Yesterday, we brought you the first undisguised images of Hyundai’s upcoming small car called the Eon. The Hyundai Eon will be placed among the micro hatchbacks in the Indian car market. The main rival of the Eon will the established Maruti Suzuki Alto. The Tata Nano on the other hand could also feel the heat when the Korean auto maker launches the Eon later in the year. Now, the big question remains, could Hyundai price the new Eon around Rs 2.50 lakh?
The Maruti Alto has been the best seller in this segment and Hyundai will be aware that they are about to take of one of the heavyweights of the Indian auto industry. The first thing that will strike you about the Eon is the exterior design. The Eon’s exterior is based on the Hyundai’s latest fluidic design philosophy. The Verna was the first car in India to get a makeover based on the fluidic design.With the Eon though, it seems like the designers were forced to incorporate fluidic design for the car.
Maruti Alto 800 Small Car used as an illustration
The Eon somehow isn’t as good looking as the new Verna. The Verna’s good looks were one of the factors that led to the sales of the car. View the Eon hatchback in profile and the prominent defining like that runs just under the window line is what spoils the looks. The Eon Magna also has to do without body coloured door handles and mirrors but, that is fine for a car that will be the entry level Hyundai. As far as the power plant is concerned, the Eon will have an advantage of power over the Maruti Alto, although not by much.
The total capacity of the engine is similar to that of the Maruti Alto with 800 cc and power output in the range of 50 bhp. That said, the Eon’s higher profile promises better headroom compared to the Maruti Alto which is a bit cramped in that sense. The Tata Nano is the other car in this segment, the sales of which might get affected once the Eon is launched during Diwali. In terms of space, the Nano isn’t a bad bet. The top-end Nano LX will cost you around Rs 2.05 lakh ex-showroom which is almost Rs 50,000 cheaper than the what the Eon’s expected price.
Tata Nano Small Car
The Nano is good value but then the Nano is powered by a 624 cc engine that puts out 35 PS of maximum power and 48 Nm of torque. Again, the Hyundai Eon is expected to be more powerful than the Nano. That said, we could see buyers lining-up at Hyundai showrooms instead of going for the Tata Nano given the more established brand that Hyundai is and also the fact that the Eon will be a proper car with ample space and power. Most car buyers, even today have their concerns about the Nano, if it could keep-up with normal hatchbacks over long distances.
The success of the Hyundai Santro has shown us the trust people of India have for brand Hyundai and hence, the Eon has a fair chance to be a success. All said, what could save the day for Tata Motors? Well, Tata Motors will have to think different if it hopes to take on the Eon. The car maker can bring out a diesel version of the Nano which could change things since, petrol isn’t the kind of commodity that many would be able to afford. If Hyundai price the car at Rs 2.50 lakh, the Eon has a good chance of being a success but still, it will interesting to see if an 800 cc petrol car can woo buyers who would prefer a diesel instead.
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