company stated that, excluding specific one-time impacts, PAT growth was 28 percent YoY.

Mahindra’s Auto business reported sales of 262,000 vehicles, up 13 percent, which includes around 146,000 SUV sales. This translated to a revenue of INR 271 billion, up 25 percent YoY, while net profit came at INR 15 billion, up 8 percent YoY.

On the other hand, the farm sector reported its highest ever Q2 market share at 43 percent with sales of 123,000 units, up 32 percent YoY. The revenue came at INR 102 billion, up 25 percent, while consolidated net profit came at INR 11 billion, up 45 percent YoY.

Dr. Anish Shah, Group CEO & Managing Director, Mahindra & Mahindra, said, “We are pleased with the strong execution and solid performance delivered across the group in Q2 FY2026. Auto and Farm sustained their leadership with consistent gains in market share and profitability. TechM is progressing well on its transformation journey. MMFSL achieved a 45 percent PAT growth and remains committed to quality growth and digital transformation. Our Growth Gems are steadily advancing towards their ambitious goals, reinforcing our long-term value creation potential.”

Rajesh Jejurikar, Executive Director & CEO (Auto and Farm Sector), Mahindra & Mahindra, said, “Strong performance of our Auto and Farm businesses continues in Q2 FY2026 reinforcing our leadership position, with a gain of 390 bps YoY in SUV revenue share, and 100 bps YoY in LCV (< 3.5T) market share. In Tractors, we gained 50 bps YoY to reach 43 percent market share. Our Auto Standalone PBIT margin (excl. e-SUV Contract Mfg.) improved by 80 bps to 10.3 percent and core Tractor PBIT margins improved by 190 bps to 20.6 percent.”

Amarjyoti Barua, Group Chief Financial Officer, Mahindra & Mahindra, “Our solid Q2 consolidated results reflects the strength of our diversified portfolio. We continue to deliver on our strategic priorities. We had strong cash generation in the first half, delivering over INR 100 billion of operating cash flow. We remain committed to sustainable growth and value creation.”