Rocking the Segment

With the Exter, Hyundai is promising to offer a capable package at very competitive prices. The question is – how capable? We drive it to find out.

- ISHAN RAGHAVA

It’s no secret that Hyundai is one of the manufacturers responsible for the wide-ranging popularity of SUVs in India. With the Creta and Venue, they created new segments, and virtually all their SUVs are among the top-sellers in their respective segments. Now, after the success of the Tata Punch, it was known for a while that Hyundai is working on a product smaller than the Venue to compete in that segment. And why would Hyundai want to compete in a segment like this? The answer to that lies in the sales numbers that the Punch generates for Tata and also, the current fad for SUVs of all sizes and shapes. Hyundai clearly thinks that huge sales numbers are possible, and this is a segment that’s going to cannibalise on small hatches and compact sedans. Well, it’s called the Exter, it is finally here. Now, I must say that I am very impressed by its pricing, especially considering that the Exter comes fully loaded, like most Hyundai products. But how about practicality? And does it drive well enough to give the Punch serious competition? Read on to find out.

EVOLUTION