The Hyundai Exter, launched in India on July 10, 2023, is the latest in the ultra-competitive compact SUV segment to have achieved 100,000-unit sales. At the end of July 2024, cumulative 13-month wholesales of the Exter were an estimated 99,699 units, which is 301 units shy of the 100,000 mark. Given the monthly average sales of 7,100 units in the past four months, which in turn translates into 236 units a day, the Exter would have achieved the 100,000 milestone in the first few days of August 2024.
The Exter’s wholesales run from the first unit sold to 100,000 units has taken 13 months (see wholesales data table below), just one month more than its sibling – the Venue – Hyundai’s first compact SUV launched in May 2019 took to hit the same mark. What is creditable is that the Exter has achieved this milestone amidst a number of high-selling rivals like the Tata Punch, Maruti Brezza, Tata Nexon, Hyundai Venue, Kia Sonet and the Mahindra XUV300.
In FY2024, the Exter sold 71,299 units and accounted for 18% of Hyundai’s total SUV sales of 388,725 units. The best monthly sales yet have been in September 2023: 8,647 units.
Since its launch, the Exter, which is Hyundai’s second compact SUV, has vaulted into the third best-selling SUV for the Korean OEM, after the market-leading Hyundai Creta midsize SUV and the Venue compact SUV. In FY2024, the Exter sold 71,299 units and accounted for 18% of Hyundai’s total SUV sales of 388,725 units.
Compact SUVs’ run to 100,000 units
Tata Punch (10 months)
Maruti Fronx (10 months)
Kia Sonet (12 months)
Hyundai Venue (12 months)
Maruti Brezza (12 months)
Hyundai Exter: 13 months
Tata Nexon (23 months)
Mahindra XUV300 (30 months)
The entry-SUV category within the sub-four-metre-SUV segment is witnessing strong demand and the Exter’s aggressive pricing strategy has paid off. It is estimated that between 20,000-22,000 entry SUVs are sold each month and the Exter has made it mark there. In this ultra-competitive compact SUV segment, which has 12 models including the Tata Punch, Citroen C3, Maruti Fronx, Toyota Taisor, Nissan Magnite and Renault Kiger vying for a slice and more of the action, the Hyundai Exter did well to take seventh place in FY2024 with just seven months’ sales.
July 2024 saw Hyundai introduce two new variants. The first was the Exter Knight Special Edition, which features styling updates inside and out, to mark the Exter’s first anniversary. Then, on July 14, the company launched the Exter dual-cylinder CNG at Rs 850,000, the first Hyundai CNG model to get dual-cylinder technology which deploys two smaller CNG cylinders instead of one large unit that occupies most of the boot space
Boxy looking, feature-laden SUV
The Exter follows Hyundai’s ‘Parametric’ design language that employs boxy proportions and an upright stance. At the front, the mini-SUV gets a split-headlamp setup with integrated ‘H’-shaped LED DRLs. The front fascia gets a wide, contrasting black grille, and a prominent chin with a faux silver skid plate. The side profile is characterised by flared wheel arches, diamond-cut alloy wheels, clean lines, and all-around body cladding that lends a robust look.
The Exter gets LED tail-lights at the rear, a shark-fin antennae, roof rails as well as a single-pane sunroof – a first-in-segment feature. On the inside, the car gets an 8.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system with over 60 connected car features under Hyundai’s Bluelink connectivity suite, as well as OTA updates. Hyundai also offers a factory-fitted dual-monitoring dashboard camera, as well as cruise control on the Exter.
The Exter is offered in five trim levels, all with six airbags and electronic stability control (ESC) – the two key requirements to score a four- or five-star rating in GNCAP’s latest crash protocol – as standard safety kit. The Exter comes powered by a sole 1.2-litre, 82hp, four-cylinder, naturally-aspirational petrol engine, coupled with 5-speed MT or AMT options.
While Hyundai is claiming a fuel economy rating of 19.4kpl for the manual and 19.2kpl for the automatic, the factory-fitted CNG option offers a much superior fuel economy of 27.10kpl in comparison.
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