The Drive Report: Hyundai Exter

The Exter gets the same 1.2-litre, naturally-aspirated Kappa engine as the Grand i10 Nios.

If there’s one thing that’s proven to be true over time, it’s that Hyundai India rarely misses its mark. The brand might have been dethroned from the sales-figure mountaintop currently occupied by Maruti Suzuki, but the Korean carmaker’s winning streak shows how well it has studied the perennially hungry and fickle beast that is the Indian car market. At present, Hyundai has set its sights on the SUV segment, particularly the sub-compact, sub-4-metre, sub Rs 10 lakh segment that accounts for 51 percent of the overall SUV market. And it wishes to tackle the entry-level end of this SUV spectrum, which it believes will grow to occupy 20 percent of said segment by 2024. While the Tata Punch, with its funky design and 5-star Global NCAP safety rating, has paved the way, Hyundai has been toiling away with a follow-up act that will serve not only as a benchmark for the segment, but also as the clear, undisputed market leader.

It’s called the Exter. A name that’s as baffling as the Maruti Suzuki Fronx, with the inherent genius of its abbreviation being evident only to the marketing punters who came up with the handle. But with its older siblings being the Venue and the Creta — two SUVs that have their respective segments in a vice-like grip — the Exter comes with a lot of promise. And a lot of demand. The question is, does it deliver?

Looking the part

The term ‘SUV’ is thrown around with the sort of reckless abandon that would make Mick Jagger blush. It ranges from irrelevant to downright inaccurate in many cases, but the Exter brings a lot to the table. No, it doesn’t have all-wheel drive, or all-terrain tyres. But what it does have is the sort of upright, square-jawed exterior that’s built in the image of larger, ladder-frame SUVs. Its exaggerated wheel arches, short overhangs and ample ground clearance (185mm) lend it an air of effortless practicality, the kind that makes quick work of battered city roads and even the odd rutted, muddy trail. There’s plenty of cladding around the edges, and two prominent bash plates in the front and rear that make it look battle-ready and even eager to take on the horrors of inner-city roadworks. It’s a look that inspires much confidence.

Hyundai seems plenty chuffed about its H-patterned LED head and tail lamps, and while making zero difference in terms of practicality, the overall neo-retro attributes reek of top-notch design work. Throw in the mix of pastel and bright paint schemes and the Exter is a car that punches considerably above its weight. No pun intended.

Big on features

This one’s a no-brainer. In typical Hyundai fashion, the brand has emptied its goodie basket into the cabin of the Exter. As a result, standard fitments include six airbags, ESC, ABS and Hill Hold while the options list brings segment firsts such as paddle shifters (for the 4-speed AMT), a single-panel sunroof, voice-activated command functions in multiple languages and also a front and rear dash camera. The latter may seem like a way to pad up the features list but is actually a very sensible inclusion. One that can identify potential assailants, should you come across them on the road. With incidents of road-rage and extortion on the rise in some Indian cities, the dash-cam is now a must-have feature for all cars.

There’s a nifty 8-inch touchscreen interface, flanked on both sides by solid, chunky buttons. In-built SATNAV and BlueLink features offer a variety of functions, including vehicle diagnostics, remote access and voice command functions. You can even command the system to open the sunroof, lower the AC temperature, increase the music volume and perform other functions, in Hindi. There are other connected car features too, and support for 10 Indian languages. Of course, these are features found on the top-end SX (O) connect variant costing Rs 10.10 lakh (ex-showroom). It’s no wonder that the brand has received 18,000 bookings.

Big on surprises

The Exter gets the same 1.2-litre, naturally-aspirated Kappa engine as the Grand i10 Nios.

A four-cylinder unit, it remains as palpably smooth as ever. Power figures remain modest at 83hp, but 114.5 Nm of torque is available much earlier in the rev range than it is for the Tata Punch, whose Achilles’ heel is its decidedly punch-free motor. The 4-speed AMT is a considerable improvement on all sorts of AMTs available in the market. Sure, burying the throttle causes it to emit a pained groan, but a steady throttle keeps things smooth. The Exter is also the first in its segment to offer paddle-shifters, and they go a long way in alleviating the driver from the AMT’s limitations. Suspension remains as supple as ever, although it has been stiffened a bit to keep the taller Exter from feeling wallowy.

But the real surprise comes in the form of just how adept the Exter is in off-roading scenarios. The term micro-SUV is something of a chimera, created to make hatchbacks on stilts seem more capable than they actually are. These micro-SUVs continue to be sub-4 metre hatchbacks, front-wheel driven and slightly taller than their hatchback counterparts, in this case, the Grand i10 Nios. But the Exter feels properly nimble while being driven over muddy-terrain. Surrounded by wet sand, roughly 40 km away from the city of Jaipur, the Exter seemed to have bitten more than it could chew, especially as I struggled to find the meat of the powerband with the AMT. But switching to the paddles allowed the Exter to scuttle over muddy surfaces in a manner I had not expected. It also offers a clear view, with the edge of the bonnet easily visible to the driver. That, and its compact dimensions, make it uncannily adept at going through narrow, rutted pathways. Its ability to glide over surfaces offering very little traction, and its kerb weight (under a tonne) help it meet its claims of being off-road friendly. Claims that are largely unfounded in this particular segment.

VERDICT

The Exter is going to be a spectacular success for Hyundai, no two ways about it. It’s stylish, contemporary, well-specced and wholesome. It’s a product born out of meticulous study of the market, and goes beyond the demands of the segment to deliver that little bit extra. It’s not for those looking for ample legroom and the seat cushioning is something Hyundai needs to look into. But on every other front, the Exter scores top marks.