Hyundai Eon drives in at Rs 2.69 lakh

Hyundai has launched its all-new baby hatch, the Eon, at a competitive price tag of Rs 2.69 lakh (ex-showroom, New Delhi) for the base D-Lite variant. The car will have six variants: D-Lite, D-Lite (O), Era, Magna, Magna (O) and Sportz; designations similar to those of the company’s i10 and i20 models.

All variants come with a 814cc 55.2bhp, three-cylinder petrol engine, mated to a five-speed manual gearbox. Hyundai claims the Eon will return a segment-topping 21.1kpl (ARAI test conditions).

The base D-Lite model features an engine immobiliser and child locks, but only a driver’s side wing mirror (with manual internal adjust) and a single horn. The top-of-the-line Sportz, at Rs 3.71 lakh, has a host of big-car features over and above what the Magna (O) offers – driver airbag, keyless entry, front fog lamps, body-coloured mirrors and door handles, and metallic finish on the steering wheel.

The Eon will compete in the most competitive segment of the Indian market currently dominated by the Maruti Alto. The car sold over 20,000 units in the month and is India’s largest selling compact. With its reputation for superior aftersales service, Hyundai will be aiming for a substantial pie of market. Hyundai invested around Rs 900 crore to develop the Eon and has set itself a target of 1.5 lakh units.