[ad_1]
Hyundai and Kia are currently the second and third largest automakers in the country, respectively, and we would love to see Korean automakers bring their international offerings to India.
Hyundai Motor Group is not only the largest automaker in South Korea, but it is also one of the largest automakers in the world. The group was officially formed when Hyundai bought 51% of Kia Motors, the second-largest automaker in South Korea, in 1998.
While Hyundai launched its first product (Santro) on the Indian market in 1998, the first offering from its subsidiary Kia Motors, the Seltos SUV made its debut in the country late last year. All of the products that the two brands currently have in their Indian lineups are working well in their respective spaces, and with a combined market share of around 22%, we believe that Hyundai and Kia should expand their presence in more segments of the country. .
Here is a list of the 5 cars that Kia and Hyundai offer in other foreign markets, and we wish to bring them to the Indian market as soon as possible:
1. Kia Telluride
The Telluride is Kia’s flagship SUV offering and is an exclusive product for the American market. The car can be had in a 7 or 8 seat layout, with captain’s seats available in the second row from the first. Under the hood, the Telluride draws power from a naturally aspirated 3.8-liter V6 gasoline engine that generates 291 hp and 355 Nm of torque.
The engine comes paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission that sends power to the standard front wheels, while an all-wheel-drive system is also optional. At a base price of $ 31,890, the Telluride is truly a bargain, and could serve as a premium alternative to the Ford Endeavor and Toyota Fortuner if brought to the Indian market.
2. Kia Sorento
Kia recently unveiled the next-generation version of the Sorento SUV, which bears many design cues from its older brother, the Telluride. It sports the tiger nose grille on the front, flanked by LED headlights. At the rear, the taillights are inspired by the Telluride, while the new bumper houses two fake twin exhausts.
The Sorento will be powered by a 2.2-liter diesel engine that produces 199 hp, along with a 1.6-liter petrol engine with a hybrid powertrain with a combined power of 227 hp / 350 Nm. The diesel engine is paired with an 8-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission, while the gasoline hybrid sends power to the wheels through a six-speed automatic gearbox. If brought to India, the Kia Sorento would be priced at around Rs 25-30 lakh, and would face the Volkswagen Tiguan AllSpace as well as the Skoda Kodiaq in India.
3. 2020 Hyundai Elantra
While Hyundai launched a middle-aged facelifted version of the Elantra in the country last year, the Korean automaker has revealed the state-of-the-art version of the sedan globally. In terms of design, it is heavily inspired by Hyundai’s Le Fil Rouge concept, and features a large cascading grille at the front flanked by aggressive LED headlights. At the rear, the car features T-shaped LED taillights, which are connected with an LED strip that runs through the trunk lid.
Hyundai offers the Elantra 2021 with a 2.0-liter gasoline engine that is mated to a CVT and produces 147 hp of power and 179 Nm of torque. It also has a 1.6-liter four-cylinder gasoline engine, which is coupled with a 32 kW engine, and has a combined output power of 130 hp, and a maximum torque rating of 264 Nm.
Since the Elantra facelift was launched in the country in October last year, we don’t expect the next-generation model to launch before 2021. When it arrives here, it will maintain its rivalry with the Honda Civic and Skoda Octavia.
4. 2020 Hyundai Santa Fe
Santa Fe was suspended from the Indian market in 2017 due to low sales. Internationally, the SUV has received a new generation model, which neglects its elegant appeal for a more peculiar and sporty appearance. It has a 2.4-liter NA gasoline engine that generates 185 hp, along with a 2.0-liter turbocharged gasoline unit that generates 235 hp of power. The 8-speed automatic transmission and front-wheel drive configuration are standard, while an all-wheel-drive configuration is also offered as an option.
The car comes with features like a 12-speaker Infinity audio system, a panoramic sunroof, all LED lights, 8-way adjustable front seats with built-in memory for the driver’s seat, an infotainment system with a touchscreen 8-inch with smartphone connectivity, surround sound vision monitor, a front-view display, a 7-inch TFT LCD multi-information display, BlueLink connected car technology, and much more.
5. Hyundai Palisade
The Hyundai Palisade shares its foundation with the Kia Telluride, however it features Hyundai’s Sensuous Sportiness styling theme. The interiors are also exclusive to the Hyundai SUV, and look a bit more premium than the Telluride. Under the hood, the Palisade uses the same 3.8-liter V6 engine as the Telluride. However, the Palisade comes with an all-wheel-drive setup as standard across the range.
The Palisade has been priced from $ 31,550 onwards in the US. USA, which is on par with its cousin, the Kia Telluride. Unfortunately, there is no confirmation from Hyundai about the Indian launch of Palisade, as the automaker is currently focusing on mass market offerings.
As of now, Hyundai Motor India Ltd sells products in the range of Rs 4.57 lakh (Santro entry level) to Rs 26.97 lakh (high-end Tucson), while Kia Motors India offers only two products, the Seltos mid-size SUV. , and the Carnival MPV, which are priced between Rs 9.89 – 17.34 lakh and Rs 24.95 – 33.95 lakh (all prices, ex-showroom) respectively. The aforementioned cars could help Korean manufacturers expand their respective lineups in the country.
